Vegan & Eco Wedding Shoe Shopping!

I can safely say I may have spent more time looking for shoes than I've spent looking for my dress.

If there's one area where the eco scene is lacking, it's in the dressy heels department.  Sure, there are plenty of options for sneakers and sandals, but when it comes to wedding shoes, it's been a bit of a mission-impossible.

One idea for eco wedding shoes: borrow from a fellow bride friend.  It covers the "borrowed" part of the equation and chances are, the shoes are like-new.

Here's another:  buy a pair of shoes from a company that will then give a pair to a child in need.  It's called the "One for one" program by TOMS Shoes.

TOMS Shoes is a company I heard about when I originally moved out to LA.  I went to a small launch party for them, and I'm so excited to see how much their vision has grown.  They now have a line of shoes that are for the wedding party; better yet, they're extremely comfortable, durable, and you'll definitely be wearing them in the future.  Who says you have to wear heels?

Image from www.toms.com

For those of you who answered "ME!" to that question, here are some eco-friendly and vegan options.

And you thought you could never be vegan...
Just look at you now.

Vegan Chic Glamour Shoes

Image compliments of www.veganchic.com

I personally love these shoes...
I wish I could wear 5 inch heels, but having all eyes on me as I walk down the aisle is enough of a challenge for one day.  Anyway, these shoes are vegan and very glamorous (if not for your wedding, for a fun night out).

Eco-Friendly Heels from Payless

Image compliments of www.payless.com

See what happens when more people go green?  It makes eco-friendly products more affordable!  Payless Shoe Stores are now carrying heels made of eco-friendly faux leather, recycled rubber, and lined with organic cotton for $15.99.  Especially if you're planning a fall or winter wedding, these Juniper blue shoes would be the perfect fit.

Green garters... who knew?

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Don't Just Go Green... Look It!

It goes without saying that you want to look and feel your absolute best on the big day, which will undoubtedly involve some beauty products.

Now, what may you not have known before is that a big part of living green lies in these beauty "lotions and potions" we use on a daily basis.  From our perfumes to our moisturizers, we can choose to invest our money and health into chemicals that could increase our cancer rates and damage our planet... or we could go the greener, nontoxic route.  Safe for you, safe for the planet.

www.greengoeswitheverything.com

Let's first shed a little light on the traditional beauty products you may have used or currently use.  I learned all of this from Sloan Barnett's Green Goes with Everything: Simple Steps to a Healthier Life and a Healthier Planet, which I highly recommend for living (as I like to say) "Eco-ily ever-after."  They make great Christmas gifts and all profits from the book go to charity, too.  

1. Of the 10,500 ingredients used in personal care products, only 11% have been reviewed for safety.  To see if your products are safe, go to: www.cosmeticsdatabase.com

2.  Nearly 400 products in the U.S. contain chemicals banned in other countries (Source: Environmental Working Group (EWG)).

3.  98% of products contain at least one or more ingredients not tested for safety (Source: EWG)

As Sloan Barnett puts it, "Many of us are almost wedded to the smell of our favorite products as we are to our mates."  It's a little something marketers like to call "brand loyalty."

Do yourself a big favor, ok?

As you wed green, divorce the chemical products.

So, let's get you looking green!  But not the sea-sick look--  the healthy glow all brides deserve on their big day and every day after.


For eco perfumes, check out Aveda Pure Fumes.  They even have one called "Love" that is perfect for your wedding day.

For eco personal care products, I personally love Shaklee's and have used them since I was a teenager.  Their Enfuselle Nutrition Therapy product line is paraben-free, nontoxic, and never tested on animals.

For eco makeup, mineral makeup is a great route to explore.  It will give you a natural glow, blend beautifully with your skin, and feel light and airy.  Some suggestions from Green Goes With Everything include: 

• Mode Cosmetics- they have a webpage showing the naturally sourced ingredients they use.  Plus, they have nontoxic nail polish!

• Ecco Bella Vegan Cosmetics

• Aubrey Organics