A T-shirt that will last 30 years, Donna Karan’s memoir, the first-ever Stuart Weitzman TV commercial and other style news that caught our attention this week.

• Repetto, the French brand renowned for its ballet flats, is opening its first US store in Manhattan this Fall.
• Donna Karan’s memoir My Journey comes out in mid-October, but here are a few excerpts to whet your appetite.
• Business of Fashion is now offering free online fashion courses.
• On Sunday evening, MTV will air the first-ever Stuart Weitzman television commercial, a 30-second clip directed by Mario Testino.
• In an effort to cut its environmental impact, H&M is offering an annual $1.16m prize for new techniques to recycle clothes.
• British designer Tom Cridland has launched a crowdfunding campaign for an ethically made T-shirt that will last 30 years.

Quote for the Day

I like this down-to-earth quote by Stella McCartney on why she doesn’t subscribe to fast fashion because it also touches on the fact that budgetting is an integral part of the process as sustainable clothing often costs more:

“When I design, it’s about designing pieces that are stand-out, staple, long-term commitments in your life. They’re made beautifully in the finest places in the world and should be cared for, loved, and handed down to the next generation. So for me, it’s not about ‘wear now, buy now’ or whatever. It’s about buy[ing] whenever you can buy it, whenever works for you, and wear[ing] it forever.”

This colour combination was inspired by a runway look that uses black instead of ink. I prefer the idea of ink blue because it’s softer with the chartreuse and white. Feel free to use navy instead of ink blue, and cream instead of white. The hint of cobalt is quite nice too. Note that chartreuse is a greener and earthier version of citron, and not nearly as bright or yellow. 

Think of any way to combine these colours. I’ve put together two easy options to get the ball rolling as we head into Fall. 

Ink Bottoms, Chartreuse Top & White Accents

Combine a pair of ink trousers or skirt with a chartreuse top like a blouse or pullover. Choose a solid or patterned top that works with the palette. Top the lot off with a white jacket or vest. I’ve paired the ink ankle pants with ink high-shaft booties, and the skirt with white pumps. You can leave off the white topper if adding white footwear. The touch of cobalt in the bag is optional. 

Jeans, White Top, Ink Topper & Chartreuse Bag 

Combine a pair of jeans with a white top and ink topper. Finish off the look with footwear that works with the bottoms and a chartreuse bag. I’ve chosen flared jeans, a white tunic, an ink cocoon cardigan, animal print booties and chartreuse satchel. Tailored bootcuts look fresh and so does the pairing with a tunic. 

For a look that’s a little harder to pull together, take your cue straight from the runway outfit and combine chartreuse bottoms with a white top and ink jacket. Throw in a cobalt accent just for fun.

Forum member Joy noticed the NYTimes fashion Fall supplement was full of ads featuring fur and faux fur. So it could be a big trend for Autumn 2015. In the meantime, the debate about real versus faux fur continues:

Earlier this year The Guardian asked if wearing fur is morally worse than wearing leather.

The newspaper also reported that the fur industry “is enjoying another year of considerable growth. The demand for mink, sable, fox and ferret has soared and farmers have stepped up production.”

In an Op-Ed piece on BOF, Elisa Allen, Associate Director of PETA, argues that “Fashion isn’t found in granny’s closet; it’s set by innovative designers who embrace eco- and animal-friendly materials and advances in fabric and fibre technologies that make the most out of metal, cotton, cork and synthetics. The only place left for fur in fashion is in old back copies of Vogue.”

Hannah Weiland, the founder and designer of London-based label Shrimps, decided to work with faux fur for a number of reasons: her personal views, price, colour and creative flexibility. She doesn’t think that faux fur is a trend, but a lifestyle that clients and buyers are increasingly comfortable embracing.

Fab Links from Our Members

Gigi thought these 40 outfit suggestions could come in handy, especially if you are shopping your closet and want to try new item combinations.

This image on The Sartorialist immediately reminded Joy of Angie’s hacking post. This would be a different way to hack out shorts from a pair of jeans.

Skylurker found Viktor & Rolf’s last couture show very poetic: The golden frames are made of cloth, and the patterns are embroidery and jacquard work!

Angie loves Sylvia’s arty architectural skirt and blouse outfit with flat sandals and red accents. A gorgeous look for her first day in NYC.

Deb lets us know that Goodwill is going upscale with new boutiques.

Liz Jackson, who has idiopathic neuropathy, has been petitioning J.Crew to sell walking canes. Robin thinks this is a great idea: “They’re a really common assistive tool, so why shouldn’t they become part of mainstream fashion?”

Nadya thought this article about the Americans who received the Legion of Honour wearing khakis and polo shirts was charming.

Editing your dressy capsule, party capsule or holiday capsule is one of the trickiest parts of the closet editing process. Dressy pieces worn on special occasions or for formal events maintain their pristine condition because they are infrequently worn and laundered. They were probably pricey, so we might have a harder time passing them on. And in an effort to be organized and prepared, we like to keep dressy items in our wardrobe — “just in case”. As a result we have a tendency to hold on to our dressy capsule for longer than we should, which is problematic because these items do date, your style preferences change, and so does the shape of your body. 

Whenever my clients are unsure about passing on formal pieces, I ask them this question: “If you were invited to a dressy occasion any time soon, would you wear that piece?” If the answer is “no” or “probably not”, the item is passed on. If the answer is “maybe”, we thrash out the possibility of updating the footwear and bag to go with the dress or separates to make it look more current. 

CURRENT is the operative word here. It’s very important to refit your dressy pieces regularly — not just look at them — to formulate a current opinion about them. That way you’ll have a more effective dressy capsule on hand instead of resorting to an outfit that makes you feel less than fab.