And The Winner Is...The Earth!

This year’s Academy Awards show was full of the usual glam, with Hollywood’s top ladies and gents strutting their Oscar-worthy stuff on the red carpet made from recycled water bottles. Wait…WHAT? That’s right! The Oscars are naturally full of surprises, and we’re not just talking Jennifer Lawrence’s “trip” to nab her golden dude (but man did she fall pretty!). It may take a back seat to all of the hoopla that comes with that many Hollywood hotshots in one locale, but the peeps behind the Academy Awards have actually been making this golden night greener for quite a few years now. Case in point – the red carpet made from recycled water bottles. And that’s not all – they recycle many of the items actually used at the Awards, including all plastic, aluminum and glass. They also compost the food waste, use compostable silverware and they use reusable china and glassware! Who knew?!

Better yet? The greener red carpet isn’t limited to the event itself. One of the biggest shockers of the night was the label inside Helen Hunt’s beautiful navy blue strapless number. No Dior or Marchesa here – Helen Hunt was straight H&Ming it! But the surprises don’t end there, folks. We were absolutely delighted to learn that Helen Hunt’s gown was created out of sustainable materials as an offshoot of H&M’s eco-friendly Conscious collection and that she is a supporter of its recently launched clothing recycling initiative. Helen Hunt may not have walked away with an Oscar (this time), but she is definitely a winner in our book!

Best Supporting Actress winner Anne Hathaway also went with an eco-friendly look, stepping out in vegan style with faux leather heels custom made by Giuseppe Zanotti to pair with her pale pink gown, and Skyfall’s Naomie Harris donned a golden eco-friendly gown created from organic silk crepe de chine, recycled zippers and vintage beads, dreamed up by Michael Badger, this year’s “Red Carpet Green Dress” challenge winner.

We’re just loving that the Academy Awards and some of Hollywood’s leading ladies are going green. With over 40 million people worldwide tuning in, here’s hoping that in the future their efforts can be given an even bigger and brighter (and much deserved) spotlight!

Designers We Adore: Prairie Underground’s Davora + Camilla

I will happily scream it from the Ann Arbor rooftops. I heart Prairie Underground! Why, you might reasonably ask if you have yet to wear these fabulously funky duds, is this label one of Perpetua Boutique’s eco-friendly faves? I’ll tell you! We just love its offbeat yet casual style, using eco-conscious fabrics like organic cotton to create an urban chic edge with unconventional but still girly silhouettes and touches. Every one of its pieces is totally comfy, everyday wearable and perfect for layering to create your own look. Think jean bustiers and hoodie dresses, asymmetrical coats and oversized collars, flowy dresses with ruffles in neutrals like aluminum and vintage wash denim, and then bright pops of color like yellow or purple thrown into the fashionable mix.

Based out of Seattle, Prairie Underground’s designs are the brainchild of two pretty darn cool ladies, Davora Lindner and Camilla Eckersley. Each and every one of their collections packs the creative one-two punch of Devora’s artistic background as an award-winning sculptor who has exhibited across the country and Camilla’s years of experience in the apparel industry, designing for other labels as well as her own private clients and in 2002 receiving the Levi Strauss Award. They came together to create the eco-friendly label Prairie Underground, and now their designs are being carried in stores around the country and online. Our closets have been thanking them ever since!

Long Cloak Hoodie + Long Raincloak Hoodie

Born to Run Hoodie + Cloak Hoodie

Mid-Victorian Hoodie + Prairie Hoodie

OK, enough of me getting giddy over Prairie Underground’s super cute clothes. Come try 'em on and see what all the gushing is about for yourself, and make sure to snag yourself one of these adorable and comfy hoodies - on SALE for 20% off now through the end of the month!

Outfitting Perpetua Boutique

OK – so by now you know that we’re an environmentally-friendly boutique, and you know we sell super stylish clothing and accessories for men and women, but do you know what exactly makes our items fit the “eco-friendly” mold? For those of you who have stopped mid-shopping experience and rubbed your chin pondering such a brow-furrowing question, I thought I’d take you behind the seams and share the very strict list of criteria we use to determine whether an item gets past me, the gatekeeper, and on to the racks of our little red brick piece of South Fourth Ave.

1. What is it made out of? If you’re thinking flowers and branches a la the Flower Shop Challenge on Project Runway (that’s this week’s episode, if you’re a Project Runway junkie like me!), well, you wouldn’t be entirely wrong, as many of the fabrics are all natural. In an effort to promote sustainable fashion, we make sure that we know exactly what each of our garments is made out of, be it organic cotton, silk (which you can get as vegan, too!), bamboo, hemp, linen or any other fabric from a steadily growing list of earth-friendly threads.
2. Where do the materials come from? Yep, we’re that picky. We don’t limit our love for earth-friendly duds to the fabrics themselves. We want to know their backstory. Sure, we’re loving that these cute halter tops are made from organic cotton, but we also need to know where that cotton is grown.
3. Is the item organic, sustainable, recycled, and/or animal friendly? If one of the words on this list doesn’t describe it, we don’t sell it.
4. Does the company engage in fair labor practices and treat its employees well? Does the company help the community? Sustainable lifestyles and choices are all about making the world a better place for ourselves and our children, and part of bettering our world is ensuring that all people are cared for, treated with respect and dignity, and no matter who they are, treated fairly. In our efforts to improve the world we live in, we make a point of purchasing from and supporting others that believe in and practice these same values.
5. Is it fair trade? Fair trade in part means that companies and workers around the world are offered fair trading conditions, ensuring the rights of all those involved and keeping any one company from taking advantage of others. This is of particular importance to us when buying from outside of the U.S. We make sure that when we purchase items, the people who created those items are treated fairly.

I’m proud that we have such a tough list of standards that we hold our items up to, because I believe that everyone who shops here and supports us deserves it. If an item can pass muster with this list of criteria (and of course is super cute), than we consider the item worthy to grace the style and substance-lovin’ bods of our amazing customers!

Small Business Saturday

Today is Small Business Saturday, and we're having a quiet little sale. Owning a small business is an adventure, often stressful, but mostly rewarding. One thing that is has enforced in me is a sense of community. The people who shop at Perpetua, for the most part, aren't the type of customers you find at the mall. They, like us, generally love this town, and seem to share the values that we do. They shop locally when they can, and seem to feel a sense of responsibility as they go about their day. People they come into contact with aren't just part of the backdrop, or simply another obstacle to avoid. They place importance on the little interactions that make up the day.

These observations are responsible, at least partly, for improving my otherwise cynical (a relative term, to be sure) view of humanity. Don't get me wrong; I am still easily appalled by the ignorance and irresponsibility I see too often in the general public. But the nice thing about locality (and this one in particular) is that people seem to have more of a sense of duty to each other and to the community. We recognize the dependence we have on each others' well-being and quality of life.

And for those of us who feel this way, and see the importance of these things, the environment matters. We want to live in a clean, healthy, and peaceful world. The first obvious step, then, for Cat and me, was to start a small business that functions on the principles in which we believe. We want to make our own lives and community better, and hopefully have a positive impact that reaches beyond the people in and around Ann Arbor who shop with their conscience. After all, it is not solely Michigan that has shaped our lives, and a huge part of my own education has come from people and places—heck, even cuisines—far different than those I encounter day to day.

Pondering these things, I realize the connection between being the local and the global, and these musings guide my actions and decisions.

Anyway...

Hey, did I mention we're having a sale?