This month I'm loving...  Green clothing (in a rainbow of hues) from Gudrun Sjödén. The English summer is doing its thing: boiling one minute, chilly and rainy the other 59 minutes of the hour (I suspect many stay-cationers are having second thoughts). The chill in the air makes one consider the autumnal wardrobe. When it's time to unpack the loft boxes, will you be happy with your cold-weather clothes or could your style use some freshening up?

Add a dash of pizzazz (while sticking to your eco and ethical credentials) with the eco-labelled line from Gudrun Sjödén. The fabrics are pretty green. The 'eco-jersey' is cultivated without chemical sprays, handpicked and spun and knitted in closed systems (no polluted waste water) on machines that are oiled with vegetable oils. The fabric dyes are made from natural materials such as leaves, roots, nuts and flowers. Lycocell is a cellulose fabric made from wood pulp.

 

But who says green threads have to be mud-coloured? Gundrun's creations are eye-poppingly colourful, just the thing if you've realised you've been dressing too old for your years. Now don't go mad with a micromini or some of Gundrun's more outlandish outfits, right - leave those to the young and the terminally hip (who can wear anything) or the clinically creative (who can get away with it because everyone already suspects they're bonkers).

 

For the rest of us, the odd top or cardi in eco jersey will brighten up your day. If your office is more conservative, try this lycocell jersey top (left) in more subdued shades of brown, grey or black. PS: it also comes in dazzling orange with hot pink spots or acid green with bright blue spots if you're feeling brazen.

 

Gundrun's Autumn 2009 collection also sports a home textiles range with sassy spots and some folklore-inspired pieces (don't worry; your sofa can get away with it, even if you can't). Happy shopping!

 

 

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