Wrinkle Free & Eco-Friendly

Whitney Thompson modeling for Allistyle plus size eco-friendly clothing

Looking for a little eco-friendliness in your clothing? Allistyle is a Canadian shop offering clothing from bamboo and organic cotton. They boast that they wash well and never wrinkle. You can shop for their line in person in Toronto at Gussied Up (Bathurst) or shop at their official website. At the moment there is not a large selection, about three bottoms, twelve tops, and fifteen dresses; each having two to five color options to choose from. Here are a few of my favorite pieces:

The Cowl Neck Top ($125): I love the color blocking and the bright block of blue with a subtle cowl neck.

Allistyle short sleeve tunic.

The Full Cowl Neck Tunic ($165): I like the longer length both in the sleeves and the body. The diagonal ties are an interesting visual feature.

Allistyle tunic with a longer sleeve.

The Short Vest ($85): I love vests and this is a simple piece that can be put over camis, tanks, tees, blouses, dresses, etc.

Allistyle short vest for women.

The Wrap ($118): Love the color, love the style. Looks great with tops or dresses.

Allistyle  wrap cardigan.

The Sweater Dress ($205): I love cardigans that are dress length. They are fabulous with leggings or left open for layer. They have a wonderful movement about them. I love the ripple effect on this one.

Allistyle long sweater / dress.

The Little Black Dress ($110): I am a fan of pleats so this is a winner. I love the wide neck with matching banded sleeves and hem. It is a bit short so I’d probably wear it more like a long tunic than a dress.

Allistyle  short black dress or long tunic.

Here is a look at the fashions in motion:

They offer their clothing in sizes XS to 3X. Prices are above average but some of the pieces are pretty reasonable considering they are made in Canada.

Their website is a bit finicky to shop at so be patient with it. For some reason they don’t show all the colors for each item. The images look blurry at first but when you click on them the extra large view is sharp and gives a good view. They ship throughout North America using Purolator so you know the shipping won’t be cheap. [FYI: The lovely blonde/brunette in images 1, 3, 4, and 5 is America’s Last Top Model Whitney Thompson by the way.

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Lara Bazant Ventures Online

Lara Bazant Jewelry

Lara Bazant, a Toronto based jewelry artist, whose focus is both “eco and ethical” has ventured into the world of online merchandising after a three years in the Distillery District (DD). Moving to a online focus only will allow her to spend more time designing beautiful adornments for her customers and being a mom. If you are in Toronto you can still find some of her pieces at the DD showroom but now the rest of us will have access thanks to the handiness of the Internet. Her new site currently offers four pages of options for earrings, bracelets, necklaces and rings. Here are a few of my favorite pieces:

My favorite pieces from Lara Bazant's online eco jewelry collection.

From left to right:

  • Brass Wing Earrings, $49
  • Chainmaille Cuff Bracelet, $179
  • Pressed Glass Ring, $29
  • Kazuri Bracelet, $49
  • Cluster Leaf Earrings, $49

Lara Bazant ships throughout Canada and almost anywhere internationally.

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Eileen Fisher Ships to Canada

plus size fire colored silk tee from Eileen Fisher

This week Eileen Fisher announced that they have opened shipping to Canada. They have partnered with a company called FiftyOne so when you place an order you will be able to see your shipping (a flat rate of $5), customs, and taxes. It is convenient but I still do not like this method — I like the option of paying at the door. You can also save the site in Canadian currency to make viewing and budgeting easier.

plus size fire colored silk tee from Eileen Fisher
You will find their plus sizes, 1x to 3x, under the “Woman” tab but you will not see any plus size models, not even full-figured models which is disappointing.

I mention budgeting but this is not a budget designer so don’t expect much below $100. Bare in mind that the increase product price will increase your customs and tax payout.

Eileen Fisher has a smart palette and interesting styles in tops, sweaters, jackets, pants, denim, dresses etc. Many in natural fabrics. One of my favorite pieces this season is the Silk Tee (at right) in fire for $208.

I am glad this fashion designer offers a full range of sizes (regular and plus) AND it is now accessible to Canadians. We need all the options we can get. Have fun!

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* Get your plus size designer clothing from Eileen Fisher