“I have some guidelines when it comes to clothes, or anything really,” says Alicia Silverstone, celebrity authority on the vegan lifestyle. “First, I try to find it used so I’m not creating more waste. If I can’t find it used, I’ll make sure it’s made with an eco material. If I can’t find it in either of those categories, I’ll buy something regular. But I rarely have to do that.” Her no-waste philosophy is shared by Gregory Parkinson, who designed this dress made from recycled silk that’s hand-colored with environmentally friendly, water-soluble dyes.
Silverstone’s book, The Kind Diet, is a New York Times best seller; her blog, thekindlife.com, has become a forum to discuss everything from Umeboshi plum vinegar to the best places to buy leather-free sneakers. In the meantime, she’s found a comfortable balance as an actor, performing to rave reviews on Broadway (most recently in **Donald Margulies’**s Time Stands Still) and finding small but meaningful parts in films. This year, she’ll be back on the big screen in Vamps (reuniting her with Clueless director Amy Heckerling); Butter, alongside Jennifer Garner and Hugh Jackman; and Homework, a Sundance favorite in which she plays one of **Emma Roberts’**s teachers. There’s also her new role as mother-to-be (she’s due next month). As for baby gifts, she and musician husband Christopher Jarecki have asked for secondhand: “Something that was special to my friends when they were kids or special to their kids themselves.”