Kudos to those thinking BIG when the means are small...

Ellie Good editor of Egg Mag

Hello to Ellie from Egg Mag who I think is doing a splendiferous job in making green and sustainable issues accessible, fun and relevant. Using all her work experience from doing Art & Design Direction for women’s glossy magazines she wanted to buck the trend for ‘must-have items’ and mass consumption and Egg Mag was born. She started Egg Mag in March 2009 as a print magazine then realised online was where it’s at as of July 2011 Egg Mag has been doing its thang on the world wide web ever since.

The criteria for production? A magazine that Ellie and her friends would want to read, with a non-preachy, chatty tone. With over 3,000 unique hits per month Egg Mag is a mash-up of green events, green and ethical fashion and cool products which don’t harm the environment.

So I’m sure the questions on everybody’s lips is - Why call it Egg Mag?

“The name came from when I was setting up the printed mag and I was thinking of names of trees and other natural things, but they all sounded very ‘worthy’ and hippy. I wanted it to sound catchy, quirky and interesting. An egg is a natural thing and is the start of a new life, so it fit the bill well. Mag, obviously because it is a magazine (online now of course). My initials are EG too, so it was kind of a combination of these things that made me choose it.”

What’s next for Egg Mag then? Ellie has hit on a wonderful idea of creating an Egg Mag agency called Egg Makers – a collective of ethical and sustainable businesses which can help other companies who want to become more ethical in their practices. Then there is her on-going Packaging Protest and whispers of an Egg Mag shop as well.

Hoorah! No more sweeping the green issues of the day under the carpet – get your Egg Mag out and get ready to change your world. Kudos for thinking green BIG when the means are small. 

You can read the wonder of Egg Mag: click here 

And tweet Ellie from Egg Mag: click here

Purer than the driven....cashmere (think it's too early for snow, don't you?)

Pure Collection

You may have seen Pure Collection catalogues dropping out of the woodwork when you ripped open your Sunday papers. You may have seen their banner ads online. You may have even heard their name mentioned around York as the latest place to shop. But if you haven't let me fill you in on who and what they are. Pure Collection is one of the biggest online and catalogue retailers of cashmere in the UK. Started 11 years ago as a catalogue brand they have since upped their ante by expanding into the world wide web and are now bucking the retail trend by actually opening some stores instead of closing them down.

Now I think cashmere is a little bit wonderful, a true wardrobe hero. You can style it up, dress it down and it goes with almost anything. The sheer beauty of cashmere is that it is the one of the most luxurious fabrics on the planet and Pure Collection have transported that luxury into your wardrobe. How very kind of them. Last week I was honoured to go and see the new Autumn/Winter Collection in the York store and do some styling for some of their customers at a preview evening.

SELFIE ALERT!!! Wearing a washed Silk Blouse and
Cashmere Roundneck Sweater

Some things I found out whilst I was there:

• The cashmere crop can only be harvested once a year.
• Said crop originates from goats in Mongolia.
• It is too warm in the UK for said goats to survive that's why they thrive in Mongolia  where it is mountainous and cold. Brrrrrr....
• It takes 4-6 goats to make 1 jumper.

Ever wondered why the price of cashmere differs so widely on our Great British High Street? Pure Collection uses the longest fibres of cashmere to weave their jumpers which cost the most. Brands like M&S use the shorter ones which cost less but will start to pill more when you wear them. There are also different weights of cashmere: 1-20. 20 being the thickest (called Gassato), 1 being the finest (called Featherweight.) 

So what of Pure Collection AW13? Just heaven. I love a roundneck and some jewels so the jumper from their Core Collection suited me down to the ground and what a revelation in the washed Silk Blouse: modern asymmetric hem, set in sleeves AND IT FITS OVER THE GIRLS!!!!! I struggle BIG TIME with shirts as they usually 'pop' open over the bust which not only ruins the line of an outfit but also exposes your bra. Classy. But the washed silk blouse runs true to size and the buttons stayed closed, the fabric sat flat to my breastbone and all was well in my world. 

Other beauties which caught my eye were the Soft Wool Coat (the almond colour now with a 9 week waiting list after recently being featured in the Telegraph fashion pages), the wonderful Portland bag in buttery soft leather and the Pashmina Shawl in modern camel which is perfect on a long haul flight or for just looking awesome in. 

Do you want to know what else is great? The scarves also come in 3 lengths and they make an excellent Christmas gift for that person who you really should know better....but don't. The brand is also ethical and sustainable - TRUE FACT. The factories where the cashmere is spun adheres to western working hours and conditions and the Pure Collection goats are a well looked bunch so much so that Pure Collection has received a 100% sustainable accreditation. 

So leave your pre-conceptions about cashmere at the door and head over to Pure Collection for the ultimate winter wardrobe. But check out how fit the shop-fit is first:

Pure Collection do their own cashmere care liquid.

The shop fit screams quirky luxury 

The story of the Mongolian goats - check out the mini jumper!!

The wallpaper in the fitting room - yes please.

Word. 

Swish Leeds

I love a good clothes swap. And here's why (in numbered format no less):

1. It keeps clothes out of landfill: We all get bored of our clothes. But the clothes that may (and it pains me to say this, it really does, but it happens 10,000 times every 5 minutes) end up in the bin out of sheer boredom or "can't be arsed" to take to the charity shop can be given a new lease of life when given to somebody else.
2. Free clothes: The only money you'll spend is the ticket price to get in or buying the cup of tea when you are there. 
3. Free clothes: Such a good point I made it twice. When it's the end of the month and you are a bit squeezed on the financials front but you really, really, really want some new clothes then these are essentially free! You just need to donate some of the clothes you are bored with/can't fit in to to get the ball rolling.
4. Takes you outside your comfort zone: You know that zone you get in - it may be jeans, ballet flats and a cardigan. It may be leggings, ballet flats and a long cardigan. That zone is full of little patterns that you repeat...and repeat... and repeat. But throw off the shackles of cardigan-dom! Kick the ballet flats to the curb! Use those lovely, free clothes we talked about (twice) and EXPERIMENT!! Try a jacket, get some high heeled boots! If you don't like them you can swap them again. That's the sheer beauty of clothes swaps!
5. Networking: Why yes. As a business woman I am always looking for ways to extend my networks. Clothes swaps are a great place to meet other women and bond over a common love/hatred of clothes. You never know who you might meet there.

This month there is cracking clothes swap for you to test the water in: 

SWISH LEEDS on the 19th September in the Corn Exchange in Leeds. 

Accompanied by a DJ and whilst stuffing your face with tasty (free) treats you can swish the night away at this high end event which only costs £20 to attend. 

Click here to buy your ticket and to find out more.