Style, Naturally: The Savvy Shopping Guide to Sustainable Fashion and Beauty by Summer Rayne Oakes

Style, Naturally: The Savvy Shopping Guide to Sustainable Fashion and Beauty Reviews

• 
  Kitten Kisser

  I guess in trying to be more environmentally friendly the book was made in a different sort of "hard cover" with no dust jacket, yet it has flaps like a dust jacket. It's like a flexible cardboard rather than a hard cover. Yet the book stinks of a weird chemical smell that hardly seems natural. Also the book is made in CHINA where else???
  The author opens you up to a whole bunch of manufactures in the green biz. From clothing to personal care. Not everything is organic. It is based on more than that. Upcycling, recycling, organic, sustainable practices and the like. Some of the fashions are downright hideous (in my opinion) and very expensive. If you have the money to burn, and you like the fashion then hell yea spend it on something good for the earth that doesn't promote child labor & tearing down rain forests!
  There is a section on personal care that could really use some work. Sure this stuff is way the heck better than the conventional poisons out there, but don't kid yourself, this stuff isn't perfect either! Rather than trusting her (the authors) judgement/opinion on these types of products, you would do much better to make your own educated decisions about what you put on your skin by visiting skin deep at[...].
  The very back of the book has a section dedicated to all the different sources for all the topics she mentions. I find this is great because I can review these companies at my leisure. This section makes it easy to find the type of companies you are looking for.
  I love the premise of the book & what it stands for. If you need some help in the sustainable/organic industry, then you would do well to get this book. It is also a great source of inspiration for creating sustainable products yourself! I will keep this on the bookshelf & use this as a reference but continue to make my own decisions & not simply follow the authors suggestions.
• 
  AM Hazel

  This is a good primer book for those new to the eco-friendly movement. While it’s target audience is the everyday American woman, there are some men’s products also mentioned. I like that Oakes interviews prominent names behind brands such as Toms Shoes, etc. It’s like picking the brain of a brilliant entreprenur who also happens to have a conscience about the way their products are developed. We need more people like that in the world.
  
  Anyhoot, each chapter has a category & she lists some items she recommends. I’ve heard of most of the brands, some of which aren’t available in my city. So this book didn’t shed that much light on things for me. At the back of the book, she lists stores in each US state & in other countries as well. Her list of stores in my city is pretty basic but is a good beginning. The book was published in 2009 so it’s a bit out of date. It would be nice to see an updated version!
• 
  Reyna

  This book was a requirement for one of my classes, and I am so glad it was. I got to learn about style and about sustainability. It went deeper into the world of fashion-and it really felt like I was sitting with Oakes talking to her about her favorite clothes, makeup, etc... It really shows that you can be both fashionable and environmentally friendly. It's easy to do, and feels so much better... I got to meet Summer when she came to our school and even got to interview her. She is as humble & down to earth as she seems in her book or videos. Her book captures her love & intelligence about the environment, and eco-friendly products extremely well.
  Check out the interview here:
  http://www.kstatecollegian.com/edge/p...
• 
  HBalikov

  A book written with an emphasis on choosing your style in a way consistent with sustainable fashion (that holds up well when measured against the substance of sustainability.)
  
  Oakes has a well-thought fashion agenda that she combines with extensive examples. Though published five years ago, most of this holds up very well. She provides a whole compendium of sources and references for both fashion and beauty while explaining much of what is being emphasized (and avoided) in the manufacturing process.
  
  A scientist by training and a fashion model for some of her adult life, Oakes is knowledgeable and coherent in her approach. Her sense of display heightens the graphic content of the book.
  
  Since, I bought it used for about one dollar, I wasn't disappointed that her emphasis rarely singles out male choices. But, there is enough content for all to get something valuable from this very readable book.
• 
  Melissa Massello

  Featured in
  35 Budget Living Picks for National Book Lovers Day on ShoestringMag.com:
  
  When a model decides to write an expose on the eco-sins of the fashion and beauty industry, every gal out there should take notice. Find out why Oakes is the resident expert at Treehugger & Planet Green and where she shops in this coffee table book of sustainably style.
• 
  Patricia

  What is not to love about this book? Shows the reader a bigger picture than what we see on the department shelves. This book brings together the seller, producer and even the growers for the materials and ingredients of the clothing, accessories and beauty supplies that we buy and own.
• 
  Adrienna

  Great pics and ideas to try naturally...even with hair, nails, make-up, purses, shoes, and clothes....have not yet tried but wrote down some sites. I will have to get my own copy in the future if I want to take this seriously or buy it from people who make natural soap, hair products, etc.