Sustainable Life -- Sustainable Style

“The fashion industry is too fancy shmancy. Everyone needs to be taken down a notch.”
-Natalie Chanin

I had the honor and pleasure of meeting the witty, down-to-earth, passionately eco-friendly Natalie Chanin—creator of Alabama Chanin.

Every single piece of clothing, fabric, furniture and pillow is 100% organic and recycled. Everything is dyed, cut, sewn and packaged by hand. Nothing is manufactured or factory produced. To me, these days, this is rare and completely remarkable. If you have a brief minute, visit Alabama Chanin and read Natalie’s compelling story.

What I want to focus on is the unbelievable bridal line Natalie and her artisans created. My very first and essentially only question to her was how her bridal line came about. (I was star struck---what?! She’s graced the pages of VOGUE!) Alabama Chanin’s designs are so earthy, durable and vibrant that her bridal line seems so different and well—white! Her response was this: It was accidental. Alabama Chanin was at a trunk show in New York showing off their recent collection. Her associates were racking clothes in accordance to color. Natalie noticed an all white rack and noted it looked too bridal and whimsical together. Conveniently it was bridal week as well, so voila!--they sold it as bridal. It was an instant hit and obviously a newly established line for Alabama Chanin.

Her dresses stay within the same theme and stiching as regular Alabama Chanin designs, but there is something so engaging and lovely about them. Can’t you just imagine—a small, garden wedding in a family backyard or on a farm? Long, loose hair with one simple flower in her hands. So sweet and chic…

For the complete bridal collection, go here.

Happy weekend! xx

Oops!

I apologize for the delay, but I MOVED! Its been an exciting road trying to settle into my new place (and with lack of internet, a very frustrating road), but I'm back to posting!

Stay tuned for a feature today on the lovely Alabama Chanin, as promised.

For now, here's a peak:

Stay tuned...

I am so excited about the upcoming features here on Dulcet and Dapper! I am diligently working on finalizing posts for "real Richmond weddings" and unconventional event design ideas by yours truly.

Also, a look at the fabulous photography of Rob & Rose.

And, as promised, a feature on Alabama Chanin's eco-friendly bridal shop.

Stay tuned for these exciting posts!

Happy Friday,
Lindsay

ART:24

For all of you local brides and creative minds, check out the Visual Arts Center this weekend for ART:24. It is 24 hours of artsy-fabulous activities and workshops beginning at 8:00pm this Friday featuring events through 8:00pm Saturday with a Calk Walk in the courtyard highlighting local bakeries (hello brides-to-be!).

Even if you are not a bride or groom-to-be, this weekend is super beneficial to the creative DIYer’s out there! Activities include: creating your own paper lanterns out of balloons, turning t-shirts into cute totes, recycling plastic bags into durable handbags and much, much more. This is heaven to me, the Queen of DIY!

From the VisArts Special Events Intern and my dear, dear friend, London Ray:

“It is a celebration of renewal: refresh, repurpose, reimagine. Friday night is the kick off event with a silent auction, two bands, fashion show and cash bar. The fashion show highlights embellished t-shirts that have been repurposed. They are also part of the silent auction in which artists from all over Richmond donated. Saturday is full of events from Indie ‘green’ vendors to workshops about sustainable art. Natalie Chanin, an international style guru and a pioneer of repurposed fashion, has an all day workshop for those who register. This whole event ends Saturday night with a Southern Style Cake Walk featuring cake demonstrators from local bakeries and, of course, champagne!”

BRIDES: Not only is her website something to check out for her renown repurposed fashion, she has bridal gowns! Check it out!!

Check back for a featured blog on the sustainable styles of Alabama Chanin. In the meantime, take a gander:

And if you need more convincing to attend ART:24, yours truly will be there Friday night.


If you’re in the Richmond area, you don’t want to miss this!

All things Feathery

I have a confession of my recent obsession: Feathers. They are undeniably trendy right now--and I am not usually quick to succomb to trends--but they are so beautiful. And what an elegant, yet spunky touch to anything chic and classic.

Simply gorgeous. I touch of retro to such a classic and sophisticated up-do.

[image: darcy miller's blog via classicbride]

A bit more modern and edgy. Feathers with a touch of matte satin.

[image: Nuptial Celebrations]

How over the top? So me! Removing the veil for the reception for a more fun and flirty feel!
From the talented and crafty blog of CrossRoadsCottage:

What a gorgeous way to add a pop of color to your gown. Could be a "something blue"?!

[image: http://www.calexandra.etsy.com/ via the wonderfully talented the gilded bee]

GASP! Birdcage veil. Such a timeless piece and my personal favorite. And yes, I will be wearing one of these at my wedding. Created by the utterly talented Gioielli.

Something smaller and much more subtle. For the bride that wants the added touch of vintage flare...

[image: Etsy/The Gilded Bee]

Not only are these fabulous headpieces a perfect match for a stylish wedding, some can also be adorned for a night out on the town (hubby date night?)! Trust me, there is more to come on feathers. My obsession will no doubt reach other areas of weddings...think centerpieces, favors, bouquets! I doubt there is an area of an event I couldn't place a feather--tastefully of course!

Happy Friday!

Lindsay

Running of the Brides 2009

Once I got around to starting this blog I KNEW that this would be one of my first entries. I mean, who wouldn’t want to hear about brutally enraged brides thrashing and tearing through designer gowns to find one of their dreams? Nah—only kidding. It was much more tame with only minimal attitude and confrontation than expected.

April 3rd, 2009

Rockville, MD

Filene’s Basement

I should first start off by saying I would ONLY do this for my sister—and the fact that I was so desperate to find her indecisive soul a perfect dress so we could stop looking. (Newsflash: Still haven’t found a dress…5 months left!) She rounded up a troupe of me, mom, her fiance’s mom and cousin, and my conveniently located friend Alexandra to dodge the crowds and black eyes and hoard dresses in a corner to eventually barter for better. All festooned in UVA orange we arrived to find too many other psychotic brides in line…at 6:30am! Music was playing, brides were screaming and chanting, and I was obnoxiously excited and ready to deck some brides so early in the morning (could have been the three cups of coffee).

When the doors opened, the mad dash to the racks commenced. And once Team UVA (um, us!) finally reached the top of the escalators, the racks were empty. Apparently the rack-clearing record is some 30 seconds or so! Disappointed? Yes. Hopeful? Of course. Given up? NO!

The amusing thing about Running of the Brides is everyone is so evil at first. And you know when someone gives me attitude; I’ll feed it right back to them. Again—which is why I find this so funny. The brides and their entourage hoard all the dresses they can grab—not to give to you, but only to exchange with you. Being empty handed, exchanging was a tad impossible. Janet finally came up with one dress and slowly things started multiplying. Perusing around the room, I came across a mountainous pile of dresses all consumed by the first group in line. I mean this was like flippin’ Mt. Everest! So I slowly began convincing the pile monitor to give me a size 2 or 4 in exchange for the size 14 I was holding. The sprawled mound topper (I deemed her as necessary) slid off the pile of dresses and she begrudgingly traded.

Brittany started trying on dresses to find (of course!) nothing that she liked. After about an hour of slicing through bodyguards (yes, someone brought a gigantic man to monitor her collected dresses!) and practically naked women to find her size, our blood sugar was low, the caffeine had worn off, and unwanted, dirty, ripped dresses were barely hanging on the racks.

We had exhausted all corners and bartered with all attitudes, and finally realized her dress was not here. Everyone left surprisingly upbeat and glad we experienced Running of the Brides. I, on the other hand, was praying that Brittany’s indecisiveness was beaten out of her by these brides; and that she would ultimately make a blasted decision on one soon.

Obviously didn’t work and has yet to work. Hey, isn’t that the job of the wedding planner?---to stress?

Welcome!

I am so excited to start this new adventure in my life! Bear with me as my uber talented, web designer sister constructs my website:

www.lkeventsanddesign.com.

As for now, I will post whatever I see dulcet and dapper--weddings planned by yours truly, fun photography, amusing quotes, personal stories, and things that utterly exude L O V E.

In the mean time, if you need me feel free to email: lindsay@lkeventsanddesign.com.

Now go eat some Mexican food!

xx,

Lindsay