The Discerning Brute: fashion, food & etiquette for the ethically handsome man » thrift

Native, Naturally

TheDiscerningBrute — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 01:00:14 +0000

The incredible craftsmanship, color usage, and pattering of traditional Indian textile is going to be big this fall. The pairing of these styles with plaids, denim, canvas and moccasin-inspired shoes and boots is a great way to include it in your wardrobe. Because these textiles are traditionally made from wool and other animal hairs (like in the Pendelton for Opening Ceremony image up top), it is quite difficult to find animal-friendly and eco-friendly versions. Luckily, thrift stores are chock full of this stuff, from silk-screened shirts to plaid pants and vests, to this western shirts I found, with a great black, silver and tan Chimayo pattern on it. I definitely recommend starting off at the second-hand stores, for both your wallet and the environment. . . Vuori's "Native" and "Tribe" organic tee-shirts honor the men and women whose heroic efforts, so often unnoticed, propel us towards a more sustainable future. The "Eagle" tee from Loomstate and the "Endangered Wolf" tee from Loomstate for Barney's celebrate two iconic animals that both need respect and protection. I'd wear this over a skull and crossbones, any day. The Aztec Shirt from Sierra Trading Post, and Navajo Shirt from Orvis would look great underneath a solid sports coat or beneath a vest. Also try a Navajo vest over some organic plaid like Patagonia's two shirts below. Try some burgundy organic denim from Monkee Genes or pick up some plaid pants from the thrift shop! These are some cruelty-free shoes and mocs that can pull the look together, or just function as the sole element:

Medical Gorgonzola, Thifting Online & Spay-Day Photo Contest

TheDiscerningBrute — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 22:03:36 +0000

Having trouble kicking the cheese habit? Maybe you're addicted to NARCOTICS like casomorphins - naturally occurring opiates found in dairy products. And since it takes 10 lbs of milk to make 1 lb of cheese, concentrated products like cheeses have especially high levels of opiates. Soon you may need a prescription for "medical gorgonzola". Research has also strongly connected dairy to autism, finding high levels of casomorphins in children with Autism.

While the idea of fermented cow tit secretions made from forced pregnancies (resulting in the veal industry) tainted with pus, blood, poop, and cholesterol is enough for me to steer clear - those of you who can't seem to stop gorging on brie may understand your cravings better!

Think you must go to Goodwill for your recycled-clothing needs? Now you can shop online at NIFTYthreads.com and scour the collections or search using a key-word. So much easier then fingering through racks and racks of random crap. I could be wrong, but I think every single thing costs $10!

In honor of the Humane Society of the United States' Spay Day 2009, enter your little furball in the photo contest and win great prizes! There are two ways to win prizes in the contest: The Judged category and the Fundraisers category.

Fresh Friday Finds

TheDiscerningBrute — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 05:09:27 +0000

1. If you thought they couldn't possibly be any more disgusting, the parting Bush Administration has denied dwindling, drowning and starving Polar Bears protection under the Endangered Species Act. Human generated global-warming, mostly caused by meat & dairy production, is the #1 culprit. Read the full article here.

“This rule makes a mockery of the Endangered Species Act, our nation’s most important wildlife protection law,” said Defenders of Wildlife executive vice president, Jamie Rappaport Clark. “The polar bear doesn’t have time for political maneuvers. Its habitat is melting away, its food is becoming scarce and the science is clear that the cause is global warming - yet the rule this administration released today affirms that little will be done to save the species from sure extinction.

2. If you wear glasses or sunglasses, and you don't know about Fabulous Fanny's, you are missing out! Get the most amazing selection of thrift & vintage frames and shades. Buying thrift is the greenest way to shop! It's one of the East Village's best kept secrets, and one of my personal favs. 3. Farm Sanctuary strikes again! With an awesome party, of course! With Miss Guy on the turn table, more amazing vegan food than your eyes and tummy can handle, and the most inspiring crowd of activists and celebs from Danilea Sea and Alison Becker to Jennifer Coolidge, Corey Feldman & Inder Bedhi of Matt&Nat - this Winter Wonderland fundraiser was not to be missed - but if you did miss it, make sure to make it to next one! Farmsanctuary.org 4. Our friend Karl at PARTYBOTS has designed some awesome, 100% post-consumer recycled, originally designed notebooks! These are sweet and under $6 each! Cheap gifts for everyone this holiday! 5. This holiday, you may be feeling philanthropic. However, be very aware of organizations like Heifer International - whose promises of alleviating malnutrition and poverty through providing animals, actually has disasterous results. Like the little fact that over 90% of the Africans who are given dairy cows are lactose intolerant. Our friends at WFAS school us on this, and tell us how we can really help: "While this might sound good on paper, the water and land needs of livestock in areas that are often short on both quickly outweigh the benefits -- instead it increases human dependence on an unsustainable food-system that depletes the environment and does not fulfill all of a community’s real nutritional or long-term survival needs" Read the full article. 6. Organic Cotton from Alternative Apparel is so much better than conventional cotton from the notoriously homophobic Urban Outfitters. 7. December 20th is National "Adopt, Don't Shop" day. The Saturday before Christmas is the biggest puppy-buying day of the year. This year, In Defense of Animals is teaming up with activists in dozens of cities around the country to educate the public about the horrors of pet factories (puppy mills) and encourage people to adopt a homeless animal from a shelter or rescue group instead of buying one from a pet store. Enzo and I say you should adopt! 8. In case you missed it on Ecorazzi, Chloé Jo Berman, and yours truly were interviewed about ethical fashion. Read the interview! 9. Elephants should not be in zoos. For example, the Los Angeles zoo has killed 13 elephants. Help close down this horrible slave-trade, and save Billy from the same fate that his previous 13 fellow elephants experienced. These intelligent, emotionally complex and gorgeous beings belong in their native habitat, not in captivity. You can view video of Billy and the Los Angeles Zoo here. You can donate to IDA's campaign to Free Billy here. 10. The sleek Pool Collection from Matt&Nat has arrived! Get it while it's hot, then take a dip in the pool. 100% vegan, recycled lining, and cool as hell.

Fresh Friday Finds

TheDiscerningBrute — Thu, 08 May 2008 14:30:13 +0000

1. Vegan Marshmallow Kits have landed (in your mailbox)! Our friend Amy, at the VegCookingBlog tells of a New Zealand company that sells vegan marshmallow kits. Use them to make sticky cubes, crispy treats, smores, or meringue topping! Just in time for summertime campfire-roasting! If you are not a fan of DIY Marshmallowing, Sweet & Sarah offers a selection of dangerously delicious fluffy treats. You all know what's in conventional marshmallows, right? If not, prepare yourself for a major gross-out. The gelatin you eat in Marshmallows, Jell-O, and other "treats" comes from cow and pig bones, hooves, and connective tissues. 2. Gridthrifter Gridskipper offers up a thrifting guide for any city you choose! Here is New York's Top 7 vintage voyages. My addition to the list is Houndstooth, who has amazing vintage menswear. The 1930s undies in my Time Out New York Spread are from the stylish Michael Kimmins & Maria Chavez. Know of a good menswear thrifting spot? Drop me a note and your review! 3. Honeybee Aftershave With a select blend of herbs, essential oils and cooling aloe vera, this cruelty-free aftershave is a fantastic way to soothe newly shaven skin and relieve irritation. Available HERE. . . . . 4. Simple Slip-On Simple has designed a shoe using recycled bicycle tires & car tires, as well as hemp, organic cotton, recycled PET, 100% post-consumer recycled paper, and no animal products. Available at: 5. Mystery Meat Macrophotography

Mike Adams is a photographer who has taken a series of photos of common processed meats at ever increasing magnifications. If you weren't grossed out by mystery-meat before, bring a barf bag on this photo tour:

6. For Whom Eight Bells Toll In the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, Eight Belles ran for her life and was fiercely whipped as she came down the final stretch, when she was no doubt already in a great deal of pain. Like 2006 Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro, she was destroyed because of her racing injuries, caused by the greed that motivates this dirty "sport."Eight Belles was yet another victim of the cruel horse racing industry, where animals suffer and die for the sake of sport and entertainment. Like many other horses, she was literally "raced to death". What you can do to help.

7. Mission Playground is an AFFORDABLE organic clothing company with the mission to create awareness through environmentally conscious and globally mindful designs. They use organic, recycled, and eco fibers and vocally oppose sweatshops. Their aesthetic is western-urban - not my favorite, but some dudes will dig it!

8. Fresh Direct Just Got Veggier! Whether you're lazy or so busy you can't cook a decent meal (and Instead of corner-store comestibles), FreshDirect, a leading online gourmet food purveyors and delivery service, announced last week the launch of their very first line of vegetarian & vegan 4-Minute Meals.

FreshDirect's EatingWell menu includes:

-- Hoppin' John with Vegetarian Chorizo (Vegan) -- $7.99

-- Indian-Spiced Lentil & Quinoa Ragout with Roasted Vegetables (Vegan) -- $7.99

-- Balsamic-Roasted Seitan with Beets, Basil & Farro Pilaf (Vegan) -- $7.99

-- White Beans, Pearl Pasta & Artichokes with Roasted Tomatoes & Rapini (Vegan) -- $7.99

9. Smell Ya' Later The range of mens scents at The Body Shop are totally vegan, and totally affordable!

10. Farm Sanctuary's Gene Baur in Park Slope, Friday, May 16th I recently had the pleasure of brunching at Bliss with Gene Baur. Thanks to SUPERVEGAN, Folks who missed Farm Sanctuary's inspiring founder and Discerning Brute, Gene Baur during his first NYC book tour stop can catch up with him on the eve of the Farm Sanctuary 2008 Gala, Friday, May 16th, at Community Bookstore of Park Slope. Baur will read from and sign copies of bestselling and acclaimed book, Farm Sanctuary: Changing Hearts and Minds About Animals and Food.

Friday, May 16th. 7:30pm. Free. Community Bookstore, 143 Seventh Avenue (between Carroll and Garfield), Brooklyn!

We Can Love You Again: Preloved

TheDiscerningBrute — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 23:39:10 +0000

Our friend Tommy Cole (Alter, This Old Thing?) pointed out the awesome creations from those crazy Canadians at the label Preloved. The name is exactly how it sounds. All of their garments are born of thrift, vintage fabrics and previously-loved articles.

DB's Etiquette Recommendation: This past fall Preloved recycled over 60,000 sweaters to create their fall clothing. That saves more than a few sheep from being sheared, cows dismembered, and ecosystems pillaged. Anything that requires almost no new materials has much less impact on the integrity of ecosystems. Even organic cotton and bamboo still requires new raw materials to be extracted from the earth - and while the ecological footprint is smaller, it's still not as sustainable as recycling. So what's greener than turning used rags into new riches? Shop thrift and re-purpose as often as possible.

Tommy Cole (Alter, This Old Thing?) says: "We just returned from the Bread & Butter trade show in Barcelona, Spain and there was a HUGE presence of "green" fashion and sustainable stuff. Pre Loved is from Canada. (don't be fooled by the "girly" appearance of the site) they do recycled mens stuff as well (they do use a lot of wool... but its all recycled) and it is AMAZING., we are getting new merch from them mid-february."

So if you're in the NYC area, head over to ALTER to get some Pre-Love or click HERE for find other locations across the states and the globe!