One of the best things we can do for our economy is to buy American, but often we have so few choices to consider in our geographic area.  How can Denver’s men be stylish, comfortable and still committed to buying responsibly?

Fortunately, Denver men have a great new option in Berkeley Supply, a shop in northwest Denver’s Tennyson shopping district that is slated to open Friday, December 7.  Berkeley Supply will feature products with an American workwear feel and all 100 percent American made.

Among the products to be offered at Berkeley Supply will be brands like Filson, Rogue Territory, The West Is Dead, Frost River Packs, Taylor Stitch, and many more.

Taylor Stitch shirts at Berkeley Suppy

“My goal with the shop is to bring men in Denver a place where they can shop for quality products like denim, shirting, boots/shoes, and coats/jackets,” says shop owner Eli Cox. “As an avid believer in products like these, I for one will be honored to bring a shop like this to Denver, so men searching for products like these will no longer have to wait for their next visit to San Francisco, New York City, or Los Angeles.”

And tradition and craftsmanship are a big deal to Cox, who points out that all the clothing in the shop is made by hand, with lots of personal wear testing over several years before a piece makes it to the shop. Cox proudly mentions, “For instance, Filson has been the only jacket I have ever seen my father wear for as long as I can remember, he goes out logging in it and also wears it out as an overcoat to dinner, a tradition I continue. They stand the test of time. These are all companies I strongly believe in.”

Berkeley Supply opens tomorrow, December 7 and is located at 4405 West 43rd Avenue at Tennyson Street in northwest Denver.

This being the holiday (aka shop-til-you-drop) season, it’s important to remember not only where our purchases are sourced, but also how they’re packaged…and what the impact might be to the environment.

Among the biggest environmental culprits are plastic bags, which are not only responsible for a larger portion of landfills, but also increase our dependence on the petroleum and natural gas that’s used to make them.  One estimate says that 14 plastic bags use as much petroleum to create as a gallon of gas.

The infographic here, supplied to us by a team of designers and researchers, shows us why plastic bags are ruining the environment as well as the overall impact of plastic bag use.

Makes you think twice about bringing that reusable bag, right? Stop what you’re doing and go dump a few reusable bags into the car so you don’t forget them later.

Scroll down for the complete graphic, and please share.

Infographic created by: Learnstuff.com

They arrived.  Two cases of “smart drinks” from Neuro®.  The company asked me to pass these drinks out among my friends and write about what we thought.

Normally we’re not a sport drink type of crowd; we’re kind of organic and natural types, and we don’t usually use products with artificial sweeteners.  But Thanksgiving is this week, and I know some stressful things are just around the corner. So I’m taking a A Neuro Bliss® challenge to see how it holds up.

Neuro Bliss’ nutrition facts

So far, Bliss® has a light, almost citrusy flavor (from the chamomile) with a hint of carbonation.  It’s clear and bright, and the expected sucralose (Splenda®) metallic taste was not all that prominent.  It was downright refreshing and smooth.

But what about the purported benefits? The label says it helps reduce stress, enhances mood, provides focused concentration and promotes a positive outlook. It has L-theanine, phosphatidylserine and chamomile. Is this possible?

As it turns out, L-theanine is also primarily found in green tea, and according to a recent study, this amino acid affects the alpha waves in the brain that relate to relaxation.  It also has properties similar to caffeine, which as a mild stimulant, can help with stress reduction, cognitive work and mood.  There is some research coming out that says that phosphatidylserine can help with focus and can even be beneficial to youngsters diagnosed with ADHD.

So…it sounds like it could work.

Since I don’t like to do things by myself, here’s an offer for you.  Email me a good story about your most stressful time and how you dealt with it…could be just about anything, as long as it’s suitable for reading at work.  I will choose two of the most interesting stories and will give you a case of Bliss to try out.   I’ll even deliver it to you in the metro Denver area.

This offer expires Wednesday, November 19 at 8 p.m., so email your stories to andrea@dfbeat.com.  Let’s do this!

Cara Davis shares her thoughts about finding ways to trim some of the cost of your wedding. Cara is the author of Cheap Ways to Tie the Knot and blogs from her home in Orlando, FL, about cheap ways to spend and save at CheapWaysTo.com.

1. Save-the-Dates
Skip the printed postcards announcing your wedding date and use e-vites, Facebook, email and the old-fashioned phone to spread the word to out-of-town guests. If you’re committed to hardcopies, check out TheWeddingChicks.com for free, elegant printables.

2. A professional wedding planner
If you’re fairly well organized, you can get away without the services of a professional, so long as you have some reliable people to delegate to, like your mom and maids. Don’t use this as an excuse to not do your homework and get referrals for the services you do spend your money on, like flowers and catering. For some digital help, check out this article from Mashable on the best wedding-planning apps.

3. Relatives twice removed
The more you can trim you guest list, the more money you’ll save overall. Keep the invite list to the must-haves, then send out a wedding announcement (perhaps with your photo) to the masses when all is said and done.

4. Large bridal party
While it may look impressive in wedding photos, a large bridal party is going to cause more headache and strain on the wallet than you need. Ask your closest friends and family who are willing to help you pull off your big day, and assign other tasks to those you feel just need to be involved somehow (user, parking attendant, server, greeter, etc.)

5. Matchy-matchy dresses
Don’t even pretend you’re going to find a magical dress that looks good on all the girls that they’ll treasure forever. Ain’t gonna happen. Choose a theme or color and allow the girls to find their own dresses that fit them (and their wallet). Provide accessories as your gift instead. If you’re still not convinced, take a look at these mismatched bridesmaid dresses on Pinterest and reconsider.

6. Professional hair & makeup
For some, this is a non-negotiable, and if it is, don’t feel guilty spending money on it. But, if you have a friend who’s great at hair and/or makeup, enlist their services and splurge by buying new makeup and hair products that you’ll have for the honeymoon and months to come (and don’t forget to tip the person who ends up doing the job).

7. Tuxes
Weddings aren’t the formal affairs they used to be. If you’re wanting a more laid-back and personality-infused wedding, allow your guys to relax and wear suits (ties, bow-ties, suspenders or not…) They’ll love you for it.

8. Formal wedding registry
Brides and grooms are getting married later in their 20s, and the need for a formal or traditional wedding registry is waning. Take advantage of new services like CardAvenue, an online wedding registry that allows you to register for gift cards from national retailers — from restaurants to home stores.

9. Dinner
No one’s coming to the wedding for the Cornish game hen, folks. Let’s skip the formal dinner and do something fun and themed instead – perhaps a self-serve brunch for an 11 a.m. wedding, or a dessert buffet for a 2 p.m. one. You’ll save a bundle and it’ll be more fun for you and your guests.

10. Alcohol
If drinking at your wedding isn’t that important to you, skip it. You’ll be amazed at how much this will ease your wedding budget. If you do feel strongly about it, choose one drink you’ll be serving, or purchase your liquor at a big-box warehouse store.

11. A “wedding” cake
When ordering the cake for your wedding, don’t mention that it’s for a wedding. It will automatically double the price. Order a birthday cake, in whatever style you want (three-tiered, etc.). The difference is that bakers make wedding cakes with four layers and cake and three layers of filling. Birthday cakes have two layers of cake and one layer of filling. We seriously doubt your guests will notice.

12. Party favors
Unless you can pull this off for cheap and in a non-tacky way, I wouldn’t sweat the wedding favors. Instead, sprinkle your tables with Hershey’s Kisses, or provide little treat bags to fill at a candy station on the way out. A votive candle with your wedding date on it is not going to last long in anyone’s house, except for your mother-in-law’s. And even that’s questionable.

The time is drawing near!

Only a week left until Halloween and chances are some of us still have not finalized a costume yet. Not to worry. I have a simple rule to help find the perfect costume. Just follow the three S’s:

1. Sexy
2. Smart
3. Scary

Sexy: It really is this easy.  Any costume can be sexy, and with the wide range of costumes now for women it is already done for us. New costumes based off the classic horror movie characters such as Freddy Kreuger and Jason have been made into sexy yet tasteful costumes.  at The Halloween Costume store on Leetsdale in South Denver, I personally saw a women’s Edward Scissor Hands  and Hugh Hefner. Even Marvel superheroes have made there way into the women’s costumes making Batman and Robin sexier than ever. The general rule with sexy is show enough but don’t show too much. For example show the legs, and nothing else.

Smart: Don’t be afraid to be creative. By using thrift stores or going through your own closet you can find a lot of options without going broke and being original.  Have an old prom dress? Put on some fake blood and paint yourself pale. Instant zombie prom queen. Have torn-up jeans you have no idea why you kept and a ratty old band tshirt?  Tease your hair, add some color and heels. BOOM! 80′s rocker girl.  No one will have your same look, and you will be a hit without your wallet taking one.

Scary: Scary costumes are more of a tradition for Halloween mainly because they are fun and have the most variety. You can turn any character into a zombie, a vampire, or create your own take on a classic spook.  The key to these is the makeup effects which are extremely cheap and easy to find. Target, Walgreens, or any local costume shop will have the things you need, from gruesome gore effects to pale dead and vampire teeth.

You can also combine all 3 of the S’s to create a look that will truly show off your talent and creativity. Most importantly have fun while you’re doing it.

Now, go out there and make a statement for Halloween!

By Amanda Sheahan

When trying to find the perfect costume, it is often difficult to decide with so many options available. Just like every other fashion season, Halloween has its own change in trends.

from Disney Pictures' "Alice in Wonderland"

While visiting Halloween Street, a popular costume shop, I asked the staff about this year’s trick or treats in fashion. One clerk said, “Easy, Lady Gaga and Alice in Wonderland. I haven’t gone a day without someone buying a costume of those two yet.”

These costumes are popular this year for two reasons. First, both characters have the largest variety of possibilities. Alice-inspired looks range from the innocent to the ultra-sexy. A few versions include the “traditional” Disney look, some versions come from the recent Tim Burton character, the darker video game version, one that’s Playboy inspired, and even a gothic version of this classic heroine. She is a versatile costume that any age can wear, and there’s a version that’s appropriate to fit each different personality.

And then we have Lady Gaga. She has become more and more popular as an inspiration for Halloween the last two years for a number of reasons. One, she is easy and fun to impersonate. Male or female, you can usually get a laugh out of these costumes because of how over the top she is as a performer. In one costume shop alone, there were five different costumes, four wigs, and countless accessories to recreate your favorite Gaga look. No two costumes are the same, and the more outrageous the better. It’s a costume you can have fun with and one that everyone will recognize.

The common factor in both of these costumes is that they are incredibly easy to recreate for a very low cost. If you find yourself on a budget, a simple leotard, a crazy wig and a lot of glitter can give you an authentic Gaga look. For Alice, a blue skirt, ruffle top and a head band is sufficient. For both of these characters the most important thing to remember is to accessorize.

You can go over the top or simple. Spend a fortune, or use what you have laying around the house. Either way, Make your way “down the rabbit hole” and welcome the “Paparazzi”. These costumes will be a hit.

by Amanda Sheahan

Halloween is the one night a year when we get to be kids again. We get to dress up in costumes, bob for apples, visit haunted houses and corn mazes, and not care how silly we look while doing all of it with our closest friends.

Personally, I am addicted to Halloween. It is my favorite holiday and I regularly look up Halloween costumes, visit Halloween stores, and even began making my own costumes while in college to save money.

Every year we are faced with the age old question “What should I be this year?” It is often a struggle to figure out not only what costume to wear, but also how to keep a budget while also trying to be authentic. For the rest of October I will be bringing you tips on the most popular costumes for this year, how to make your own creative looks and the most cost effective ways to keepthe fun in Halloween.

Let’s have some fun!

by Amanda Sheahan

We covered CommUnity Service earlier this year, noting that a strong love for their community and the people in it is what drives this company.

Sadly, last week the unfortunate happened. CommUnity Service’s boutique was broken into and robbed. “They shattered our front doors and did some damage to the shop andmanaged to make off with some merchandise. This was a crime based on stupidity and greed…an attack like this feels like the worse kind of backstabbing.” said founder Richard Langdon.

Understandably, the team is asking the community to help out in finding who is responsible.  CommUnity Service’s customer base is responding with strong support, with Facebook posts of offers to help in any way they can.

Merchandise valued at approximately $2,000 was stolen, and it appears that the thieves focused on items exclusive to CommUnity Service, such as Royal Stain items.  Also taken were four limited edition LRG artist series from Ironlak Collabs, an item also only sold by CommUnity Service.

Anyone with information about the break-in and theft is encouraged to contact your local police.

by Amanda Sheahan

The first time I saw the amazing tutus by House of Arden at this year’s Denver Style Expo, I fell in love. They were edgy, romantic, original, and best of all, local. At the end of the runway show, we were graced with the presence of not only Lesley Temple, the designer of these gamine tutus, but also her two beautiful daughters, Arden and Lael, who worked the runway like true professionals. After getting a chance to meet with Lesley, it was clear that this family affair is deeply imbedded in the fabric of this brand.

The stunning Raven II

The first thing I had to ask Lesley was how she came up with the name, House of Arden. It is no surprise that it came from her daughter. “We had done a photo shoot and she just worked that camera. The photographer and I were joking that it was like House of Arden, the way she was posing. So the tutus are called Princess Lael after my oldest daughter and the company is House of Arden after my youngest.”

From the very beginning, this business has been all about family. “I started designing tutus for my girls. They were in dance and they are very tall. It’s difficult to find tutus that fit them correctly. One day I took a close look at the tutus they had and thought, “I can do that!’ So I gave it a shot.”

After experimenting and having a little fun with the material and designs, they began to be noticed, and she was encouraged by her husband to continue. She then began designing not only for her daughters and little girls, but was also catching the attention of teenagers and adults. “Girls started wearing them as prom dresses, and I wore one that I made for myself to a Mother’s Day brunch. That’s how the adult line began.”

By having a little fun and mixing materials she has been able to create something completely unique while drawing inspiration from the high end fashion Icons. “I love runway shows and fashion magazines. I think I own every issue of Vogue that has been printed. I love Dior andMcQueen, which have been huge inspirations to me. I also have two very girly little girls so, fairy tales also give me a lot of inspiration.”

Sizzling in the Hot Rod

The big attention-getting feature of these dramatic designs were the trains that have been added to the tutus, along with the embellishments such as flowers. When asked how she came up with these amazing designs, her response was simply “It’s a lot of trial anderror.” By playing around with materials she discovered what works and what doesn’t, and understanding that perfection generally doesn’t happen the first time around. “Seam ripping is NEVER pretty.”

Having to balance work, family, friends or any other combination of hectic schedules is a difficult proposition for many. Imagine having all of that, plus a talent that is starting to grow from a local business to, hopefully, a nationally-known brand.  Lesley is a mom and wife with a full-time job and designs on the side, and the whole family is involved.

I asked Lesley how she finds the balance? “We are machines! My husband and I run this business together, and our kids are the best verbal partners we could have. It’s insanity but you learn to monitor time. ”

From home to the runway, House of Arden maintains a poise and balance of a loving,creative and talented family.  We think this local brand will soon take the fashion world by storm.

House of Arden is available all over the Denver metro area, and you can learn where to find them, at http://houseofarden.com/.

We are so giddy with excitement about the news that Denver’s own, Fallene Wells, has been selected for Project Runway’s 9th season’s cast.  She joins last season’s sensation, Mondo Guerra, in the growing chain of incredible Denver-based designers.

Read more at Project Runway’s page here, and we’ve posted Fallene’s video in this post.

Congratulations, Fallene!