Here are some of our favorite convertible dresses:

Donna Karen – The Infinity Dress in refined matte jersey – transforms easily from a capsleeve dress with a twist to a one shoulder dress to a drape halter dress to a crossed halter dress to a strapless dress to cap sleeve dress. Bloomingdale’s – $995.

Butter by Nadia – an entire collection of convertible dresses in stripes and solids, knee length and floor length and they’ve just added a suite of convertible jumpsuits (soo wish we could pull those off!).  The fabric suits the name, buttery…  Average price $250 & up.

Lara Miller – one of the first to really embrace the concept of convertible clothing, she’s made convertible dresses, convertible tops, convertible sweaters and hers are made with eco-friendly fabrics. Donna Dress pictured – $275

Chadwick’s – Looking for a more affordable convertible dress? Chadwick’s has a convertible dress for $49.99 (click to buy) that can be worn four ways, even as a skirt. And for those fearless fashionistas they’ve got a chic convertible jumpsuit for $59.99 (click to buy)

Who:

What: “Marlene Dietrich” One-Piece Bathing Costume

Where: Yooxygen – $185

Why We Love It: British designer, Katharine Hamnett, designed this special edition collection of beachwear for YOOXYGEN (YOOX’s eco-line).  Her 14 piece vinatage inspired collection features garments made from organic cotton, recycled polyester and renewable fabrics in an effort to raise awareness about the fragility of our oceans and the critical need to protect them. Perfect timing considering the disaster in the gulf with the BP oil spill threatening to destroy entire ecosystems in the Gulf if they haven’t been destroyed already.

The sultry one-piece suit made of 100% organic habotai silk and can be worn as bathing suit or as cover up. It’s a nod to 1950′s pinups like its namesake, Marlene Dietrich when suits were more modest but still full of sex appeal. Love all the figure flattering details like the ruching up the sides, the demure neckline, the generous hemline and the cute little shorts to cover up any less than perfect  ‘bits’.  And the zipper up the back just adds to the sex appeal.

If you are looking for other eco-friendly bathing options, BTC Elements has a great collection of eco-friendly swimsuits designed for all bodies of water.

Who:

What: Gold Coast Corset

Where: Hemma – $315 in green or purple

Why We Love It: When friends Edna Bisson and Cindy Gaston studied abroad in Ghana, they fell in love with the traditional Kente fabrics that have been handwoven by artisans since the 17th  century and worn by Ghanaian nobility. They were inspired by the vibrant colors, rich textures and intricate patterns and completely reinvented them creating a modern and sophisticated limited edition collection (only making 300 pieces of each style and color in the collection).

The corset is definitely our favorite. It is impeccably tailored and is super sexy (see the black lace-up back).  Love the patchwork of black and stripes and the versatility – luxe and casual depending on what you pair it with. We’d want to wear our limited edition corset with everything from jeans to ball gowns. Our 2010 collection is a limited edition and there will only be 300 total garments created with the specific colors, patterns and styles offered.

The Kente fabrics are handwoven as they have been for centuries using natural dyes and virgin cotton without the use of machinery or factories. 5% of all profits are donated to La Yahoushua, the middle school where the designers both taught.

Shop BTC Elements for more eco and ethical clothing options.

Who:

What: Classic Cut-Out Dress w/Obi Belt

Where: naturevsvfuture – $278 in plum or indigo & now through June 3oth get 30% off with coupon code NVF/JUNE/30 (If you are in the NYC area you can check the collection out live & shop styles at 30-40% off at Mizu. Click for details.)

Why We Love It: We’d expect nothing less from designer Nina Valenti of naturevsnurture than an edgy and modern interpretation on a classic. The slightly asymmetrical hemlime and slits at the neckline and of course, the ‘slashed’ slits in the back, give the basic shift dress a little bit of rock and roll.

The rich plum color is sublime and the dress can be worn with or without the  reversible, and slimming, black & plum obi belt. It is made of a hemp and tencel blend.

Valenti’s garments are made as much as possible from organic, sustainable, renewable, and biodegradable materials. Fabrics include organic cotton, organic wool, hemp, soy, bamboo, seacell® (seaweed), lyocell (wood pulp), Ingeo™ (created from corn) and recycled and technological fabrics such as Polartec® (made from soda pop bottles or industry waste). All of her garments are made locally in New York.

Who:

What: Column Dress

Where: LABEL – $76.20

Why We Love It: Sometimes there is nothing more alluring, or more comfortable, than a black tube dress. This slinky column dress by LABEL is fitted in all the right places and flowy in all the rest making it equally fit for casual spring days and sexy summer nights.

Designers Shawna Robinson and Natalie Sydoruk have a knack for designing clothing that got a funky glamorous vibe that’s comfy and casual. Wherever possible they use organic, renewable or reclaimed fabrics like organic cotton, hemp, lyocell, and in this case a jersey blend of 93% bamboo and 7% spandex.

The scrap fabrics from the sewing room are donated to small local indie company “Denture Thief Productions,” who use the fabric to create the adorable little “stuffed creates” below, that you can be found at markets and indie boutiques in the Toronto area.

On the other hand, it is good to see a large retailer making an effort to present more eco-friendly options at more affordable prices.  Most people are not comfortable or able to spend $60 on a t-shirt when they could spend, literally $3 at Walmart (actually for even less, I went in there the other day and saw a misses sweatshirt and tank top set selling for a total of $3 – how is the ‘green’ market supposed to compete with that when most people would take cheap over quality and cheap over ethical and cheap over eco-friendly, but I digress…. ). The line is made from fabrics made of organic linen, organic cotton, tencel & recycled polyester.

And I’ve got to say the collection has some great pieces (had to buy a couple just for the sake of research). They’ve got vibrant florals, soft pinks, bold blues, breezy tops, frilly dresses, boyfriend jeans, shoes, a linen biker jacket which is kind of awesome and a red rosette dress that is amazing if it weren’t so incredibly short. The entire collection has a hippie chic vibe but with more modern silhouettes and a bit of Lady Gaga thrown in there. Definitely appeals to the ‘tween’ crowd with uber short hemlines ( I am dating myself here), but If you need some fun pieces for your spring wardrobe, there are plenty of pieces that could work for ladies of all ages.

The hope here is that this line sells well and retailers begin to realize even more the value of adopting green practices one step at a time. So, hopefully this is not a passing trend with H&M and they continue to make collections from real, green fabrics and one day with green manufacturing/shipping/labor practices as well.

And the best news, the entire collection retails for under $120 CAD (that’s $117.60USD) and is made from organic, sustainable fabrics including soft-as silk tencel chambray denim, organic cotton and wild, raw silk – vegan friendly as the silkworms are unharmed in the production of the fabric.  A fun, wearable and flattering collection for summer. Can’t wait!

Shop the SS ’10 collection at http://www.shopelroy.com

Who: Kelly Lane – Pittsburg, PA

What: Rider Coat in Sage

Where: Jute & Jackfruit – On sale for $188

Why We Love It: This wear-everywhere jacket/sweatshirt jumped out at us at the Go Green Expo last week. It is sooo soft and cozy that it was all we could do not to wrap ourselves up in it and curling up with a good book and a cup of tea…

The beauty of this jacket is that it can take you straight from that cup of tea to the office to the playground to dinner out.  It’s got the comfort of a sweatshirt and the refined look of a tailored jacket. The Rider Coat is handmade of a super soft, french terry that’s a blend of soy, organic cotton and lycra – it has almost a silky feel to it.

And it is incredibly flattering too. The tie waist can be adjusted to cinch in just the right place and subtle details like the cuffed wrists, the slightly blousy sleeves and the contrasting fabric textures amp up the style quotient. The sage – more like a minty green – adds a nice color element that is quite versatile. Keep an eye out for the Fall version of The Rider Coat that comes in black and taupe and comes with pockets!

Kelly Lane is committed to the environment and creating an environmentally responsible and ethical fashion line. Her collection is made entirely in the USA. She works with print makers in San Fransico to create her custom fabrics and her garments are handmade by a family run business in New York. She only work with eco-friendly materials including over-run fabrics, organic cottons, soy, tencel, hemp and recycled fabrics.

Special thanks to our models – Eileen Moran of Origin23 & the designer herself at right!

Who: FIN – Oslo, Norway

What: Cropped Sleeves Dress

Where: Equita – $220 $160

Why: Love flared skirt, love the slim fit waist, love the neckline and love the ever so slightly puffy sleeves. A simple dress with exquisite lines and the classic look of Audrey Hepburn with just the right amount of sweetness and elegance.

You can feel good about wearing this dress and not just because you look good – this dress is made of 100% organic cotton and is certified Fair Trade by a carbon neutral company (FIN invests in climate credits).

FIN is an eco-luxe label who takes into consideration the entire chain of creation of their garments – from the cotton production to the spinning, dying and finishing of the fabric -  to ensure they are carried out in an eco-responsible manner.

What: Sundress Silk/Cotton

Where: Mel en Stel – $300 SOLD OUT

Why We Love ‘Em: The last 10 days of blah rain have really got us pining for spring – pining for color, single layers,strappy sandals and this floaty spring dress from Mel en Stel. It takes the hippie out of tie dye and transforms it into an elegant and rich fabric – it almost looks more like a block print than a tie dye. Love the contrast of the blue and white tie dye with the bold red straps.

Originally from Antwerp, Belgium, designer Ilse Eriksson has a way of designing uniquely tailored pieces that flatter a woman’s body and that are completely timeless, so again, they’ll last more than one season. Wear it slinky and long at the start of the party and then tuck the skirt under for a voluminous mini for when the dancing starts.  The self tying waist gives just the right cinch to flatter your mid section. Short or long, this dress has great ‘flounce’ and is great for formal or casual events.