Customer Reviews

Style, Naturally: The Savvy Shopping Guide to Sustainable Fashion and Beauty

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(25)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I guess in trying to be more environmentally friendly the book was made in a different sort of "hard cover" with no dust jacket, yet it has flaps like a dust jacket. It's like a flexible cardboard rather than a hard cover. Yet the book stinks of a weird chemical smell that hardly seems natural. Also the book is made in CHINA where else???
The author opens you up to a whole bunch of manufactures in the green biz. From clothing to personal care. Not everything is organic. It is based on more than that. Upcycling, recycling, organic, sustainable practices and the like. Some of the fashions are downright hideous (in my opinion) and very expensive. If you have the money to burn, and you like the fashion then hell yea spend it on something good for the earth that doesn't promote child labor & tearing down rain forests!
There is a section on personal care that could really use some work. Sure this stuff is way the heck better than the conventional poisons out there, but don't kid yourself, this stuff isn't perfect either! Rather than trusting her (the authors) judgement/opinion on these types of products, you would do much better to make your own educated decisions about what you put on your skin by visiting skin deep at[...].
The very back of the book has a section dedicated to all the different sources for all the topics she mentions. I find this is great because I can review these companies at my leisure. This section makes it easy to find the type of companies you are looking for.
I love the premise of the book & what it stands for. If you need some help in the sustainable/organic industry, then you would do well to get this book. It is also a great source of inspiration for creating sustainable products yourself! I will keep this on the bookshelf & use this as a reference but continue to make my own decisions & not simply follow the authors suggestions.

I chose to read this book as I was most curious about issues with the clothing industry and how the manufacture process may be bad for the human workers or the Earth. I already know a lot about the issues with ingredients of personal care products and makeup.

Overall I feel this book is a very good attempt to bring a blend of information, some important and some more "feel good" information to a reader who may not already know this information. This book will inform readers a LITTLE BIT on the topics. The book handles the topics lightly. The author does not over-burden the reader by inciting anger or fear.

As the subtitle states, this is a SHOPPING GUIDE and it is worth mentioning that it does not steer the reader toward Do-It-Yourself projects such as encouraging readers to make their own soap, shampoo and skin care products.

Good to know also is the products and clothing in the book are for women and teenagers. This book does not have too much in the way of men's personal care products (except where gender neutral items can cross over). Also the book does not cover the growing market for green baby and children products and clothing.
Some shortcomings are that the author recommends toothpastes but never explains the health risks or issues related to SLS in toothpaste (a special concern as if swallowed it has different implications as when SLS is in shampoo or hand soap). The big fluoride in toothpaste controversy is entirely absent. Also missing from the discussions are the issues chemicals that act as phyto estrogens which is especially an issue for young girls and boys and for women in peri-menopause (the dozen or so years before menopause).

An omission in the laundering clothes section was bothersome. The author focuses on laundry soap and reducing water usage and carbon emissions. However she does not mention fabric softener which is an issue in some people's opinion. Inexpensive white vinegar can be used in place of chemical based liquid fabric softener products. Other issues regarding ingredients in softener sheets (chemical neurotoxins) is absent.

Also perplexing is that the author covers laundry detergent which is good but fails to carry it over to the next logical important topic: household and dish cleaning. I understand the book has to have limits on what is covered but one or two pages could have been included to discuss this. The same considerations given for natural laundry detergent could have been said for surface cleansers, bathroom cleansers and floor cleansers: avoiding the toxic, buying the `green' or natural versions (or making one's own for a lower cost). As a comparison the author found room in the book to discuss the danger of inhaling toxic chemical fumes when using perfume or chemical fragrances but the same thing can be said of using common cleansers for glass and surface cleaning sprays while cleaning one's home. While we're on this topic it would also have been good to discuss not just perfume for the body but issues with chemical fragrance in candles and diffuser oils and to present greener alternatives.

Praise:
1. Discusses the fact that in the USA the FDA does not regulate the safety of products such as makeup, skin care and sunscreen. Consumers must educate themselves and become informed consumers to make choices that will hopefully not cause them to become sick with something as serious as Cancer.
2. There are over 50 pages of resources to learn more and to find products, located at the back.
3. Good resources are also listed within the pages of the book such as reading sunscreen recommendations on the Skin Deep site.
4. The book is fully indexed which I find useful, especially for going back to re-read certain sections after I've already read the book cover to cover.
5. I learned new things about the manufacture of clothing such as how certain processes such as tanning leather can create pollutants or put workers at risk for developing diseases. To learn more about that was one goal I had for reading this book.

In summary this book covers a broad range of topics in a non-scary way and leaves the reader feeling hopeful and almost happy to go spend money on new products and clothes. The person who will spend a lot on fashion and wants to feel good about their purchases will be happy to hear about companies to buy from.

If money is not an issue the reader/consumer will feel good about being directed toward certain products and companies. The real life downside is that not all consumers will be able to afford these purchases and may have to rely on DIY methods that are not really encouraged in this book, such as opening one's mind to making natural homemade bath soap and skin lotions. If you are in that category, more self-education is needed and there are plenty of good books on the market to inform you.

Foremost, let me note that this expansive text has some ability to educate those completely unfamiliar with eco-friendly health/beauty/fashion products. Likewise, it is a lovely presentation of the more obvious products currently available (some of which are of questionable origin/quality). Those interested in educating themselves in this lifestyle can purchase this text (but a trip around the internet would prove more effective). However, if you are already invested in this lifestyle, you may find this book a rehash of everything you learned (and possibly disliked) in your first month of exploration.

For example: Oakes pushes the Burt's Bees line (found in every pharmacy/grocery-store/Wal-Mart). (And, I must admit, I LOVE their lip-balm!) But there are better choices for health/beauty products (ones which use fewer animal-based ingredients and less plastic). It may take more effort to locate these products (which is probably why Oakes elected to feature the Burt's Bees line), but you'll ultimately feel better about your choice. Moreover, if you are a lover of Sephora (as I am), check-out their organic/natural section (many of the product have biodegradable packaging! Even the lipstick tubes!)

Finally, Oakes' approach to eco-friendly fashion is a little too "boho" (bohemian/"hippie") for my taste. (Which will possibly lead many readers to resent the text ... and see it as a painful stereotype). As a professional woman, I'm not particularly interested in carrying a handbag crafted from old food cartons or tires. (Though I find the concept amusing). The text insinuates that "sophistication" and "eco-friendly" are incompatible -- simply not true. Moreover, I am equally as concerned about the products that Oakes touts ... many of which come from third-world countries at slave-wages. "Recycled" fashion that makes a person "feel good" about him/herself probably shouldn't come from the pain of others.

Sure, buy Oakes text for a cursory, mainstream introduction to the topic ... but my suggestion is to take a stroll to your local health-food store (for simple beauty products), Sephora (for more high-end products), and simply check the internet for more eco-friendly fashion (many of your favorite brand-names have eco-friendly lines (ex. C&C California has an organic line which even has organic, flower-seed sales-tags!!) You don't need this book to begin a transformation ... you only need curiosity!

Being raised by a hippie, one of the first things I learned as a kid was that every dollar you spend is a political and social statement, but Mom also loved quality and classic elegant designs.
Skip forward 30 years and everything I learned growing up is coming back into vogue again, this time with an environmental message. More and more people are trying to think of the impact of their purchases on the environment and on the people who make the things we use everyday.
This book is a great guide, it's got a lot of full color images as well as information where to find things, what to look for in buying ecologically sustainable clothing and accessories, why organic cosmetics are better for your skin. It proves you can be fashionable and environmentally conscious, you can absolutely have your cute little wedges and perfect black dress guilt free.
It has designer profiles explaining why designers are going green and trying to help out the world, so you know what you are buying, what decisions the dollars you spend are making. How they are using post-consumer waste or making things close to where the materials are sourced. The magpie in me loved the section on jewelry.
My favorite thing in the whole book was about how to shop for clothing and jewelry, restraining your impulses to buy things you like so you can save for something you love in a classic design that you can use for years.
Sure, fashion can become dated quickly, and I'm sure 5 years from now, someone going through this book will see a lot of things they'd never wear, but classic fashions become timeless for a reason and a lot of the companies featured in this book do design well made items that can be worn in 5 year or 20 years.
There is a whole section on thrift/vintage buying and what to look for when you buy vintage as well, which is the absolute greenest choice for fashion.
Very good book, one I want to share with friends.

I wasn't sure what to expect from Style, Naturally, but I collect fashion books and want to be more eco-friendly, so was eager to give it a try. The premise of the book is that "dressing chicly and beautifying sustainably is getting easier by the day." I think Style, Naturally is more a book advocating a way of living and thinking, rather than a book showing how to style an outfit made of eco-friendly materials (although it does have some of that). The book includes product examples with websites, advice, and profiles of people/companies who use, design, or sell eco-friendly and sustainable products. I think the best things about the book are that it is a good resource and jumping off point for exploring, and I feel like I'm getting adviace from a friend, rather than someone telling me what to do. The author makes it seem easy to be more eco-friendly and sustainable, rather than some chore.

The book contains:
A Note to the Reader
An Introduction
Eco-Fashion 101
Clothing and Acessories
Eco-fashion Tips of the Trade
Eco-Beauty
Cosmetics and Personal Care
Eco-beauty Tips of the Trade
Conclusion
Shout-Outs
Resources
Index
Photo Credits

I recommend this book as a way to inspire and challenge yourself to help the environment, while still savoring the day!

So you might be wondering why a guy is reviewing a women's fashion book but I would consider myself an "environmental" person in that I have been trying to learn more about the conservation of our planet over the last few years. That being said, I found this book to give a very comprehensive look at the fashion industry and how "green and sustainable" has started to find its way into the industry. Summer goes in depth with designers discussing how they are trying to incorporate this new trend. Of course, I am not a good person to ask about the clothes and the products suggested but I have shown the book to numerous friends that are girls and they all really liked the style and the pieces. They were surprised that the styles looked so good because they were all under the impression that eco-fashion meant ugly. As a final point, I would have to say that this is one of the best laid out books in terms of design and organization.

I absolutely love this fantastic book! Summer Rayne Oakes has written a total shopping guide for anyone who wants to make their life healthier, cleaner and less polluted from chemicals and toxins.

Summer Rayne Oakes is a nature lover from northeastern Pennsylvania, who is a fashion model, resident expert on Treehugger and on the Discovery Networks Planet Green. She uses all her expertise in this wonderful guide "Style, Naturally" to make everyone look and dress fabulous without the deadly chemicals and toxic elements that have been dominant in our society's market place for over a century.

As a baby boomer myself, I was brought up by a mother who had allergies to almost every soap and food product that contained chemicals, and saw firsthand my mother's frustrations with so many chemical based products in the fifties, sixties and seventies. We always had the products with the least amount of chemicals in our household, for my mother's health and well-being. Having a mother with so many allergies was not the norm and our family was reading product labels decades before it was popular, as it is now. The author teaches us how to read labels to differentiate organic fabrics from fabrics that use pesticides. There are also "clean" fabrics that use less pesticides, which I never knew about. Even though I've always read labels, I've learned so many more great things from this book!

Summer Rayne Oakes organizes this book beautifully, starting with the designers and manufacturers who make the great eco products and organic fabrics that are eliminating contaminants, chemicals and pesticides from our world. The author shows so many wonderful clothing pieces that have been re-cycled, re-used or re-worn. She shows fashionable bags made from bottle caps and PVC art banners. Purses are pictured that have been artfully made from candy wrappers, rice bags and re-cycled leather. License plates and car seat fabrics are turned into lovely purses. Vintage fabrics are given new life in dresses, shoes and bags. Nike now re-cycles shoes to make sport surfaces, which I never knew. Beautiful jewelry is pictured made from old hardware, stones, re-cycled woods, gold and glass.

There is a large section on cosmetics alone, which shows products such as the new mineral make-ups and chemical and lead free lipsticks. Organic shampoos and skin care products along with chemical free toothpastes, soaps, sunblocks, perfumes and nail polishes are all pictured. The author also gives tips on buying vintage and swapping or selling your no longer wanted clothing. The best part is, she lists where to shop for all these great products, along with all the eco-designers and vegan fashion retailers.

Even though I've been a label reader and re-cycler all my life, this book not only taught me many things I never knew, but showed me the many eco friendly retailers I never knew existed. This is definitely a 5 star book and the first of it's kind when it comes to covering ecology-minded fashion from head to toe!

This is a great reference manual that tells where you can find fashionable clothing, handbags, shoes, cosmetics, and beauty care products that are made in an eco-friendly manner. There are tons of pictures of all of these items. There are also what I would describe as articles on different designers and brands throughout the book. For example, there's a story about Nike telling how the company designed certain shoes using a sustainable process, and how they plan to convert much or all of the manufacturing processes to these methods over the next several years.

All in all, the book presents itself like a large catalog of different eco-friendly items from different makers along with the websites and greater details about some of the products. While you might find some of this detail doing Google searches on the internet, I have to say that I've done a lot of Google searches for this stuff, and never have I come up with search results as comprehensive as what I've found in this book. The book only lost one star because of the "catalog feel" the book has to it. While on one hand it's a great reference, on the other hand, I couldn't see myself paying for it personally.

It is, however, printed with vegetable-based ink on recycled paper, albeit very heavy weight paper. In all honesty this is a reference manual I could see myself referring to from time to time. Go Summer!!

I've been on a semi-green kick for the better part of a year now, but most of my focus has been on food and how it's produced. So I should say that right away my viewpoint will probably be a little biased, because I don't really consider "fashion" as a incredibly important part of my life (yes, very "Devil Wears Prada").

That being said, I found the book "Style, Naturally: The Savvy Shopping Guide to Sustainable Fashion and Beauty" to be incredibly uninspired and about as in-depth as a Google search.

While much of the literature surrounding "Green food" has finally started to branch out into the idea that maybe everyone who wants to be green doesn't want to spend 200-300% of their normal food budget just to buy "organic," apparently "Green fashion" isn't there yet. This book pretty much goes through a Yellow Pages worth of fashion designers who use things like organic cotton or recycled metals, and tells you to buy from them. Unfortunately if your budget for jeans is $30, not $300, you probably won't find too much to buy from these designers.

I believe what irks me about this book is the fact that it calls itself "Savvy." To me, "Savvy" implies that there are good deals and/or bargains for the money you spend in order to get the items. If this book was just called the "Shopping Guide," I probably would have been more inclined to give it four stars, but for "Savvy," well... not really on the mark.

For the content contained, I mentioned that it was as in-depth as a Google search, the good thing is; there are a lot of searches. The author does go through a large chunk of the clothing, jewelry, and make-up green industry options, so there is a decent selection in each of the chapters. While many of the producers listed only deal in green/organic/fair trade items, there are also quite a few that produce non-earth friendly items as well. There's not really much included in the book that tells you how to differentiate the "green" from "non-green" items. Also, most of the manufacturers listed are quite proud of their "Earth friendly" lines and boast about them on their company websites, so for the one or two pages of information about each company that this book provides, 99% of it could probably be found just by going to the manufacturers' websites.

Style, Naturally is a nice resource book if you are into sustainable fashion and beauty. The author did a lot of research to bring together style and environmentally friendly products and tips to help women shop in ways to enhance their health and spirit!

The book gives you information to make informed choices in order to be eco-friendly, but is light on giving you fashion ideas for putting outfits together. I enjoy reading fashion books for the illustrations or pictures and the ideas I get from the content. There wasn't a lot to glean from the illustrations/pictures. I found the book a little hard to read because the type was so small for a book like this. I also found the prose to be somewhat confusing at times.

If you are interested in meshing style with sustainability, there are hundreds of pictures, "girl-on-the-street" profiles as well as those more famous along with tips, strategies and more to align your style with healthy beauty and fashion choices.

Tips included ideas like putting a water filter in your shower as well as your sink. This strips the chlorine out of the water and as well as giving you a healthier beverage, your hair and skin will benefit too. There are tips given for shopping not only for eco-friendly products, but in eco-friendly ways.

If you are into eco-savvy style, Ms. Oakes does a nice job of going through various well-known designers and fashion/clothing companies and their product philosophy when it comes to being eco-friendly!

The most valuable aspect of the book was the 55 page resource guide in the back of the book. It was chock full of addresses, website URL's and comments on eco-friendly stores, product sites, and websites.

Well worth a glance!