The East Coast weekend weather forecast is still a real drag, but nightlife photographer Cobrasnake has at least brightened up a boring afternoon. The Cobra Shop has loads of great vintage, used, and deadstock items for sale. As modeled, of course, by pantless L.A. hipsters.

This “Gymboree/90s childrenswear” poncho is an obvious crowd-pleaser, and we will be deeply impressed by whoever actually buys it. For the gents, try this Interview with the Vampire movie shirt or an“official time cop sponsored police and international playboy party bag.”

Or this early 90s pizzeria and arcade uniform for $40. Cobrasnake sagely advises, “You should wear this shirt while you exchange thousands of little pink tickets for a lava lamp.”

(Via Racked)

If you’re wondering what’s the #1 question we get asked, it’s about the ethics behind using leather, fur, and other animal products in fashion. So we made it easy on you by putting all the info in one place in Issue #14, just published today.

Whether you’re straight-up vegan or curious about what your options are with animal products in the ethical fashion industry, this issue has a taste of everything. Check out:

• Why we think it’s possible to have an ethical wardrobe that still includes leather, wool, silk, fur, pearls, and other animal-derived products.
• The inimitable Chloé Jo Berman and her tips on how to shop vegan without looking like a hippie.
• The difference between conventional silk, peace silk, and wild silk. Read up here and we’ll quiz you later.
• A slideshow of the best in eco-leather goods, from $170 to $1,790.
• Drew Barrymore’s sure-to-win-the-Emmy performance in HBO’s Grey Gardens, then ponder this article about Little Edie Beale and how she’s still relevant today.
• These looks taken from real-life fashionistas as croc and snake skin suddenly blanket the runway and the sidewalks.

A pair of Northwest Airlines employees were arrested this week after listing designer purses and jewelry on eBay that were stolen from passenger luggage, The Oregonian reports.

The property was allegedly stolen out of checked luggage that passed through Portland International Airport in Oregon, with international flights particularly targeted because people were more likely to pack expensive items for longer trips.

The police say they set up surveillance cameras to follow Jose Trejo Romero, an airline employee for the past 13 years:

In his backpack, they found two Cole Haan handbags (their $299.95 price tags attached), a Gateway laptop computer, power cords and toiletries. They seized three hand warmers and a Sony MP3 player from his locker.

His upstairs bedroom closet looked like a high-scale market, where police recovered: 20 designer handbags; 28 other purses; 15 digital cameras; four video cameras; a Nikon camera with telephoto lens; a complete Wii system; five Nintendos; two PlayStations; two iPods; a GPS system; a portable DVD player; an MP3 player; three portable CD players; six laptop computers; five hard drives; 20 designer watches; 14 other watches; eight new wallets; three PDAs; an iPhone; a complete 1986 mint U.S. coin set; and hundreds of jewelry items.

A word to the wise: Check to see what else a seller has listed before you pull the trigger on a new purse from eBay. If the seller doesn’t specialize in that niche or brand, you may be more likely to end up with a stolen item.

The new GUESS store on F St. is probably worth stopping by today if you’re in the Washington, D.C. area. The brand has teamed up with Fashion Fights Poverty to put a philanthropic spin on its grand opening festivities.

Aside from music and free M.A.C. makeovers, the party is also a fundraiser for Nest. A $5 donation will go to support female artisans in developing countries through the organization’s small business micro-loans. But if that’s not enough, you’ll also get a 20 percent discount and swag-filled GUESS GREEN tote.

Details here.

You’re a busy person. You know how to participate in a conference call while emailing expense reports to your boss and firming up dinner plans with your besties over Gchat. You’re a champion multitasker and you shouldn’t expect any less from your beauty routine.

If you like all-in-one products, check out new brand Revolution Organics and its miraculous All Over Body Balm.

Truly, it does it all: It removes makeup, tames cuticles, treats stretch marks, smoothes flyaways, makes your lips supple, and soothes tender skin after waxing. Did we mention the certified all-organic ingredient list, packed with cocoa and shea butters, apricot oil, and beeswax?

And at only .5 ounces, you can pop this tube into your pocket before catching your flight to Cleveland for that early morning meeting.

Revolution Organics All Over Body Balm, $28 at Beauty.com.

We’ve been seeing a lot of press releases for crafty classes across the country — such a cool idea for those of you who DIY like OMG. (And those of you who want to learn how!)

A few of the offerings in major cities:

• Los Angeles: Sew L.A. offers sewing classes, private lessons, and equipment rental in a spacious and sunny boutique in Silverlake.
• Austin, Tex.: The Stitch Lab’s classes with Leslie Bonnell are so popular, she’s expanded her schedule. Pick between making your own bags, aprons, hats — or hey, make one of each!
• Washington, D.C.: TranquiliT, a boutique and yoga studio in Dupont Circle, is offering a number of events this spring, from making your own journal to revamping your beauty routine.
• New York City: Downtown Yarns in the East Village holds inexpensive knitting and crocheting classes for all levels.
• Boston: The Sewing for Beginners class at the Boston Center for Adult Education is said to be the best place to get acquainted with that dusty Singer your grandmother left you. There’s one tomorrow if you hurry!
• San Francisco: Teach Street has scores of highly-rated classes in jewelry making if you’ve always dreamed of having your own Etsy shop.
• Minneapolis: The Textile Center has a DIY summer camp if you have teens in your family with open plans for the hot months ahead.

“First it’s the clothes; then it’s ‘Why does this feel so good?’ And then they notice the hangtag. Our company motto is to smash old ideas of what you thought ‘eco’ was.”

– Designer Linda Loudermilk about eco haute couture. Check out the video above for some of her runway designs and a tour of the factory where she makes her “green jeans.”

There are a lot of creative ideas out there for accessories made from recycled materials, but you’d be forgiven if the first reaction they sometimes inspire is akin to “ugh, I wouldn’t be caught dead.”

Enter these handmade bracelets by Artful Wears. Totally unique and yet wearable, the stocky bangles feature one-of-a-kind mosaics crafted out of recycled magazine pages.

They’re colorful and pretty enough that your first thought isn’t necessarily “OK, eco,” but rather, “That’s just the thing to complete my outfit.”

Recycled Magazine Bangle Bracelets, $48 at ArtfulWears.com.

Putting your heart into researching ethical fashion lines is time consuming but knowing the clothes on your back were ethically produced is rewarding. Turns out we’re not the only people to think this way.

It’s Ethical Fashion Week in Ireland and The Independent brought our attention to a recent project put on by the Sallynoggin Senior College’s Fashion Industry Practice course.

Students at the school wished to put together a high-fashion show that exhibited ethical selections available in its small town in Ireland. The task proved to be illuminating:

In the process of researching every single shop in Dundrum Town Centre the students uncovered some interesting facts. That Gant has a good social responsibility charter. That Hugo Boss are involved in an animal rights initiative with regards to the production of Merino wool. That Manoush (stocked in Eden, Dundalk and Seagreen, Co Dublin) support animal rights and give percentages of their profits to charity organisations. That re-cycling and selling a lot of vintage clothing makes Urban Outfitters a “cleaner” shop to be visiting. That H&M has a large organic offer across women’s and children’s and an excellent track record on social and environmental practice.

“It does take a bit of effort in that you have to go on-line to research a company,” Deirdre Fitzgerald, knitwear designer and Sallynoggin course co-ordinator told me. “But the information is easily found. It only takes a few minutes to read and it can answer your questions and ease your mind about a label. Many companies are trying to do good things. It just isn’t something that they tend to know how to promote.”

Interested people can find more information about Ireland’s Ethical Fashion Week on this website.

Props to this Florida judge for declaring an amazingly stupid ordinance unconstitutional this week: a law against baggy pants.

Judge Laura Johnson ruled that although some might find the style ‘tacky and distasteful’, it was a right of personal expression guaranteed by the U.S. constitution.

But Riviera Beach mayor Thomas Masters, who said he was just trying to clean up the town’s image by imposing the ban, said he was considering an appeal.

An appeal may sound unlikely, but apparently 72 percent of the town went out and voted for this last year. And about 50 of them attended the above hearing. Must not be much going on in Riviera Beach.

The pant-saggers definitely gets the last laugh on this one since it looks like the drop-crotch trend will be in full force this summer.

Also frustrating: Even though there are other unsightly trends more worthy of banning, Riviera Beach does not even get points for originality.