Gear Review: Synergy Organic Clothing For Savvy Travelers

I couldn't seem to escape the sweltering temperatures this summer. Whether racing around Manhattan or Williamsburg, Brooklyn from one meeting to the next, checking out a newly developed waterfront in Lisbon, bicycling in Madrid, waiting for hours to catch a long-distance train in Budapest, or exploring galleries Bratislava, I found that the weather over the past four weeks made it difficult to dress comfortably but professionally.

Luckily I traveled with two new dresses by Synergy Organic Clothing.
The Peacock Flutter and the Hummingbird Meadow, both made mostly of (95%) organic cotton and a little (5%) Lycra, packed well in my tiny carry-on, hardly wrinkled, washed easily and dried quickly and, most importantly, felt oh, so comfortable in the sticky climes I was frequenting. They were light, airy and just plain fun.

In addition, both went from days of strolling urban scapes, attending business meetings, and even pedaling along the path paralleling the Rio Manzanares in Madrid to nights sipping a crisp Vinho Verde wine in a chic Lisbon bar, or  having dinner in a rooftop restaurant in Manhattan.

Both dresses capture a creative vibe (they are bedecked with hand-sewn appliques carrying a nature-based theme) and are part of the company's sustainability ethic: they are manufactured in Nepal with the factories subscribing to fair-trade business practices, and relying on low-impact dyes.

What I love about these two dresses is that they embrace what I'm looking for: I gravitate to clothing companies that are sustainable but I also don't want to look like I'm about to hike the Appalachian Trail. The items should be simple without neglecting a sense of informal elegance, and, as a bonus, also have a creative side. (I am a writer, inventor and designer, after all, so wearing staid clothing isn't my thing at all. But nor do I want something that is over the top bohemian.)

These two dresses wore so well, I might order a few more.