BOOK WE LOVE: style, naturally

Style, Naturally: The Savvy Shopping Guide to Sustainable Fashion and Beauty by Summer Rayne Oakes (Chronicle Books) is a permanent fixture on my desk (and let me tell you, that's a competitive spot). Summer Rayne Oakes, fashion model, eco advocate, and resident expert on Treehugger.com and the Discovery Network's Planet Green, shares her fresh, fun and authentic take on eco-fashion, proving it's not an oxymoron. Breaking the book into sections such as "Bags," "Denim," and "Face," while including columns like "Designer Profile" and "Eco-Stylephile," the author makes it simple to find exactly what you're looking for. Summer Rayne introduces her reader to up-and-coming designers, and presents innovative, environmentally-friendly steps being taken by more established brands. With the immense popularity of the green movement, this book was published at the right time, but it proves that sustainable fashion and beauty is not just a fad; it's here to stay!
For more information, check out stylenaturally.com.

Meet Lexi Taub, Founder of WeartheCure.org

Lexi Taub, 15, started wearthecure.org to raise money for cancer research. Cancer has touched her life personally. Both her best friend's mother and her Aunt Sandy died from breast cancer. Lexi has seen the effects on her best friend, Sloan, from losing her mother. She says, "Both women have shaped my life. I understand the importance of family and support, and recognize how lucky I am. I also know how important it is to have people researching treatments for this horrible disease."


Lexi began participating in breast cancer fundraisers when she was three, and by the time she was seven, she had set up raffle stands and sold candy at local ball fields. "Sloan and I have participated in the American Cancer Society walk since its inception at Purchase College. For the past four years, I have organized a raffle at a local charity luncheon, calling for jewelry designers to donate their work. In 2007, I founded wearthecure.org and began selling charms. I want to help find a cure for this [awful] disease." 100% of all proceeds go to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation.


Kudos to Lexi for her dedication to the fight against breast cancer. HCZ suggests that you check out the necklaces, which range in price from $60-360. Wearthecure.org