Forget the LBD — the little green dress is where it’s at for spring, says the Houston Chronicle in its profile of eco-fashion brand Doucette Duvall. (It’s also one of our favorite brands.)

Annabet Duvall, one-half of the brand’s design team, says she scours New York’s Garment District for dead-stock fabric and then creates limited-edition upcycled dresses and accessories from their hauls of silk, cotton, and wool.

Duvall was in town this week for a trunk show of her “simple and very wearable” spring 2010 looks at Coquette, where she unveiled bright shorts and a full skirt cut from an animal print covered in tropical flowers. (She estimates the fabric was produced in the 1980s.) The brand does exceptionally well in her home state, she said, where customers like supporting one of their own. “Texans are very loyal,” she says. They also “appreciate the ‘eco’ part of what we do. They like the individuality of it.”

Because the simple silhouettes are inspired by found fabrics rather than runway trends, Duvall said the looks are ageless. “We don’t want to make disposable clothing. We want the girls to love what they buy for a long time.”

An excellent sentiment. Does the idea of dead-stock designs intrigue you? Check out our slideshow of other offerings here.

From Lizzi Miller’s celebrated nude photoshoot in Glamour to the ascension of Crystal Renn on high-fashion catwalks, everyone is buzzing about size diversity. All of a sudden, pin thin is not the only acceptable silhouette in the fashion world.

So in our second-annual body issue, we explore variations on the weight theme.

• British designer Mark Fast has made waves again for employing plus-size models (including the aforementioned Crystal Renn) for the second time in his Fall 2010 Ready-to-Wear Collection, presented at London Fashion Week on February 20. But, as excited as we are about this development, there remains some room for improvement.
• We surely can’t be the only ones who miss Mad Men while the television drama is on hiatus, but to fill the aching hole left by empty space on the Tivo, Christina Hendricks appeared in a bustier on the cover of New York Magazine this month. We totally understand why everyone is gaga for her classic curves, but why all the controversy?
• If there’s one must-read article in this issue (we like to believe that includes all of them, but regardless), it’s Kara’s profile of the exceptionally insightful ballerina known as Melissa T. in our second Real Girl Ethics column. Ever wonder what it would be like to work in an industry that constantly pesters you to be thin? As Melissa shows, it requires self-confidence (as well as buns) of steel.
• Of course, if all these stories merely whet your appetite for more, check out Seam Ripper for a few more articles on the subject of body issues.
• And don’t forget: A few days remain to enter our Weleda hand cream giveaway. All you have to do is leave a comment on this very blog. So simple it’s criminal, right?

Italian Vogue’s groundbreaking “Black Issue” in 2008 took a giant leap forward in diversifying mainstream fashion magazines, but we can’t help but feel that a similarly-minded drive behind Vogue.it — the magazine’s newly relaunched website, complete with English translation — doesn’t have quite the same impact.

With tabs like Vogue Black and Vogue Curvy, the website strives to cover the full range of fashion newsmakers. But does highlighting such topics in their own sections instead set them apart? Wouldn’t including them in regular magazine content be more, you know, inclusive?

New York Magazine’s The Cut agrees:

We were reasonably amused perusing Italian Vogue’s new Internet collective, but why must curvy women, women of color, and burgeoning design talent be viewed in separate channels? Is it not possible to have a fashion magazine that embraces women of all sizes and colors who wear young and established labels? Italian Vogue seems to think not.

What do you think? Commendable on Vogue Italia’s part and nitpicky on ours?

Don’t think you can DIY? Courtesy of the ever-fabulous Ashley at Monsterbites365.com comes this incredibly easy, foolproof DIY circle-scarf project that absolutely anyone can do.

All you need is a cozy XXL men’s tee-shirt or fleece (bonus points for thrifting an old one) and a sharp pair of scissors:

Directions:
1. Find a super soft, super big XXL men’s T-shirt with NO seams along the sides.
2. Fold the T-shirt in half length-wise to help you cut out your scarf.
3. First, cut a straight line along the bottom hem.
4. Then, cut a straight line just under the armpits of the T-shift (see diagram below).
5. Finally, experiment to your heart’s content with this versatile fashion accessory.

Need advice on how to wear your fancy new scarf? Check out our guide to chic neckwarming.

If you’re a scarf aficionado, you know the Hermès silk scarf is the holy grail of neckwarmers. And if you don’t want to plunk down serious plastic for a new one, there are abundant vintage options available.

But since you don’t want to get burned on a counterfeit, ThePerfectRedBox.com offers a guide to spotting a fake on eBay or in the consignment shop. Among the tips:

Weight The weight of the counterfeits I’ve felt were quite different from an authentic Hermès.  All but one has been much lighter -  most were made of polyester and not silk.  A new 35” x 35” Hermès carrè should weigh in around 63 grams or 2.2. ounces.

When in doubt Weigh it.

Back of carrè Almost every counterfeit I’ve seen had very little detail on the back.  The design on an authentic Hermès carrè can be clearly seen from the back – it is colour saturated.

When in doubt Look closely at the back of the carrè.

Hem Almost all Hermès scarves have hand rolled and hand stitched hems, to the front. There are a few exceptions to this, but generally an authentic scarf will be hand rolled and hand stitched. Many of the counterfeits I’ve seen were very clearly and very pooly machine hemmed/finished.

When in doubt If it looks machine sewn, seek further authentication.

Useful, right? See the whole guide here.

Just a reminder that our February commenting contest still has two weeks left!

Write a comment on any story on Behind the Seams and you could be randomly selected to win a Weleda Pomegranate Regenerating Hand Cream (a $12.50 value).

Got strong feelings over the Johnny Weir fur controversy? Or feel like Aeropostale is unfairly being criticized for its Haiti charity effort? We know you’ve got opinions — let’s hear them!

(And yes — the more comments you leave, the better your chances of winning. So simple.)

As I mentioned yesterday, Valentine’s Day is an irksome holiday. So we’re repossessing it in fashion’s name this year. We say for the next week, make a conscious decision to wear only what you love.

To get you inspired, we’ve published our Love, Ethically issue for your reading pleasure:

• For the next seven days, decide you’re going to feel like a million bucks and make it happen. Here’s some pointers on how to make that happen.
• To remind you to dig deep in your accessories drawer during your week of fabulousness, we offer our second annual ethical jewelry guide — written with the bride-to-be in mind but really, everyone can use a little sparkle in their lives.
• Kara interviewed her friend Elizabeth D. for the inaugural Real Girl Ethics column, our newest feature where we profile a real person and what ethical style means to them. (Got someone in mind who would make a great subject? Email us here!)
• If you’re one of the people whose boyfriend pops the question this weekend, you’ll be sure to have wedding brain. Tracy DiNunzio from RecycledBride.com offers her insight into the enduring popularity (and ease!) of green weddings.
• On a more serious note, the recent controversy over Love magazine’s decision to publish eight supermodels’ measurements got us thinking: Shouldn’t we put more effort into building self-love, rather than holding ourselves up to impossible standards? Read our quasi-feminist manifesto here.
• And as always, we bring you Seam Ripper, our compilation of Behind the Seams blog articles on the subject of love if you’re in the mood for more reading.

What can I say: Valentine’s Day brings out the feminist in me. The holiday is irksome in so many ways, and so I was thrilled to find a kindred spirit in the blogger behind GlossedOver.com and her genius dismantling of InStyle magazine’s “Look Better Naked” issue.

The main feature recommends a variety of get-sexy-quick suggestions that are so over the top, you can’t help but laugh at the absurdity. (Nevermind the hypocrisy of juxtaposing “Love Your Shape!” with “Look Better Naked!” on the cover.)

According to InStyle editors, if you want to successfully seduce the man in your life, by Sunday you must: lose water weight through the mysterious workings of detoxifying salts; spend $850 on a lariat necklace that will make your back look sexier; paint your ceiling pink to cast your naked form in a more flattering, mood-enhancing light. Note that none of these things will make you feel sexy unless you’ve got the self-esteem to back it up.

But the blogger sums it up better than I can:

Of course, the article also covers the usual territory of depilation, exfoliation, and cosmetic trickery to hide anytraces of humanity blemishes and bruises. But unless you’re disrobing for a sculptor who’ll immortalize your every detail in marble, isn’t this overkill? There’s probably a 3,000-word essay here about treating women like objects and the deleterious effects of porn and how the media tries to define our sexuality, but I’ll just leave it at this:

If you’re naked and your partner dares frown at your white ceiling or a stray stretch mark, your relationship is way beyond InStyle’s help. Also, you’re probably dating my ex-boyfriend.

Hey guys — looking to keep warm this winter? You might have to dig deep to avoid looking as fashionable as “a microwavable kebab.” Hilarious men’s fashion writer Alexis Petridis bemoans the state of faux fur for men in the U.K. Guardian:

Once, they were the height of louche sophistication, the kind of thing the Rolling Stones wore while looking elegantly wasted. Perhaps the rock star’s penchant for fur coats hastened their fall from grace: by the late 70s, they had become associated with a rock aristocracy so irritating that people felt impelled to form Sham 69 and spit at each other in protest. The moral argument has an impact, too. You want fake fur to look like the real thing, but too much and you risk Chrissie Hynde chaining herself to you whenever you step outside.

So, there aren’t many about: I ended up with a too-small women’s one, which made me look as louche and sophisticated as a microwavable kebab.

Mr. Petridis can take heart that plenty of vintage fur exists on eBay from the very era he’s trying to channel. No word yet whether Mick Jagger is ready to part with his old coats, though.

If there’s one New Year’s resolution we are determined not to break, it’s to explore more ways to go zero waste in fashion. A few fashion and beauty brands are already ahead of the curve, as we explore in E.S. Issue 28: Zero Waste.

Here’s what you’ll find in the new issue (complete with a front page makeover — check it out!):

• Arguably the designer with the most foresight, ambition, and success in the Zero Waste movement is British fashion prodigy Mark Liu. EthicalStyle.com had the good fortune to sit down with him recently to discuss how he eliminates fabric waste in his designs and what his plans are for the future of the movement.
• Cult-favorite cosmetics brand MAC is probably known best for its Viva Glam program that benefits the MAC AIDS Fund, and second-best for “Back to MAC”: bring in six empty makeup containers for recycling and take home a free lipstick. Read here for our take on why this program is being replicated throughout the beauty industry.
• If you adhere to the “waste not, want not” philosophy, antiquing is likely a passion of yours. We review antiques markets in a variety of cities across the world.
• From patchwork quilting in Pennsylvania to deconstructing saris in India, fabric reuse is not just a way to recycle — it’s a practice in tradition. Madison explores the rich history of fabric reconstitution.
• Kara, our DIY Doyenne, returns with a fabric-reconstitution project of her own:how to turn old tees into a quilt full of memories.
• And as always, if you are looking for further reading on waste, revisit our heaviest hitters in the Seam Ripper section for a sampling of blog posts we’ve written on the topic.