Vintage is the New Green in NYC

What used to be my favorite way to dress well on a budget is being re-skinned as the newest approach to going green. Even aggressive symbols of excess-- designer denim, cars and diamonds-- are given a pass by socially conscious consumers.

Using carbon footprints as the barometer, even the best environmentally sustainable manufacturers find it difficult to compete with goods already in the marketplace since creating ecologically friendly products still strains natural resources through production and shipping. So those of us who want to indulge in extravagance AND get a green stamp of approval have more options than we might have realized. 

Starting with top-of-the-line automobiles, luxury is not spared in a biodiesel-fueled Certified Pre-Owned Mercedes Benz. While precautions are advised when pumping your used car full of recycled vegetable oil (like, say, adjusting for the viscosity of the fluid and removing the leftover crispy remnants from that batch of fries), Mercedes's turbo diesel models are perennially attractive and biodiesel-ready. Your fossil fuel-free chariot awaits you at the used car lot.

Pairs of designer denim might have been demonized as overly opulent in their past lives, yet jeans serve as a readily available, sustainable option for upscale decor. July's Elle Magazine featured the haute eco home of actress Angela Lindvall in LA, complete with drapes of vintage denim. The form is classic Ralph Lauren, the function is affordable blackout drapes.

And for perhaps the most significant flip in public opinion- decadent gems and gold from regions of conflict are no longer relegated to hiding in the jewelry drawer since their brilliance is acceptable by sustainable standards. It’s better to reuse and recycle baubles, preserving the limited reserves of these precious stones and metals. Manhattan’s New York Vintage showcases some of the most brilliant and distinctive works historically; providing for a curated shopping experience as much as an education in the chronology of high fashion.