Your Sustainable Guide to Fashion Week- s/s 2018

Living in a big fashion capital like New York, it can often be tough to stick to sustainable habits. However, once we're properly informed, avoiding fast-fashion shops like Zara and Forever21 can become quite easy. Other habits are harder to form, especially as fashion week approaches. We see celebrities and models dressed in gorgeous new outfits every day. We’re bombarded with the new "must have" trends that models wear as they strut down the runway, some available for purchase before the show even finishes... and we’re invited to parties and networking events where food is left untouched and plastic straws and cups are littered about, most of which will not be recycled. It’s an exciting time when the city comes alive and everyone shows off their best-looking selves but why is it we forget what truly matters, our duty as human beings to be more environmentally conscious? Shouldn’t our utmost priority be to make sustainable sexy? Here’s how!

Going to an event? Not sure what to wear? Try some of these options below. 

Rent the Runway

Rent the Runway is a company that lets you borrow dresses and evening wear for those special events, then return it for free as soon as you’re done! You can order in multiple sizes so you can ensure you get the right fit and don’t have to worry about dry-cleaning post wear, they’ll do all that for you!

When you rent a dress, you’re saving all the natural resources that go into manufacturing a new piece of clothing. The average woman throws away around 82 pounds of clothing per year. Renting helps reduce this significantly. [1]

We often wear that statement dress only once or twice, so why not get something fab (they have 250,000 designer pieces to choose from!), wear it once and then return it? It’s about shifting perspectives of the consumer and letting your friends and peers know it’s okay to rent something that’s already been worn and it is so much more environmentally friendly. 

Have a clothing swap

I’ve written about it before on a previous blog post but I can’t stress enough how amazing a clothing swap party is! You can do it with as little or as many people as you want, and the whole thing can be done without spending a dime. Have some extra clothes laying around that don’t get worn? Bring them (or host) a clothing swap party where everyone brings a few garments and trade away! It’s the perfect way to revamp your wardrobe and get some awesome unique pieces that your friends no longer wear. The best way to ‘shop’ sustainably, and reduce waste is to reuse! [2]

Borrow from a friend

Sometimes, the easiest and most cost effective way to complete a look is to borrow from a friend. Rather than my friend buying a fancy clutch she’d only end up using once for an upcoming wedding, I let her borrow one from me. Now I know in the future I can count on her to lend me an accessory or even a dress if I need it. We all have way too many things in our closet so why not share and save a little money for some more drinks with your girls at the bar?;)

Second-hand shopping

Here in New York, we’re lucky enough to have some truly amazing second-hand shops. The stuff is already made and reusing that is, without a doubt, the most sustainable option out there, even more so than making new clothes out of sustainable materials. You can often find some one-of-a-kind pieces that will make your outfit so much cooler than whatever Zara outfit every other person is wearing. Then, when you get stopped by a street-style photographer asking where you got your blazer, you can be that cool, off-trend person who says they got it from the second-hand store;) Often, used items are less expensive as well. Beacon’s Closet, Buffalo Exchange, and even your local Goodwill are excellent options. 

Reduce the Plastic

With a plethora of parties coming up and with that, a decent amount of drinking, why not make a pledge to yourself to #stopsucking? The Lonely Whale foundation seeks to educate people about the oceans and our impact on them. From overfishing, plastic pollution and acidification, our oceans need us to live smarter and become more aware of our actions. In the U.S. alone we use 500 million plastic straws EVERY DAY, many of which end up in the ocean. Lonely Whale has set out to combat this pollution by not using any plastic straws and encouraging everyone to join them. Paper, metal, glass and bamboo are all MUCH more sustainable options. Take the pledge to #stopsucking on single-use plastic straws and challenge your friends! Going out to a fashion week after party? Order that drink sans straw. Or, if you prefer your drinks with straws bring one with you! Read more about strawless oceans here. 

Your Straw offers incredible bamboo straws as an alternative. They’re the perfect size for anything from coffees to smoothies and come with a tiny brush so you can keep them clean. Purchase your own Your Straw here.

In addition to straws, try and carry a tote bag with you everywhere you go. That way, if you get some cool gift bags from shows or have to do a quick grocery shop on the way home, you can skip the plastic bag! I also always try and carry a fork and spoon with me. It’s the easiest way to reduce the single-use plastic options and is great to have on hand as I run from casting to casting all over the city.  

Take Public Transportation

New York City Fashion Week is spread out with a conflicting schedule that makes attending a few shows each day near impossible. Traffic is always a mess and people are always running late. Why not take mass transit to avoid the headache of being stuck in traffic knowing you’re not doing the environment any good? “A bus with as few as seven passengers is more fuel-efficient than the average single-occupant auto used for commuting.” [3] Sometimes the high heels are too high to navigate the subway steps and grates, so if you plan on using Uber or a taxi as your main resource try and pool with as many friends as possible. 

Living sustainably is without a doubt more difficult. But taking positive action is not only beneficial but is necessary. If we stick to our current ways by 2050 there will be more plastic in the oceans than fish. Our actions have a direct impact on our earth and we have the resources and knowledge to reduce this impact and live cleaner. Fashion is the second dirtiest industry after oil. We can make a significant impact just by shifting our consumption habits... even in small ways. So, as you get ready for fashion week try a couple of these recommendations and share some with your friends. Rather than buying the newest, latest thing, why don’t we all try and make sustainable trendy? Nothing is sexier than a cleaner, greener environment.   

Podcasts: Listen Up!

Recently, I've had the pleasure of sharing my stories and beliefs with two very good friends on their podcasts. It's special enough to be able to talk one on one with a likeminded individual but to be able to use their platforms and spread my message to even more people was a beautiful treat! 

Anne Therese and I met just before the climate march in D.C. She is part of the "model mafia" group I'm in, a group of models that get together to discuss projects, events, and get-togethers relating to fashion health and wellness. We bonded immediately and I was more than impressed with her go-getter attitude. She told me about a sustainable agency she had just started earlier this year, Role Model Mgmt, something I thought she had started years ago as they're already quite successful. She then told me that she had only conceptualized the idea last year and had made that dream a reality within a few months. Same thing for her podcast Hey Change; a mere hobby for most that turned into a success within a few months. We chat about finding happiness in new realities and how we both (try and) cope with change! 

Anna was one of the first people I met when I moved to Tokyo in grade 7. Since then, she has trained and run marathons, has become vegan, has her own podcast Running Vegan Radio and is quite the successful instagram/blogger in the vegan-marathon-running world. I was extremely humbled she wanted to have me on her show as we chatted about the Tokyo days, what it's like to model in NYC, overall health and wellness and then how I started my own company. Since our talk, she has also been one of my biggest influencers of turning into a mostly plant-based diet. For the best inspiration check out her Instagram and blog links below!

If you have 45-1 hour to spare and would like to hear about sustainability, fashion, loving yourself, treating your body right and what it's like to start your own company, make sure and check out these podcasts below.

Anne Therese Bengtsson
Website: http://heychange.net
Social: https://www.instagram.com/annetheresebengtsson/
Podcast: http://heychange.net/episodes/014/

Anna Wildman
Website: https://runningvegannyc.com
Social: https://www.instagram.com/runningvegannyc/
Podcast: https://runningvegannyc.com/2017/08/21/48-international-model-sustainability-activist-britt-bergmeister/

Shivani Persad
Website: More Than Model Radio
Podcast: https://soundcloud.com/morethanmodelradio/britt

Getting Comfortable with Discomfort

Ever get that anxious feeling inside your stomach, the top part just under your ribs that feels like you’re going to explode from the pressures within? The one that keeps your palms sweating endlessly even though it may be cold and the feeling of your heart beating in your ears, eyes, fingers and toes? I’ve felt this many times and it often comes moments before I’m about to jump out of my comfort zone. 

By nature, humans as we know are “creatures of comfort”. Most of us are attracted to life’s predictable moments that make us feel content and satisfied. Some evolutionary reasons being with comfort we are saving mental time and energy when going about our daily lives. [http://bigthink.com/think-tank/creatures-of-habit] Stepping out of that comfort zone, whether it be something as miniscule as changing your route to work or, on a grander scale, deciding to quit your job, can result in success or in discomfort and failure. And by nature the latter seems much less appealing.

While comfort can be, well, comforting, what follows may result in laziness and boredom. Think about how many routines you already follow in your daily lives. Personally, I wake up check Instagram, eat my oatmeal, go for a coffee, go to the gym, watch the same series every night with my same snack… Although it’s nice to be able to do these things, on a personal growth level what am I gaining by checking my Instagram feed over and over again simply because it has become a (bad) habit? What I’m currently striving for is foregoing the endless Instagram scroll, waking up with a meditation, stretching out my muscles and reading a few good articles before I jumpstart my day. The benefits of tuning into my mind and body at the start of my day will far outweigh the minor satisfaction I get from seeing what’s new on social media.    

On a grander scale, far bigger than breaking bad habits such as watching T.V before bed is the ability to get out of your comfort zones for personal growth. With respect to this topic, generally speaking there are two types of people and different ways in which they deal with the stresses of discomfort. Those who are resilient and open to change and those who are change resistant and stuck in their ways. [https://www.quora.com/What-are-the-main-reasons-that-people-stay-in-their-comfort-zones] Those who are resilient are striving for bigger better things and are on the path of constant self-realization. While I definitely fall somewhat in the middle, someone who seeks change but often holds back because of fear, I am aware that these bigger better things will never come from remaining comfortable. The goals that I have set and continue to set in life aren’t achievable by being lazy. 

With regards to starting my own company, a sustainable one at that, I knew that if I didn’t launch this past January of 2017, I would be waiting years in order to perfect myself and my vision (which is near impossible), and by that time those goals would be much harder to achieve. I chose to start a sustainable company without any prior studies in ethical or sustainable fashion, and found I was giving advice to my peers on something that I could barely understand one year prior. With trembling fingers and an Instagram picture ready to be shared, I declared my new venture to the world in order to hold myself 100% accountable. My friends, co-workers, and peers found out about my newfound obsession with sustainability in fashion and it was up to me, and my ability to step out of my comfort zone, to make that post a reality. 

In addition to the gratification of sharing my project with the world, I was also able to rediscover myself and instead became a leader not a follower. The power to learn new things and figure out how you handle difficult situations are not going to be learned inherently. [http://www.lifehack.org/articles/communication/6-reasons-why-your-comfort-zone-holding-you-back-life.html] Now, when I set out to accomplish bigger better things, with that same pit in my stomach, sweaty hands and accelerated heartbeat, I know the potential for achieving my goals is there. Whether I ‘get it’ the first time or not, I know it will be better than having not tried. It’s by no means as easy as sticking to what you know and you have to be okay with facing failure and rejection. Those who are truly resilient are able to let said negativities glide off with the rest of them and continue on their own path (not anyone else’s), to success.   

Healthy Light Recipes, Perfect For Summer

ZUCHINNI NOODLE SALAD WITH TURKEY MEATBALLS

INGREDIENTS

  1. 2 large zucchinis

  2. 1 lb ground turkey meat light fat

  3. 1-2 cans of tomato sauce (as little sugar as possible)

  4. Fresh garlic

  5. Fresh basil

  6. Cumin, smoked paprika, basil, oregano

  7. Salt & pepper to taste

  8. Parmesan cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Spiralize zucchini noodles until you get desired amount. Squeeze zoodles with paper towels to get rid of excess water

  • Mix ground turkey with spices in large mixing bowl

    • I like to use cumin, oregano, basil, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, , smoked paprika and fresh garlic

  • Place cans of tomato sauce into large pot and begin to heat up

  • Roll into small balls and start to pan fry in 1 tbsp of coconut oil until browned

  • Place balls into pot with tomato sauce and let simmer for ~30 minutes

  • Top meatballs with fresh basil and parmesan if you like. Bon Appetite!

FRESH WATERMELON, MINT, FETA SALAD

INGREDIENTS

  1. 1 Watermelon

  2. Fresh feta

  3. Mint leaves

  4. Balsamin glaze

  5. Olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Cut watermelon into bite size chunks

  • Crumble feta into bowl on top of watermelon

  • Cut up some fresh mint and sprinkle on top

  • For a little more flavor, I like drizzling a bit of olive oil and balsamic glaze on top (not pictured below)

  • Enjoy!

CAULIFLOWER CRUST PIZZA

INGREDIENTS

  1. 1/2 Cauliflower

  2. 2 Eggs

  3. Some non or light fat mozzarella cheese

  4. Light tomato sauce

  5. You can really top with whatever you feel like or have in your fridge! That’s what’s nice about your own personal pizzas

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Line baking tray with tin foil and spray generously with non stick spray (very important!)

  • Grate raw cauliflower with some type of blender until finely chopped (steam in microwave after grating. If you don’t have microwave, steam before on pan and then grate up in blender)

  • Squeeze all water out of cauliflower. I used a paper towel which was kind of messy and ripped up a bit. A thin, clean dish towel would be ideal to get all moisture out and ensure crisp crust

  • Mix in large bowl the raw cauliflower with salt, pepper, eggs (I used one yolk and just used the egg whites for the second) and 1/4 cup of cheese

  • Mix well until all is combined and then spread out on oiled baking sheet or tin foil until about 1/4 of an inch thick

  • Cook for 10-12 minutes on 450°

  • Take out and put all your ingredients on top, tomato sauce, maybe some more cheese, veggies, etc. and broil for 6-10 mins (watch so it doesn’t burn)

SMOKED PAPRIKA 'FRIES'

INGREDIENTS

  1. 1-2 Eggplants

  2. Olive Oil (or coconut oil) spray to spray bottom of pan and top of fries

  3. Smoked Paprika

  4. Stevia

  5. Sea salt to sprinkle

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Cut up eggplant into thin strips about an inch wide and a couple centimeters thin

  • Spray pan with olive oil and cover pan completely with fries

  • Cover fries with smoked paprika (I like a lot of flavor so I sprinkle quite a bit on top)

  • Shake one packet of stevia over top- this will give them a bit of caramelization

  • Sprinkle with desired amount of salt

  • Bake at 450° for 15-20 minutes (the blacker they become the more bacon-flavored. I like them a nice dark brown but not burnt)

  • A side of reduced sugar ketchup won’t disappoint;)

INGREDIENTS

  1. 1/2 cup melted coconut oil

  2. 1/2 cup raw cacao powder

  3. 2.5 tbsp maple syrup

  4. A pinch of sea salt flakes (to stir into chocolate mixture and to top cups with at the end)

  5. 1/4 cup nut butter (try and find one with no sugar)

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Whisk cacao, salt, and maple syrup into melted coconut oil until smooth

  • Pour 1 tsp of choco mix into muffin/cupcake tin cases and place molds into freezer for 5 minutes until firm

  • Remove from freezer and place 1-1/2 tsp of nut butter into center of each chocolate. Then place back into freezer so nut butter can harder a little bit

  • Remove from freezer and top each with 1 tbs of remainder of the chocolate mix. Place in freezer for 30 minutes minimum. (Take out 5 minutes in and sprinkle with sea salt flakes if desired. Then place back in freezer for remainder of the 30 minutes.)

  • These are raw so eat immediately or store in an airtight container in fridge. (I made about 8 large cups with this recipe but you could use smaller tins and get many more.)

The Balancing Act of Neuroticism and Having a Good Itinerary For Your Vacation

When planning a vacation, there are two types of people; those who plan almost all days down to the minute (raises hand) and those who like to live spontaneously and go with the flow (kudos to you!). I noticed my neurotic planning for vacations get to a new level when I started modeling full time. Our schedules are generally handed to us the night before so it makes planning ahead virtually impossible. If you have any model/actor/freelance friends, you’ll know what I’m talking about. There is a lot of cancelling and a lot of rescheduling when it comes to planning anything more than two days ahead for us. There are times when I’ve received an amazing job offer that I couldn’t pass on, that falls right in the middle of our planned vacation, so we’ve had to cancel and reschedule everything for next year. It’s expensive, it sucks, but work is work and I’m not about to give up an amazing job for another model to swoop in and grab. Therefore, when I plan my vacations I like to have full control of my off duty time to plan ahead, albeit cautious that I may have to reschedule.

When I was younger, I had the kind of dad who planned beautiful itineraries for us for any family vacation we took which I appreciated more than ever. We always knew where we’d be staying and what we’d have planned to see each day. I liked the regimen of having these guidelines so we wouldn’t get anywhere and potentially miss the must-see spots. On a different note, I also always liked having plans from anything as simple as where my friends and I would be going to dinner. It made sense to me, from my dad’s influence, to have a general idea of a place to see or go so you wouldn’t waste time not knowing what to do (I’m also half-German, can you tell?). 

In recent years, I’ve noticed my neuroticism with planning has sometimes gone too far. I’ve Yelped and researched every potential site, restaurant, and bar we’ve gone to in order to check things off the list, leaving out any room for the fun that comes with spontaneity. I’ve become frustrated if things haven’t gone according to my (super) detailed plan, which has definitely dampened the mood on what should have been a fun, relaxing holiday. 

After some thought I realized that over-planning was possible when mixed with a little spontaneity. I’ve recently talked about the importance of being open to change on my friend’s podcast, HeyChange! You can listen to our chat here. While we delve into change on a grander scale like the fact that change is what keeps life lively, in this article I try and tackle change in smaller terms, like planning a vacation. Here are some guidelines I tend to follow whether I have a month to plan a trip or a few hours. The act of balancing pre-planning and impulsiveness generally makes for an extremely enjoyable trip, work or vacation. 

  • Book your tickets well in advance, if possible!

    • For plane travel, I sometimes find it’s worth the investment to buy your tickets early with trip protection (only if the protection includes cancellation for any reason, not solely related to injury, death or sickness). Unfortunately, I end up having to book last minute which unfortunately costs a lot more… however if your work permits it, book ASAP! I don’t think I’ve ever seen a plane ticket price go down over time. Try checking Skyscanner to see best times to book travel. If you can be flexible with your dates this is a great option as they show you a calendar and how much each day would cost to travel.

    • I take the Amtrak train frequently and always book tickets up to over a year in advance for popular holiday weekends. If I have to cancel, Amtrak lets you get your money back or travel credit if you cancel up to a minute before your travel. That way I can book a roundtrip for ~$70 versus ~$500+ last minute.

  • Same goes for accommodation. Airbnb is my favorite way of staying in a new city. You get to live like a local and the hosts generally have cool city guides of their favorite coffee shops, restaurants and sights. It’s more personal and I like the coziness of staying in someone else’s home! I have a saved list for a bunch of popular cities of my favorite Airbnbs ready to go if I need to book last minute if they’re available.

  • Hotel Tonight is also a great way to save on an indulgent night at a nice hotel. This is a great option for a staycation or if you want to treat yourself to one or two nights at a nicer hotel. They let you book a room that day or up to a week in advance and you can usually get a great deal of ~$100+ off per night. These are the rooms they couldn’t fill last minute so they are inclined to sell them for a lot cheaper!

  • Book a few restaurants in advance! The popular must-see restaurants are always booked last minute and no one likes to wait in line for an hour with a hangry girlfriend attached at their hip (guilty as the hangry girlfriend!) When I plan a trip, solo or with a friend, I like to book a few restaurants in advance so we have options where we want to go. I’ll book a couple different cuisines for popular days (Thursday through Sunday) so we can see what we feel like at that moment. And if you feel like being spontaneous and hitting up a place you stumble upon instead, so be it! Yelp lets you make reservations through Opentable and I find their app/website easier to use/more reliable than the actual Opentable website. Resy is also a great app for last minute reservations at popular restaurants in a select number of cities. Sometimes they have a fee but this fee generally helps you get into restaurants that may not take reservations and for popular times.

    • I also like having a bunch of ‘bookmarked’ restaurants under my Yelp account, that way if I’m in a city and am not sure where to go for the best ice cream or a cute local coffee shop, I can pull up my Yelp account and see what I’ve bookmarked in the past.

  • Have a small bag always packed and ready to go with the essentials; underwear, toothbrush & toothpaste, deodorant, t-shirt, passport and a charger. That way, if you need to run last minute you can just grab this bag, add a few things and be ready to go. This is the number one sanity saver I’ve finally learned as a model for 5+ years. It helps. Trust me! If you have a bit more time to plan you can still take these essentials with you as a base and add whatever extras you need. Although, it’s always so much easier and stress free to travel with as little as possible. (Which also makes me continually rethink my entire closet and how much “stuff” I actually need when I’m generally fine for weeks on end with a small suitcase filled with my essentials…)

  • If you’re heading to a new city for the first time, or if you’d like to see a city you already know in a new light, try doing a free walking tour on your first or second day of arrival. It’s a great way to get a gist of your bearings and see where you’d like to go back to and check out in greater detail on the rest of your trip. Just type in “Free City Walking Tours” into google for whatever city you plan to visit. Almost all of them have great options! In Europe, Sandemans Walking Tours are exceptional!

  • Look into best options for transit depending on your length of stay in each city. Some offer weekly metro passes while others have deals for the day. It will help you save a lot of money that you could spend on a drink or two instead;)

    • In Japan they offer a rail pass that is significantly cheaper if you plan to travel all over the country for a week or more. For seven consecutive days, an ordinary rail pass will cost around $260 USD for unlimited travel, while some trains last minute can cost up to that much for one trip. (For Japan specifically make sure to book well in advance, as they have to send it in the mail to you and you then get it verified at any Japan Rail Pass station once you’re there).

  • Ask your friends for their recommendations! There’s no better way to see how a local lives than by getting suggestions from your friends, family and friends of friends. With Yelp, you can rest assured you’ll find some incredibly tasty, trendy spots but to live a little off the beaten path ask around for some of your friend’s favorite spots. In some cities, Yelp isn’t even popular so it’s nice to get a list of must-see restaurants, bars and museums from a pal.

    • On that note, don’t be afraid to check in with friends about staying with them either. Of course make sure and not overstay, I find 1-3 days is plenty and can save you a ton of cash which leaves you room to book last minute, expensive plane trips. Always bring a gift; flowers or wine are a great option and I always try to leave another bottle of wine and/or a card to show my appreciation...and two bottles of wine are so much cheaper than some hotel options!

  • Similar to checking out a walking tour your first or second day of arrival, I also love getting my workout in by going for a run, sans map, my first day in a new city. You can get lost and explore, while getting a good sweat in and see what spots you’d like to check out in more detail later on. If you’re only there for a day or two it’s a nice way to feel like you’ve ‘seen’ the city rather than relying on a treadmill or no workout at all.

  • Last but not least, try your best to meal prep for the flight! It’s an absolute pain in the butt, but once you get to the airport and see the options you have (for upwards of $15+ for a bleak salad), you’ll be so incredibly proud of yourself for that little extra prep (your seatmates on the plane will be extremely jealous too!) With the Tupperware you bring you’re not only helping cut down on plastic but you can use that Tupperware later on in the trip for future meals. I always end up bringing oatmeal with me so I can use the container the next morning as a bowl for breakfast! And if you’re up for it, you can do a little grocery shop or take home leftovers from dinner with you on the flight back. Anything you can do to avoid buying food at an airport will be extremely beneficial on your wallet and your health!

    • I also have a banana case I got in Japan, yes, a banana case! It keeps them nice and fresh and perfectly shaped with no squish happening. I know you’re jealous!

I hope these tips help you with your pre-planning desires. Advance planning allows for seamless travel, but of course try to be open to change. Flights will be delayed and canceled, restaurants will be booked, you may even get sick, but being well-prepared and flexible reduces potential stress...which we all need, considering how difficult travel can be these days! Bon Voyage!  

Eco-Friendly Activities For Your Weekend

Too much stuff!

That's how my friends and I felt about the amount of clothes we own. Our New York closets were always bursting at the seams and we felt it was time for a little spring cleaning.

We realized, especially having careers in fashion, that we easily get caught up in the amount of stuff we're made to think we have to have. At one point in time, New York closets were made for the few outfits you had, the type you would mend if anything needed repairing and would last you a lifetime. Buying clothing (or even buying the fabric to make your own clothes) was an investment that took a long time to save up for.  However, as we modernized, our perceptions of the amount of clothing we had to have drastically changed. Fast-fashion, when companies sell as much as they can for as cheap as they can, was introduced and the average amount of clothing people owned exploded. The small-sized closets that were once sufficient for many people to share are now the biggest draw back of finding an apartment in New York; is there ever enough closet space? 

When I read Marie Kondo's "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up" I began to realize the importance of loving absolutely everything you owned. When I looked at my closet I didn't see things that brought me joy, instead I saw an overwhelming amount of clothes that were bought on a whim, clothes that were bought because they were on sale and clothes that were bought because they were in style. The few things I had that brought me absolute happiness were things that made me feel good when I wore them, something a $5 shirt with no story attached could provide. 

With Marie Kondo's book as my new inspiration, I began going through my closet with the changing of each season and re-assessing what I had and what could get more love from another home. This year, instead of a solo spring clean I decided to pitch to my friends a sustainable Sunday where we could go through each of our closets and choose things we wanted to swap and things that would be put in a pile for donations. We decided to start at my place with coffees. What followed was thought-provoking conversations of sustainability in fashion, a good amount of laughs and a huge pile of clothes we no longer loved (or unfortunately never really loved) that we hoped would find more use in another home. 

I realized a lot of the things that were getting swapped out of my closet were bright colors that didn't match much else and had only been worn once at most, some things still had tags on them. Having that extra set of eyes helped when deciding if something would stay or go; if there was any hesitation and I had to ask Dani and Zoe if I should let something go, it had to go. What was left was a closet that could breath, things that provided me with absolute joy and most of which all matched. Success!

After my place we visited Dani's apartment in Bushwick. Another fun part of this afternoon was that we got to walk through neighborhoods we didn't usually frequent. Dani had some amazing staples, some fun things that she loved and continued to bring her joy and after trying on some pieces she was unsure of we added to the pile of donations. Zoe got a nice new crop top she felt she could give a bit more love to and we continued on to her place after.

After our walk to Zoe's apartment in Williamsburg, and some much needed refreshers, we sifted through Zoe's closet and added to our growing pile. What amazed us was how much stuff we had and how little use a lot of these items got. 

A key takeaway we all learned was the importance of differentiating between needs and wants. We so often get caught up with idea that because something is on sale we must buy it or that because something is in style we have to have it, whether we really love it or not (guilty!).  There is incredible power in removing yourself  from the instant gratification of a shopping experience and thinking about the thing you are about to purchase as something you will actually love and wear for many years  or another item you'll be bagging up for donations the following season. 

If you find yourself overwhelmed with a daunting closet and the urge is always present to buy more, try and avoid mindless shopping altogether. If you need something, do some research into sustainable companies that are transparent with their practices and how they make and sell their clothing. Invest in items you truly love and need and they will be worth the extra money, especially given how long these items will last compared to any fast-fashion version. Second-hand shopping is also an amazing option to find hidden gems that add a bit of pizzaz to your closet of stylish basics. These items definitely have a story to tell and it's fun thinking about the life they've lived. 

For a curated selection  of stylish staples made sustainably, check out our SHOP section.  You can trust that we've done the research. The looks we recommend are wardrobe staples that will have a long life and have come from a company whose values align with those of ours at ODMODC.

I hope someone else can find love and joy in the bag of items the three of us put together. The three of us are now much more cognizant of the amount of waste we were aimlessly collecting and are going to be much more thoughtful about our investments with our clothing in the future. 

 

A successful sustainable Sunday with the ladies!

Here are a few of the easiest ways to donate clothes in NYC:

  • Beacons Closet

    • They pay 35% cash or 55% store credit of the price tags that they apply to your items

    • All items not selected for resale can be donated to charity as a service to our customers

    • The items that are collected are sold as not-profit items and the money is donated to a host of selected charities found here

  • Reformation

    • When you buy something from Reformation online, they’ll include a free RefRecycling shipping label in your box. You can put that label on the box your stuff came in (or any other box), fill it up with whatever you want to recycle, have the box picked up at your door, and theyll 'do the rest.

    • You can even track where your clothes ended up!

  • Greenmarket Clothing Collection

    • Textiles are collected by Wearable Collections and taken to a sorting facility where they are sorted into different grades, with an effort to recover as much usable clothing as possible for distribution to second-hand markets. Material that is not suitable for reuse will go to recycling markets to be used as wiping rags or shredded for low grade fiber products such as insulation.

    • Check out grownyc.org for a list of all the places you can drop off your clothing in NYC

  • Salvation Army

    • At Salvation Army you can donate furniture, automobiles, household goods and appliances in addition to clothing

    • Everything you donate will be sold at their Family Stores and the proceeds are used to fund Adult Rehabilitation Centers.

    • Salvation Army accepts drop-off donations or will even pick your stuff up for free!

The No-Make Up Make Up Look, Here's How!

It took me a while to learn how to properly do my makeup, you know the kind that looks natural enough it seems like you’re not wearing any, but just enough that you can leave the house with confidence.  I don’t know about you but in high school I did my make up as if I was going out to a club, every day. After a few years of my mother pleading with me to wear less or at least blend better, in addition to getting my makeup done daily by professionals, I like to think I’ve learned enough that  I can help you achieve the off-duty make-up look.

Less is more, as I’m sure you’ve heard before. When starting with my face, if I find I need a full coverage I’ll apply a thin layer of tinted moisturizer all over. The tinted moisturizer takes away some redness but also helps keep my face hydrated so it won’t look too cakey or dry like a full foundation would.  RMS Un Cover-Up is made with coconut oil, thus hydrating the skin while providing a thin layer of coverage. Sometimes I’ll even add a little of my own moisturizer into the mix, (Pai is great and smells devine) so I can have a little extra glow. If my face is relatively clear of redness and spots, instead of adding full coverage I’ll simply add a little concealer to each spot and let the rest of my skin breath. I just tried out Nu Evolution and love their camouflage cream. It has a bit more coverage than RMS but is still hydrating and leaves the skin looking fresh and clean. 

 

After my face is taken care of, I’ll move onto my cheeks. If it’s summer I’ll add some bronzer to the high bone of my cheeks, extending all the way to my hairline, up around my brows and even the top of my forehead. I want it all to blend in and think adding a light layer all over my face ends up looking best, rather than just on my cheeks. Instead of spending hours under the sun, I recommend getting a spray-on tan or applying a light layer of bronzer if you're after that glow. It's important to put on sunscreen everyday before you add anything to your skin. You can find ones that are light enough for your face and similar to the amount of water you drink, sunscreen will help you look youthful as you age. 

 In winter I prefer using blush as I find it goes better with pale skin to have a light flushed look. RMS has a great product called "Lip 2 Cheek" where you can blend in their cream on your cheeks for a flushed look or add some to your lips for a little more color. I find it looks more natural if you end up using the same color for both. Oftentimes, make up companies use the same formulas for eyeshadows, blushes, bronzers, etc. They market it differently so you end up buying more. To save money, buy one color you love that you can use on your eyes, cheeks and lips. Click the images below for some of my favorite colors. 

I’ll then move onto my eyebrows, something I consider to be the focal point of many people’s faces when done right. I love using a brow brush and very lightly filling in the missing areas. EcoBrow has a great defining wax that is tinted and helps keep them in place because of the wax. I may extend the end of my brows a bit and then brush them out so they look full and healthy. After filling in the missing spots, I love using a toothbrush with hair spray! It holds all day and brushes them out nicely, sometimes better than a lot of eyebrow brushes. 

I tend to not do too much to the eyes. I may curl my lashes a bit and leave it at that or add a bit of mascara if I find I need some definition. 

If you literally want to shine you can add a little sparkle to your high cheek bone and high-brow area with a little shine stick. This gives you a little more glow and helps add definition to your face so your make up doesn’t look too flat. If my skin looks dehydrated, I'll use Weleda Skin Food as a highlighter. It provides the perfect amount of shine and moisture to the face. Tata Harper and Ilia also have great illuminators. Try putting them on the high of your cheekbone and extending near the hairline, the bridge of your nose, the high bone of your eyebrow right above your eyelid and right at the top of your mouth where your lip dips. 

For my lips, chapstick is my go-to. It’s the one thing I would bring with me if I was stranded on an island. To look more dressed up I’ll use one that has a little tint to it. Otherwise I’m all set with my Mongo Kiss Eco Lips that has a sheer shine to it. 

After the eyes and lips are taken care of, I may touch up some of the spots with concealer that got smudged and finish off with a little matte powder from RMS in my T-zone. Et voila! A natural off-duty model look ready for a casual outing with friends but nice enough if you happen to run into a colleague or client you don’t have to worry about your brows being out of place. 

We’re putting this stuff on our skin, our body's largest organ so why wouldn’t we consider using the best, organic ingredients? All the products I've shared with you heal and nourish our skin so we don’t have to think twice about leaving it on for too long. The key is to drink lots of water, keep your face as hydrated as possible, moisturize and exfoliate when you're at home and let your skin breath with these light products that are yes, even good enough to eat!  

By Taea Thale for Self Magazine

By Taea Thale for Self Magazine

How to Make Every Day Earth Day

What an incredible past month we’ve had in taking strides towards becoming more transparent and cognizant with sustainability and our environment. I’ve become more inspired than I knew was possible with events ranging from discussion panels at Fashion Revolution week to the People’s Climate March in Washington, and of course, Earth Day [which I celebrated a few weeks ago with SoRipe]. In light of this important month, I thought I’d share a bit of information on Earth day, some takeaway points and how you can make simple changes to contribute to the movement.

Earth Day was formed in 1970 by Gaylord Nelson, a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin as a way to spread awareness nationally about the environment. He was inspired by the anti-war movement and saw Earth Day as a way to teach others about air and water pollution, which was especially important after a massive oil spill that occurred in Santa Barbara in 1969. [1]

In just one year Earth Day was so popular that it led to the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency which subsequently led to the passage of the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species Acts. By 1990, Earth Day had become a global event. 

Present day, there are unfortunately still many people refuting the idea of climate change; well-funded oil lobbyists, the disinterested public and our newly appointed President Donald Trump. The sense of urgency to spread awareness and fight for a clean environment is still strong and perhaps it’s even more crucial as our President shares his negative views of climate change, especially as he looks to pull the U.S. out of the Paris agreement.  Fortunately, there are still over a billion people celebrating Earth Day each year and who continue to make it their mission to do good for our planet. [2] 

Mia Yamaguchi, coordinator at the CoolClimate Network at University of California, Berkeley’s Renewable and Appropriate Energy Laboratory, brings up a good point about the importance of an individual’s impact on climate change in an article on Life Science. We have the power to significantly improve and manage our own environmental impacts by making small changes; taking mass transit instead of driving, recycling, and ditching the plastic utensils are a few that first come to mind. With other things like foreign relations, or national debt, it takes a lot more political involvement to make a small change with a lot less participation from the individual. [3] 

Having lived in New York for the past five years, I have become extremely aware of my carbon footprint and how I can make a change. From the amount of taxis I was taking to castings to the waste as a result of the fashion industry I work in, I began to realize that I was a lot more part of the problem than I thought I was and have made small adjustments in the way I live to ensure I’m a bigger part of the solution. 

On that note, for Earth Day this year I teamed up with SoRipe, an organic health food catering company to go to New Hampshire for a retreat where all 25 of us would get out of the city and surround ourselves with nature. My friend and fellow model Dani Seitz helped organize the event with activities ranging from a hike up Mount Sunapee to candlelit yoga to an organic spa night. We not only wanted this retreat to be a celebration of our Earth but to also raise awareness about the impact we all have on the environment. 

The hike we did on Earth Day, April 22, proved to be the medication we all needed, whether we knew it or not. It didn’t matter how hungry we were, how tired we were, or if our broken toe was hurting or not (sorry Doc, the hike was definitely not flat and I definitely made it worse than it was) but it was worth every minute of the four-five hours we were there. Everyone couldn’t get over how full of life they felt taking in the fresh air as we made our way to the misty mountain top. 

In addition to our hike, we reached out to a few environmentally conscious companies to provide some samples to test out and use. These companies take environmental protection to heart and are fully transparent with all of their practices.

Health-Ade Kombucha
Health-Ade ensures high-quality and good taste for their fermented teas, also known as kombucha. Everything is certified organic, non-GMO, gluten-free, raw, vegan, and kosher. They look to inspire people to look good and feel good; something that they believe comes from having a healthy gut. 

Herbivore Botanicals
Herbivore values safe, non-toxic products that are good for you and made with natural ingredients from our environment. Every ingredient they use are there for a specific therapeutic reason with no fillers of any kind used. They’re not tested on animals and are made with an emphasis on high quality food-grade ingredients. Our skin is our largest organ and absorbs everything we put on it into our bloodstream. Herbivore ensures everything you use is just as good as the organic food you feed yourself. 

Justin’s
Justin’s is a nut butter company that values innovation and corporate consciousness. Integrity and transparency with their staff and consumers is of up-most importance to Justin’s every step of the way. They take care of the earth by sourcing local, high-quality ingredients, simplifying the supply chain and by mitigating their environmental impact. 

Keap Candles
Keap was created to provide consumers with a middle ground; a candle that was neither full of harsh chemicals nor overly priced. In addition to making candles that are better for our health and our pockets, Keap started as a Public Benefit Corporation to provide better access of affordable, sustainable living to people outside of the electrical grid. They’ve partnered with SolarAid to provide solar light to communities in need through their Buy a Candle, Light a Home program. 

Prana
Prana considers every type of person when they make their clothes with sustainability, style and versatility always to heart. They go out of their way to ensure every part of their supply chain is sustainable from the materials they use to the suppliers and factories they work with. The doers, makers and shakers that wear their clothes not only value style and design but are also environmental enthusiasts that need their clothes to last more than a few washes. 

 

It’s important for us to remain conscious of our habits whether it’s Earth Day or not. We have made significant victories since Earth Day’s began 47 years ago [6], and should continue holding ourselves and our policy makers accountable to our environmental footprint so we can continue with victories. 

While I consider myself a feminist, an organic food advocate and a democratic health care proponent, none of that matters in comparison if we’re living on an unstable planet where communities are forced to migrate because of climate change or if the health of certain neighborhoods are compromised because of their geographic location. Our planet cannot sustain life if we continue to ignore the signs it’s sending us of how unsustainably we’re living. I don’t want my grandkids to ask me why we had the resources (and common sense) to protect our planet and why we chose to ignore them. 

Here are some small steps you can take towards living more sustainably. You shouldn’t feel the pressure to change every way in which you live but as Yamaguchi of CoolClimate stated, we as individuals can make crucial, positive impacts on our climate in small ways and all of that starts with self-awareness.  

1.    Donate
•    If you don’t have the time to get as political as you’d like, invest in companies that are doing the work and research for you! 
•    Project Tsehigh is a nonprofit that provides renewable energy sources to impoverished communities around the world.
•    Environmental Working Group is a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting human health and the environment. 
•    EarthJustice is the legal backbone helping back organizations big and small that protect our environment.

2.    Go for a hike
•    Explore the outdoors and enjoy what mother nature has to offer you. It’s a natural remedy that will calm your nerves and lower your stress levels. It’s a great workout and an awesome way to bond with friends and loved ones.

3.    Use mass transit (or better yet, walk or bike!)    
•    Public transportation dramatically reduces vehicle emissions and pollutants that create smog. 
•    Transport accounts for 29% of greenhouse gas emissions just from the U.S. Public transportation will help significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions per passenger mile. [7]

4.    Air dry your clothes
•    In most households, the dryer is the third-most energy-hungry appliance, after the fridge and washer. If we air dry, we have the potential to lower our average household carbon footprint by 2,400 pounds per year. [8]
•    Dryers account for almost six percent of a household’s annual electricity consumption. You can dramatically reduce your spending if you decide to switch to air drying. [9]

5.    Stop using plastic water bottles, straws and utensils. Use reusable water bottles and carry reusable utensils with you. 
•    Over the last ten years, we have produced more plastic than during the whole of the last century. 
•    Enough plastic that is thrown away each year is enough to circle the earth four times. 
•    Americans throw away 35 billion plastic bottles per year. 
•    It takes 500-1000 years for plastic to degrade. [10]
•    Need a reusable water bottle? Find ours HERE!

6.    Become a conscious consumer. Buy less, buy better!
•    The pattern of consumption has changed so dramatically; we now purchase 400% more than we used to only 20 years ago. [13]
•    Especially in fashion, we’re taught to buy into seasonal, trendy clothes that often only last a few wears, if that, before they’re tossed into landfills.
•    The average American throws away 82 pounds of textile waste each year which end up in landfills, often taking over 200 years to degrade [13]
•    Buy less, buy better; invest in fashion that will last many wears, won’t go out of trend and are made by companies that value an ethical and sustainable production chain. [14]

7.    Educate yourself
•    There are a ton of amazing books, documentaries, and bloggers out there taking charge to raise awareness on climate change and environmental harm. If you’re looking to learn more, start small by educating yourself. 
•    EcoCult, Sustaining Life and Huffington Post Reclaim are all great resources to get in the know.

8.    Get political
•    I myself never considered myself a political person until I realized the importance of each individual to speak up and get involved
•    By voting, donating, or going on a march, you can add to the masses and stick up for change. The fact that we live in a democratic society is so important and often overlooked. We have this incredible privilege to be political so don’t let it go to waste!

9.    Lower your red meat intake
•    In the U.S. red meat, especially beef, accounts for a lot of resources that cause a lot of waste and global warming emissions. [15]
•    Animals require an enormous amount of water to grow crops for the animals to eat. A single cow will drink up to 50 gallons of water per day. 
•    It takes almost 20 times less land to feed someone on a vegan-style diet. [16]
•    Red meat specifically causes 10-40 times as many greenhouse gasses as vegetables or grains. [17]
•    If you’re a red meat fanatic, simply consider lowering your intake or making sure the meat you have is from organic, pasture-raised, grass-fed animals. Small steps can create a huge change for the better! For the better of our environment and for the betterment of your health! [17]

 

Living in the NOW

It is a goal of mine each new year to become less attached to my phone and more aware of my surroundings; to live life in the moment. Yet each time as I ring in the new year, I am on my phone documenting all the festivities completely oblivious to last year’s resolutions.  

I think we can all agree that social media is dictating our lives, for better or for worse, and our generation is growing up head down, glued to the latest Instagram story or Facebook video. For many of us, myself included, our jobs depend on us being on the phone and updating constantly. If I’m posting on social media, it proves I am working and clients like to book and re-book models who appear to be a hot commodity (whether they know it’s a #tbt is up to them to figure out). I’m a huge proponent of social media and think it has made our world a lot easier to communicate. Brands can interact with customers and understand their wants and needs, friends can meet up on a whim incredibly easily, and you can connect with friends and friends of friends anywhere in the world you happen to be. It’s incredible and we are so lucky to have this as part of our lives. What I have a hard time grappling with are the negative aspects that have been brought with Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.  

The thing that I’ve found difficult to come to terms with is the difference (and there is a clear difference) on the necessity of posting for work and for personal life. Documenting your life from the early days of Myspace in 2003 to live Instagram videos and Snapchat stories now, evolved at such a rapid rate that I often forget what it was like to live a life where others didn’t know what I was up to at any given moment. 

From a model in the fashion industry’s perspective, I’m 100% fine with the amount I post on Instagram. I chose to post both work and personal things because Instagram has given me a platform to show what Britt Bergmeister is like as a package. I want clients to know I’m a professional model with a down-to-earth personality who values being punctual, is a die-hard sports fan who enjoys classic rock, fantastic food, and killer workouts. What I post enables me to differentiate myself from the next brunette 5’11’’ model in NYC. This to me, along with however much any other person posts on social media is quite alright (Instagram videos and live Snapchat stories not included). 

What I’ve noticed within the past few years is the amount I scroll aimlessly through people’s stories and lives, often cross-comparing with the end result of not feeling so good about myself. Naturally, we post our absolute best selves on social media. While I try and dilute this lens and show the full story with funny posts about awful workouts I’ve had, huge pimples on my forehead or the not-so glamourous lifestyle that sometimes comes hand in hand with my job, most people, myself included, want our lives to look rosy on the outside, often a lot happier than they are at that very moment. I’ve become so removed sometimes from my own life that I’ve missed important conversations, crucial plays in basketball, or an important twist in a movie because I wasn’t even truly participating in my own life. 

The moment I told myself I would never take part in Snapchat was at a bar with my boyfriend for the Raptors/Heat game in the 2015 semi-finals. There were three guys at the bar in front of us, watching one of their friend’s Snapchat stories for over half an hour. They were out at a bar to watch a huge game, and were missing the entire thing as they watched their friend post drunk Snapchat videos. I thought it was the lamest thing I had ever seen. I never wanted to be so enthralled by someone else’s life while I was out with my own friends creating our own memories. 

Fast forward a year and I’m making my own Instagram video’s now documenting myself watching said basketball games and my reactions, posting what I’m eating for breakfast and what I think of the new blockbuster hit I’m watching. While I I try and never post while I’m out, take my phone out while I’m with friends or my boyfriend, and stay connected to the real world when it matters, I’ve succumbed to something I thought I never would and can only imagine what I’ll be doing a few months from now in the social media world. 

Even as I write this article, I’ve been fighting the desire to check Instagram. I haven’t posted anything in over 24 hours, there’s nothing I really should be checking or posting yet the urge to see who’s been looking at my feed or who is doing what on at this very moment is so intense it’s like an itch I’m dying to scratch. 

I thought if I made a public list of things I hope to accomplish for myself, it would make it more real this time and I could not only (hopefully) try to help others with similar social media obsessions, but also hold my own actions accountable and think about the promise I am going to make to my readers each time I want to take my phone out while out with friends, living life in the now. 

Personal goals to live more in the NOW

  • Stop posting pointless videos on Instagram story

  • If posted, don’t scroll through aimlessly looking at who watched said Instagram video

  • Never take phone out when with friends or at any dinners

  • Limit phone use when hanging with boyfriend

  • If the desire is there to aimlessly scroll, read an important news article instead

  • Start the morning off with two Economist articles rather than the Instagram scroll

  • Post it, and then forget about it (if you need to check likes, check once at end of day)

  • Limit social media use in general when out and about

  • Stop comparing yourself to others

With these goals in mind I know I can continue to post and enjoy my friend’s lives but limit the negative effects it has on myself. Social media is never going to end, but I can control the influence it has on my life and try and live with my head up enjoying the constant surprises life throws at us, and yes, if I’m unable to document the cute dog that just walked by me or my beautiful latte art I’m about to enjoy, it still happened and can still be a vivid memory in my mind, photo proof or not.