Alternative Apparel Blog

Sheer Genius

One of the more elegant trends to grace the fall 2009 runways, sheer fabric is all over the place this season, and with good reason. Designers are doing us fashionistas a favor, creating lightweight, sophisticated pieces (like this ridiculously cool dress by Bottega Veneta, above left) that are comfortable, wearable and easy to move in.

Don’t get scared—this isn’t the super-tight, exhibitionist-style, 90s kind of sheer (see Madonna’s "Express Yourself" video). Rather, today’s sheer trend takes the form of body-skimming styles and ultra-feminine, delicate draping found in tops, dresses and flowing skirts.

A quick way to give your wardrobe a boost is to layer with sheer pieces. To get the look, check out Alternative’s new gossamer modal silk fabric, available in a multitude of super-soft and luxurious styles to suit your fancy—short-sleeves, cowl-neck, skimmer tank, long-sleeve tee, and a sleek pullover hoodie.

Photos: InStyle.com

Got Some New Digs in LA!

Some of you may recall that two years ago, we moved our LA office from downtown to a nice little spot in Hollywood because we ran out of space for our ever-growing crew.  The picture that you are seeing above is from our soon-to-be new office in LA's garment district because - guess what?! - we've outgrown our offices again!  Greg was down at the site scoping out the progress on our new nest and he sent in a few photos to share.

It's gonna be home sweet home for our product design team and our creative art team.  So what do you guys think?  (We've got more pics after the jump!)

Introducing Our Fall Campaign PLUS Online Store Redesign!

Check out the video for our Fall 2009 campaign, featuring music from He's My Brother, She's My Sister:

Welcome to Sun Valley, an enclave of Americana where industrial wasteland meets natural beauty. It was this nostalgic playground for the jaded and the free-spirited that moved us to create a collection of vintage-inspired apparel with a modern twist. And in the world of Alternative, just like in Sun Valley, anything goes. Playful, sophisticated, casual and luxurious all at once—wear these versatile, timeless pieces whenever, however you want.

In addition to our Fall campaign, we'd like to take this opportunity to announce a brand new look and design for our online store!  Wanna check it out?  Just click on the image above, or go to www.alternativeapparel.com to start shopping!

Get in Touch with Your Inner Rocker

Move over boho-chic, the rocker trend is making waves for fall 2009. Part Joan Jett and part Josie and the Pussycats, this season’s glam-rock look is all about elegance with an edge—think sophisticated, feminine silhouettes with rocker-inspired embellishments like leather, sequins, studs and chains.

How to Wear it...

Don’t overdo it—the key to rocker-chic is moderation. To avoid looking like you just came from a KISS concert, pick one piece of your ensemble as the main focus and keep everything else fairly simple. For example, pair your killer over-the-knee studded boots with skinny leggings, a plain oversized tee and a metallic belt. It’s all about the details, and being creative. Don’t be afraid to juxtapose feminine touches like ruffles and lace with edgier pieces like studded belts, grommets and leather skinny pants.

Alternative recommends: The Blackheart Tee. Wear it with your favorite skinny jeans or a sleek pencil skirt and embellished heels for a glammed-up rock ‘n’ roll vibe that’s sure to turn heads (in a good way).

Dappled Cities Releases 'Zounds' In The US - Win A Copy Of The Album

I am personally very excited to announce the addition of "Answer is Zero" by Australian indie band Dappled Cities to our music player.  I've been listening to it nonstop for a couple of weeks now.  It's a beautiful tune that has a bold force; it has me feeling both energetic and calm simultaneously, and I kinda like that.  The melody is totes catchy and the vocals are soothing and dreamy.  I highly recommend that you make this song part of your daily soundtrack as we start to segue into fall weather.

We've added the song because we're celebrating the US release of Dappled Cities' album Zounds, out today on Dangerbird Records. The album features "Answer is Zero," the previously released single "The Price," and ten other rich art pop tracks which will inspire delightful, kaleidoscopic daydreams.

And well, you know how we do.  We love to share.  And boy oh boy, have we got something for you!  We've got an exclusive Dappled Cities + Alternative Apparel gift pack that includes the album Zounds in CD format, a six pack of Dappled Cities/Zounds buttons, a Dangerbird Records t-shirt printed on Alternative's unisex Organic Cotton Crew, and a pair of Alternative promotional sunglasses.  As a bonus, we're stuffing all these goodies inside our army green Messenger Bag!  And we've got TEN of these to giveaway to some lucky boys and girls out there...



How do you enter to win?  Simply leave a comment on this post with your name and email address and we'll select 10 random winners on Friday, September 25, 2009!  Best of luck!

For more info about Dappled Cities and Zounds, visit the official site.

Fashion’s Night Out Takes NYC

Tonight, New York’s first ever Fashion’s Night Out gives new meaning to the term "fashionably late." As part of this highly anticipated fashion mega-event, over 700 retailers across the five boroughs will be keeping their doors open after hours from 6–11 PM.

In addition to the myriad celebs, editors, models, designers and resident NYC fashionistas in attendance, late-night shoppers can also check out live music performances and pop-up mini events. And the best part? Shopping for a cause. Proceeds from the sale of the official super-stylish Fashion’s Night Out t-shirt will benefit the National September 11 Memorial & Museum. Participating retailers will also be accepting clothing donations all week long which will go to the NYC AIDS Fund.

Sounds like the perfect way to kick off Spring 2010 Fashion Week. And speaking of which, Alternative will be doing its part sponsoring Fashion Week with staff tees and partnering up with the runway’s favorite jewelry designer, NYC’s own Pamela Love.