it ain't easy being green

INSIDE: so many cute green tops, surprising prom dress trends, and the conundrum of sustainabilty + affordability

And just like that… it’s been one week since Launch Day! Thank you so, so, so much to everyone who has subscribed and supported. I can’t tell you how much it means 🫶

I am working on a referral program right now and other ways to say a huge THANK YOU to you all. Stay tuned, an update will hopefully be hitting your inboxes later today or Monday! In the meantime, I am excited to say that ATSC is also over on Instagram (and thank you to those who suggested it!). Make sure you’re following for some ~platform-specific~ content like this:

And now, onto our regularly scheduled programming:

Get Thrifty

1. Handmade Puffy Sleeve Tie Front Blouse, Size Medium from Depop, $65

Ok, I am OBSESSED with these tie-front, smock-y blouses. And the color?? And it’s HANDMADE?? Make sure you check out MadsPatterson over on Depop for more of her incredible, hand-stitched goodies.

2. Ganni Sleeveless Top, Size Extra Large from Vestaire, $88

Green and puffy is IN this summer, you heard it here folks. If someone snags this beaut, PLEASE send me a pic of you styling and wearing it.

3. Zara Mini Dress, Size Small from Curtsy, $50

Ok, I think this dress is perfect. No notes. I’m imagining someone on a patio by the water, Spritz in hand, dancing to ABBA in this lil number.

4. Love Tree Sky Blue Linen Pants, Size Large from Curtsy, $16

This summer is undeniably, unequivocally the summer of the light blue linen pants. And I’m not mad about it at all. Also, I’m not sure if the seller (J.L. over on Curtsy) is the model or not, but um SLAY

B.N.W.T.

1. The Bubbly Charm Pendant Earring from Oak + Fort, $14

My official residence is actually the jewelry section on Oak + Fort. The pieces are great quality and a guarantee that I get compliments when I wear them out. These fabulous earring (subtle, cute, and fun!) are also on sale right now. Make sure to stop by their 2 for $10 section while you’re there.

2. The Evie Mini Dress from Lacausa, $35

Full disclosure, this is a personal purchase this week – I’m going on vacation to Mexico City in May and I think this light and airy mini will be perfect. Also, it is currently $85 cheaper than usual!!!

3. Sleeveless Mockneck Top from Oak + Fort, $32

I feel like this slouchy yet form-fitting top silhouette is every where this year and I love it. I think it’s so graceful and is the perfect day-to-night situation. And yes, this one is also technically on sale (but only $2 off lol) but we love a bargain no matter what!

4. The Dream Tube Top from Everlane, $32

Have you heard the news that peplum is apparently back??? I would be mad… but I actually really like the subtle peplum on this tube top (and this beautiful brown) from Everlane. And guess what!! It is also on sale lol, down from $58 right now.

Spotlight ✨

Happy belated Earth Day! And I’m super curious… did anyone notice anything specific about the B.N.W.T. section?

The answer is that all of these pieces come from sustainable brands. This week, I did a lot of research about places I purchase from on the site Good On You, which ranks the actual sustainability of these companies. Read: it cuts through all the greenwashing that companies have gotten particularly good at these days, especially when it comes to marketing around Earth Day.

And let me tell you, this research was… pretty depressing. Every brand mentioned above (Everlane, Oak + Fort, Lacausa) all rank 3/5 on the scale or higher. And it’s actually a pretty exclusive group: most brands we see all the time rank at 1/5 or 2/5.

And here’s another difficulty in this situation: I personally am a huge fan of many sustainable brands – Oak + Fort and Everland are two of my faves. But it’s undeniable that these products from sustainable places are usually at a much higher price point that other brands. That can mean that young people, especially Gen Z-ers who care so deeply about the environment, can get priced out when it comes to buying from these brands – a lose-lose situation for all of us.

It’s a really tricky conumdrum – and one that I was pondering a lot this Earth Day. I can’t say I have a perfect solution. But there are a few reasons that I feel hopeful that we can bridge this gap between sustainability and affordability:

1. These sustainable brands have great sales – like the ones above! And personally, I would encourage them to do them frequently and market the sales widely on socials so young people see them.

2. We have FABULOUS thrifting options, where you can actually buy sustainable clothing second-hand – a BIG win for the planet. Between Depop, Poshmark, Curtsy, Teleport, Vinted, and in-person thrift shops, we have a lot more access than we realize sometimes.

3. There is a lot of awareness around young people and climate action – and the challenges this pairing might face. I follow and highly recommend Environment by Impact and slowfashion.movement over on Instagram.

Look at this Graph

This week’s ~fashion data~ comes from my fave,

Casey Lewis

, and her fabulous

After School by Casey Lewis

newsletter. In her weekend deep-dive (which is paid but I HIGHLY recommend), she shared this factoid:

Orange Prom Dress spiked +800% in the past week

I took a peek over on Google Search Trends over the past year just to get a broader picture… and it seems to be true. Truly, I can’t really picture an orange prom dress and I don’t even know why. If you or someone you know is wearing orange this year, tag me – I’d love to feature!

Other Corners of the Internet

• Our queen,

  The Millennial Decorator
  , stopped by Big Silly Trivia this week, which made my day. Make sure to check out her amazing pieces, and if the bean bowl comes back in stock, GRAB IT.

• I actually made my first

  Fit Check by Teleport
  /Teleport purchases this week and I really, really enjoyed the experience of getting to see the pieces in videos on real people before buying them. Full review coming soon!

• I must know if this thong wedgie top is real…

• I am also getting bombarded with bloomer content, and this post might have convinced me. Are you guys hopping on the bloomer bus this summer?

Aaaand that’s all I’ve got for this week, folks! Again, keep a lookout for an email from me on the referral program, and please share any thoughts/comments/concerns about the newsletter you may have! I always want to hear them.