I am constantly surprised at the different fashion movements that we find around us. One of the more intriguing trends that has been on the rise (or revival) for several years is the Altered Couture & Art to Wear movements among home-sewers, hobbyists, and artists. These result in one-of-a-kind individualistic pieces that fulfill simultaneous roles as both art and fashion; function with beauty and individuality.  The fact that many of the creations combine artistic methods with recycling of past fashion materials is a bonus for those interested in living a more ‘green lifestyle’ - it seems a natural complement to those who tend toward a boho-chic lifestyle.

Why this topic? Simple, yesterday’s weekly ’pilgrimage’ to our local bookseller saw me purchasing the Spring 2009 issue of Stampington & Company’s ‘Altered Couture’ magazine.  Just look at the shoe-candy cover on this thing:

And the quick peak inside to give you an idea of the content and format:

Above photos via Stampington & Company website.

While there are occasionally articles on altered shoe projects, this issue has not one, but three different articles specifically focusing on individually reconstructed/altered shoes, plus two additional reader’s projects highlighted within the ’gallery’ subsection of it’s pages.  It is a lovely indicator that even in a tight economy, some people are drawn to add elegance and beauty into their lives - even in so simple a fashion as making a pair of sale-price shoes into unique pieces of wearable art.

Whether your are a crafting enthusiast, sewer, or simply a lover of unique or artistic shoes, this issue is an intriguing look at those who don’t settle for ’store-bought’ but feel compelled to make a simple pair of shoes into something much more interesting.  The fact that the articles give a brief explanation on how readers can apply techniques to their own projects to achieve similar results is an added bonus.

And, at least one of the featured artists, Pat Berryhill,  has an online etsy storefront; one where the following unique items that were showcased in the Spring 2009 Altered Couture are currently offered for sale:

Here Kitty, Kitty Mary Jane Shoes $50, size 8-8.5

Snazzalicious Shoes $50, size 8

Marie A. Shoes $50, size 8

Cover price of this quarterly publication is $14.99. I have found it to be stocked at most Borders and Barnes and Nobles brick-and-mortar locations, as well as some news-stands and grocery markets. It is also available for order at the Stampington & Company website.

Of course, if you are a size 8, you could always pop over to etsy.com and decide if these are for you.

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Every new year, I make resolutions. They range from staying in shape, saving up, spending more time with friends/family, or taking up a new interest. I’m ashamed to admit that most of these resolutions have been pretty self-centric and benefit myself, primarily.

This year I’ve decided that one of my resolutions should be something more worldly and beyond myself. I’ll be researching and trying to incorporate environment-friendly products/actions into my daily activities. On that note, this recycled footwear really made me stop and pause. Beyond recycling empty bottles or switching to energy efficient lightbulbs, there are truly endless ways to perform the 3Rs (reuse, recycle, or reduce).

One man’s junk is another man’s treasure (literally).

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Today is Blog Action Day. This year, the goal of this event is for bloggers around the web to raise awareness about an important issue - the environment. With respect to shoes, back in April, Shoeblog highlighted comfort footwear brands Terra Plana and Simple Shoe for offering shoes that have less wear on the environment.

We are happy to report that many other shoe brands are or will soon be going green. This list is, by means, comprehensive, but I wanted to offer you some footwear options to consider that are both easy on the eyes and the environment

Verde by Taryn Rose - Starting in December 2007, you’ll be able to purchase green shoes by orthopedic footwear designer Taryn Rose. The new line is called Verde (green in Italian) and contains materials friendly to the environment. For example, rubber soles will be made with vegetable oil instead of petroleum oil, leathers will be tanned with organic vegetable dyes, and the packaging will be designed with recyclable paper and have features which will reduce the need of a shopping bag.

NeuAura Shoes- Launching in Spring 2008 is a vegan footwear line with an eco-conscious. According to the NeuAura website, “All NEUAURA shoes are packed efficiently and our shoeboxes, tissue paper and fillings are made from 100% recycled paper. All NEUAURA materials are sourced locally to the factory (30-40 miles) which consumes less fuel in transport.”

Mink shoes is another animal and eco-friendly shoe brand. Since its debut in 2000, they’ve continued to offer colorful and fun shoes that tread ever so gently on the environment. I’m especially fond of their cute shoeboxes!

Getting hitched? Beyond Skin, a UK-based shoe brand, gives the blushing bride an opportunity to customize any of their eco shoe styles in a range of fabrics to match your dress.

With Earth Shoes, the “show you care” campaign donates $5 to Earth Share for every shoe sold and registered on their site. Like many of the above green footwear brands, many of Earth’s products use sustainable material and processes to develop a shoe.

Dr. Scholl Goes Green - The makers of Dr. Scholl’s have designed an eco-friendly sandal made with sustainable wood bottoms, bio-degradable outsoles, and tan leathers using vegetable dyes.

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I don’t know about you, but much as I do love some designer styles, I just can’t stand seeing people loudly advertising their purchase’s brand for all to see. Fendi Fendi Fendi! Gucci Gucci Gucci! And the mac daddy of blatant, rub-it-in-your-face brand stamping, Louis Vuitton Louis Vuitton Louis Vuitton!

So imagine my pleased delight to find that Adbusters (an excellent Canadian-based not-for-profit magazine and all around cultural enterprise dedicated to changing the way we all think about the media’s influence on us) has released a line of non-branded shoes!

They’re called Blackspot, and you can choose between a low-top sneaker ($75CDN) a la classic Chucks or an ankle boot ($99CDN), both of which were designed by John Fluevog.

Here’s the site for info about Blackspot shoes, and the ethos behind the idea.

And what do they look like?

Well, the low-top is pretty much your classic Converse-looking black sneaker (no color choice here).

And the boot is a very Fluevog-looking stomper, which I love.

Now go out there and kick some brainwashing corporation ass!

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