Button Bracelets

I’m super-thrifty and annoyingly finicky when it comes to accessories. I always wear one of two rings – either a delicate vintage engagement ring I inherited from my grandmother or a chunkier ring I scored at an art fair – and one of two charm necklaces featuring some beloved found objects, like a Canadian penny, dramatic diary keys, and a little gold wishbone. I refuse to buy accessories for specific outfits or occasions – I just want simple, chic pieces that I can pair with any of my ensembles. The most versatile of all of my jewelry is a button bracelet I made using antique buttons I picked up at a craft fair. After I lugged my bag of buttons home, I called some girlfriends over and we made bracelets in various color schemes, from ethereal white and yellow to nautical blue. Because I used mostly-neutral colors, my whimsical bracelets have become some of my daily wardrobe staples.  

To make a button bracelet, all you need are buttons and some thin, clear elastic (available at craft stores). Since the elastic has the tendency to slip out of knots, anchor it by looping it repeatedly through the button-holes of the first button you use. When you’re finished, loop the remaining elastic through the same button to create a continuous chain. If you’re not a DIY diva, check out some pretty, professionally-made pieces by artist Liz Landers.

Celebrating Woodstock

Channel your inner hippie and celebrate the 40th anniversary of Woodstock this weekend…

Check out Style.com’s list of fashion foward neo-hippies, including David LaChappelle, Blake Mycoskie (Toms Shoes) and models Shalom Harlow and Angela Lindvall. In one way or another, all of these free-spirited ne0-hippies promote peace, the environment, helping each other and positive vibes.

If you really want to re-live Woodstock, check out some Woodstock anniversary celebrations in your area. A few this weekend include:

A Woodstock Illinois Tribute
August 14 – August 15
Galt Airport (approx. 50 miles NW of Chicago)
5112 Greenwood Road
Wonderlake, IL 60097
Featuring nine tribute bands for: Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Joe Cocker, The Who, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Grateful Dead and Santana.

Woodfest ’09 Music and Arts Festival
August 14 – August 16
The Washita Hideaway
I-35 and Hwy 77 (exit 51), NE Corner
Davis, OK
Featuring tribute bands for: Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Stevie Nicks, Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, Jim Morrison, Grateful Dead, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young and more.

Check out a few more Woodstock celebrations throughout the country.

If you can’t visit any of these celebrations this weekend, just wear a few of your favorite ’60s trends. Woodstock was an obvious inspiration for the fashion world at the time and still remains influential today.

Check out these ’60s-inspired/neo-hippie/boho looks from Avant Gaudy:

 

 

 

Don’t forget what Woodstock was really all about! Listen to some of our favorite songs and artists that played at Woodstock ’69 in our pop-out player.

  

Vintage Vegan

Hey guys! My name is Mary. I recently graduated from Northwestern University, and although the school isn’t known at all for any kind of fashion studies, I tried to do the best I could at taking classes related to fashion and style. I have a deep love for fashion, but the industry often collides with some of my values. I’ve been a dietary vegan for over two years now, and over the past couple of months, I’ve been transitioning to a much more vegan lifestyle overall. This means no more leather, no more wool, no more silk.

Well, I’m not into that frumpy, granola look that is usually associated with vegans. Many other vegans are not either, and believe it or not, there is a place in fashion for vegans. As the population of vegans grows, so does the demand for stylish vegan clothing. Stella McCartney is probably the leader in vegan fashion, and there are other celebrities, like Natalie Portman, who have also put out cool vegan lines.

But there is another way to dress vegan without having to be sure of the materials used to make a garment. You guessed it: vintage fashion. While there is some debate among vegans about used clothing made from animal products, I think it’s okay because you’re supporting an industry that doesn’t ask for new clothing to be made, including clothes made from animal products. Vintage fashion is also great because it’s eco-friendly, a value that is important to many vegans, including myself.

For these reasons, I am getting more and more into vintage fashion, and I am very excited to start writing for Avant Gaudy!

Crust: An Eco-Friendly Eatery

Recently I discovered Crust, an amazing restaurant in Wicker Park, Chicago. I had never heard of it before, but someone suggested the eatery to my family and I. I was expecting a typical Panera or Corner Bakery type of place. But Crust, an organic and eco-friendly restaurant, left me pleasantly surprised.

                                                             

First and most importantly, the food was completely fresh. The salads were crisp and appetizers were all freshly prepared and looked great. The restaurant is chiefly known for its’ pizzas, and I am not surpirsed as to why. Normally I don’t really like or eat pizza, but Crust uses such delicious ingredients that I could have eaten two whole pizzas by myself. The eatery offers organic appetizers, entrees, and even organic desserts. The menu will please anyone tastes, as a variety of foods is offered from vegetarian friendly salads, to calzones and chicken sandwiches.

Another great thing about the establishment was the eye-catching interior. When you first walk in, you can’t help but notice a big brick oven covered in small colored glass tiles. The decor is very contemporary and modern. While I was there, I enjoyed sitting in their charming back patio, which feaures black fences covered in vines and white curtains. 

What makes the restaurant so unique, is that it uses local resources to make their meals, which reduces their carbon footprint. According to the Crust Web site,”every effort is made to use responsibly produced, locally produced & wild crafted products.”

The restaurant is also completly smoke-free, even while dining on their front and back patios.

I give the restaurant five stars, for its’ friendly service, the fact that it’s eco-friendly, the great food and great atmosphere. Although I wouldn’t recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for a cheap lunch, Crust is definitely worth checking out and enjoying.

 

Crust
2056 W. Division
Chicago, IL 60622
773.235.5511