When cleaning out your closet…what should you Keep and what should you Donate?

By Susan Lucas

To begin, separate spring/summer and fall/winter and remove the off- season clothes
to another closet or store in plastic out of sight.

• Keep ~ Brand names that fit you

• Donate ~ Cheap clothes that don’t hang well


• Keep ~ Colors that look good on you (pay attention to compliments)

• Donate ~ Colors that wash you out


• Keep ~ Jackets that are well cut for your body

• Donate ~ Jackets that hit you in the wrong part of your hips


• Keep ~ Dresses that look good on you today

• Donate ~ Dresses that looked good on you years ago


• Keep ~ No more than 2 tops in any color/style

• Donate ~ Any duplicate color tops, pants or skirts

Eco Chic Tip ~ When dropping off your donation, quickly check the Goodwill Store for a cool chain necklace, brooch or bracelet. Look on the back for the stamped signature of the designer or just pick up something you love!

Shoes, Shoes, and More Shoes

By Susan Lucas

Ladies and some Gentlemen, do we seriously need 50+ pairs of shoes? Yes they are beautiful, help us remember wonderful occasions, and look great on display in our closets but what is the limit? Do we keep everything in duplicate in our kitchens - no?! So, what is this thing about shoes?

Just a few things to consider besides the two year rule...are they comfortable or are they cripplers? If they hurt, you will Never wear them, so why not be green and donate them to Goodwill. Someone who has 1/2 size smaller foot will get to be Cinderella and find them. Think of the joy you could pass on while creating jobs for disadvantaged workers!

Eco Chic Shopping Tip....when you drop off your shoes to the Goodwill Store, there may be a jewel waiting for you......I found a pair of brand new Dolce & Gabbana shoes at the Los Altos Store!

October Eco-Chic event was an Eco-Treat!

The Eco-Chic Designer event on Oct.14-15 was a great success! Eco-Chic shoppers had the opportunity to talk to the designers about their fashions, enjoy some wine and cheese and take advantage of the wonderful prices at our GW Los Altos store.

Many of the pieces are now available at various stores in Silicon Valley at fantastic prices. (Store listings)

Highlights of the evening included live mannequins in the window and “on display” wearing both Eco-Chic and Eco-Street fashions and viewing “Dancing With The Stars” dresses donated by celebrity judge, Carrie Ann Inaba. Her dresses will be auctioned shortly on eBay. Stay tuned for details in our next blog.

Save money and be Eco-Chic for the holidays by shopping for your party gowns and outfits. Not only will you find great bargains, you’ll help the environment when you buy re-purposed items. Find some for as little as $19.00-$50.00!

You're Invited! Free Admission!

Goodwill will preview The Eco-Chic collection to the public with a wine and cheese event on October 14th & 15th, 5-8 pm. It will be at the upscaled GW store in Los Altos, 251 Main Street.

The concept behind Eco-Chic is to re-purpose through redesigning what we already have. Goodwill's mission has always been to recycle resources, renew jobs and to re-purpose people. Eco-Chic is one of the ways they are approaching this for the 21st century.

The consciousness that Goodwill wants to create through this form of recycling is:

Re-purpose people
Re-purpose our throw aways
Reduce our landfill wastes
Nurture awareness toward a green, self sustaining earth

The Eco-Chic Team, directed by Monique Tsang, Cynthia Woong and Francesca Ordona have redesigned Goodwill's clothing from high end $1000 + evening gowns to totally cool, affordable street wear. The collection is re-envisioned, reconstructed avant-garde couture to quirky, fun and rockin' recycling at it's best!

Come and be a part of this incredible movement!

See you there!

For more information:

Email susanl@goodwillsv.org or visit http://www.goodwillsv.org/

Video highlights from the first annual Goodwill of Silicon Valley Eco-Chic Fall Fashion Show held at the Dolce Hayes Mansion in San Jose, California.

For more video clips and photos of the fashion show, visit dicambio.net

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
Susan Lucas (408) 869 - 9120
susanl@goodwillsv.org
www.goodwillsv.org


The Highly Anticipated 2009 Eco-Chic Fashion Show and Luncheon ~ September 11th

Can’t make it to Fashion Week in Paris this year? Don’t worry; Goodwill of Silicon Valley is bringing a very unique fashion show to the Dolce Hayes Mansion, San Jose. The runway show will showcase high quality Vintage and contemporary fashions available at Goodwill Retail Stores.

In conjunction with these unique runway show, Goodwill has partnered with international fashion designer, Monique Zhang,(moniqueartwear@gmail.com) who will be directing, coordinating, and choreographing the one-of-a-kind Event using Vintage and Designer clothing and accessories pulled directly from the donations made to Goodwill. Based in San Francisco, Monique is a globally respected Fashion Designer who will be incorporating her own visionary style to polish and modernize the donated Goodwill fashions. She is joined by 5 other fabulous Designers who have re-purposed donations to make Eco- chic outfits.

Goodwill has partnered with The Art Institute of California ~ Sunnyvale and the 2009 Eco-Chic Fashion Show is being produced by students in the Fashion Show Production class, where they work on all aspects of the Show under the direction of Jinah Oh.
(www.artinstitutes.edu/Sunnyvale)

Designer team

Carol Chen - avant garde suit recreation
Christina Pickard - glam-funk accessories
Cynthia Woong - couture brassiere fashion
Diane Jung - vintage slip recreation
Francesca Ordona - retextured surface fashion
Hector Martinez - ribboned corset fashion
Lily Dong - reconstructed event fashion
Miko Yamaguchi - felted woolie accessories
Monique Zhang - necktie woven artwear
Shekhar Rahate - restyled glamour fashion
Sheri Duchin - reconstructed formal wear

Immediately following the Runway Show and Luncheon, guests will be able to purchase Eco-Chic Fashions at a fraction of the price at The Shopping Event from 2:30 – 4:00. All sales support Goodwill’s job training programs for people with disadvantages and disabilities.

The 2009 Eco- Chic Fall Fashion Show will be broadcast over the World Wide Web starting at noon on September 11th. Some of the Designer garments will be auctioned off on Goodwill of Silicon Valley’s eBay store. www.goodwillsv.org.

Join us on September 11th, as we re-purpose the day in support of Goodwill!

Co-Chairs: Susan Lucas and Lori Fox

Anyone interested in donating to Goodwill or shopping at Goodwill Retail Stores can find the nearest store or donation site by visiting www.goodwillsv.org.

Goodwill of Silicon Valley’s Philosophy is to educate, train, employ and place people with disadvantages and disabilities, creating a stronger workforce and a more vital community while building dignity for the people we serve through the removal of barriers to personal success.