When Quiksilver Woman hit UK shops in Fall 2008 I couldn’t have been more excited! Not just because QSW seems to encapsulate that edgy yet feminine look I love, but also because here in front of me Quiksilver were offering eco-friendly clothing that I actually wanted to wear.

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Eco-friendly clothing is synonymous with flappy dresses made from frumpy fabrics, naff hippy t-shirts and ill fitting hemp trousers. But not any more! In fact, environmentally conscious fashion has had a major overhaul in recent years and it’s getting much easier to find stylish alternatives to mainstream fashion, even on the high street.

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The first thing that struck me about the QSW eco-friendly range were the organic t-shirts, which are so soft you won’t want to take them off, and you’ll never have to use fabric softener – which is also better for the environment!  We all think of cotton as being one of the most natural things around, but for the average cotton t-shirt only 73% of it is actually cotton, the rest is made up of chemicals and resins used to make the fabric. These chemicals are not only bad for your health but the health of the cotton farmer and local wildlife, too.

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In addition, hemp isn’t as bad as I made it out to be either, and bamboo is my new favourite fabric. Both of these take far less water to grow than cotton, which is much better for the planet and bamboo is so smooth against your skin it feels like silk. Don’t believe me? Try it out - you won’t be disappointed!

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My favourite piece so far would be the Sweet Thing Dress  from the Autumn/Winter 2009 collection - I love anything checked! I like to layer it with one of the lovely organic tees, black tights and little black ankle boots. I top it all off with a chunky cream neck warmer that I knitted for a cosy but stylish winter look – it’s very cold and snowy in Scotland right now! For spring 2010 look out for the Russell muscle tee and the Millbank long skirt.

Sweet Thing Dress from Quiksilver Women's Fall Winter 2009 Collection

People often complain that you have to pay more for eco-friendly clothing, which is sometimes true, but can we really afford to put a price on the environment and the health of workers and wildlife? After all, would you rather have one really great, good quality organic t-shirt that you can wash and wear over and over again or for the same price buy 4 cheap conventional ones that loose their shape after a couple of washes and end up forgotten about at the back of a drawer? I know what I’d choose…

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Quiksilver may not be completely organic yet, but they are changing little by little and making it easier for you to do so too, without having to sacrifice style!

Russell Muscle Tee from Quiksilver Women's Spring 2010 Collection

Millbank Skirt from Quiksilver Women's Spring 2010 Collection

Hello, I played my biggest gig yet this weekend at Harvest on Jimmys farm in Suffolk. 10,000 people went down for the weekend at the sold out festival and me and my band opened the show for their first ever festival and was introduced by Jimmy himself.

Ellie, on stage, wearing the lovely Quiksilver Women Sweet Thing dress

For those of you that haven’t seen the TV series, Jimmy is a childhood friend of TV Legend chef Jamie Oliver who campaigns against processed food in schools and against unhealthy diets in the UK. Jimmy is a ‘rare breed’ pig farmer and ‘Jimmy Doherty’s Farming hero’s’ is a show on BBC 2.

Lots of lush animals down on the farm from the meditating mountain goats to cute pigs that look like little dogs with snouts and gorgeous satin coated cows. Feeling secretly proud to be a vegetarian as the animals looked too lovely to eat to me!!!

Ellie and Hils (Quiksilver Woment Little Wing tee)

Made lots of new friends and watched brilliant sets by indie folk cool cat Jose Gonzalez, the very beautiful and charismatic KT Tunstall, the legend and personal favourite of mine Badly Drawn Boy, other-worldly violin extaordinaire Seth Lake man (who I had never heard before but am now a big fan) and soul singer Sam Lewis, KT Tunstall’s guitarist as well as loads of other cool artists.

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I was able to hang out back stage and got a kiss and hug from the lovely KT, who is one of those women that is even more beautiful in real life and chatted with one of my hero’s Badly Drawn boy (who I thanked in the credits of my first album) whose an extremely sweet and creative guy dubbing me and Hils (my keys player) ‘chess board sisters’

It is that time of year, the end of the carefree days and the beginning of reality setting back in – that’s right – it is back to work time!

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Ok, so maybe you are not ready to enter into negociations with your boss, shopping for your brand new diary, or stuffing your handbag with goodies for the day – but you can’t help but notice the transition of seasons and the desire to wear your latest laid back business woman style!

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So, even if you aren’t dashing out the door to catch the cab – don’t be afraid to wear your best version of the Quiksilver working girl.

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Pair the Sweet Thing dress with tights, knee-high boots and the Yesterday jacket !

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The Yesterday jacket : your bestfriend for the transition of seasons

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Get more styling ideas, more tips, more stories… by checking brand new European website : quiksilver-women.com