Don't Miss It: Last Days of Levi's Sale

The 50% off clearance sale ends Tuesday at Levi's Herald Square, so visit today or tomorrow for a last chance to get items like...

Same-same? Au contraire! Note the very different hand positions. Coated black pleated skirt is $25.-ish.

Embellished trucker jacket, up close. Got this for $15, and Alternative T underneath for $15.

Black, black, and black. Can you tell I'm fashion week shopping? These pieces are half off the online price, and sale is over end of day Tuesday.

Levi's

45 West 34th Street

Levi's 34th Street Boutique: 501s and Neutrals

I could spend a lot of money on Levi's jeans at the boutique on 34th Street, but this past week I focused on the husband's birthday. I found him his favorite 501s in a dark wash on sale for $61, and got him a plaid shirt for 50% off the sale price. While there, I wasn't going to resist trying a few things on for myself, of course.

Jeans are skinny Levi's found back by the 501s, and the tops are by Marine Layer (left) and Alternative Apparel (right). I'll admit I could live out the rest of my life in a great neutral top with a pair of dark wash Levi's, as long as I had a rotating closet of crazy black boots and some serious silver jewelry. Note that Levi's carries brands that don't just look good with their jeans, but also focus on quality fabric and comfort. DUH, it is Levi's! 

Levi's

45 West 34th Street

Alternative Apparel Holiday 2012 Press Preview

Below, Intern LCogs visits the Alternative Apparel holiday preview as I was home nursing a bad back. God bless muscle relaxers and Advil.



Alternative Apparel's new line of clothing for this holiday season is a comfort-seeker's dream. Their clothing is incredibly soft, 100% cotton, and has a vintage, cozy look and feel to it. Their inspiration for the new line came from the neighborhood vibe of San Francisco, which translates to lots of color, some great holiday patterns, and an all-around hip and relaxed winter aura.



I can just picture myself curled up by the fire, drinking hot cocoa, feeling lazy and tired, but still looking put together 'cause I'd be rocking a colorful hoodie or one of these patterned sweaters.

Alongside the colorful and patterned apparel were some really fantastic purses and handbags that were of similar style to the clothing: retro and urban-inspired. 

Look for the Alternative Apparel boutique at Macy's Herald Square next to the Impulse Department, normally on 2, but now on 3 during store renovations.

Macy's Herald Square

34th Street between Broadway and Seventh Avenue

You're Worth Billions of Dollars!

Your company's gone public, you just got married, your billions increased (for a while), and the fashionable powers-that-be are still bitching about your hoodie.

From WWD. Forget the hoodie, the denim wash and shoes totally make it a D+.

Would you care if you were worth that much? Me, I'd be laughing all the way to the hoodie bank. Although for real if I could wield that many dollars I'd have Nicolas Ghesquière on my speed dial and it would be the Balenciaga/Chalayan/Demeulemeester bank.

Hoodies from Alternative Apparel.

While Fashionista and most likely others have gone the designer route with a Zuckerberg hoodie-free makeover, I'd go with the "he doesn't care" thing and assume his new bride will force him into suits on occasion while he stays in hoodies and T's at all other times.

From Levi's: A premium T and skinny monochrome pant.

Shopping for your own Zuckerberg, but minus the billions? Let me recommend 34th Street. Kicks, T's and hoodies are our bread-and butter. See: Alternative Apparel boutique in Macy's Herald Square for stellar hoodies and super-hip sweats; WHO.A.U for great weekend plaids; and our Levi's boutique for classic, stylish denim and well-made basic T's. Trust me, I've got a Zuckerberg-dresser at home, and all of the former do wonders for honing his über-casual, college-boy inclinations.

Also, it's time to get your Mark out of the ugly trainers and into some cool kicks. This is an easy trip to either House of Hoops by Foot Locker, or the big and beautiful Foot Locker across from Macy's Herald Square.



Macy's Herald Square
151 West 34th Street between Broadway and Seventh Avenue
Levi's
45 West 34th Street
House of Hoops by Foot Locker
11 West 34th Street

Two Bags at Macy's Herald Square

Two very different styles of bags, but I'd be happy with both in my closet.

First, the hipster fabulous Alternative Apparel bags. And by hipster I mean modern hippie fabulous.

This is a little smushy fabulous. Visit here for a proper photo.

And the R&EM line, available only at Macy's: trendy, affordable, and vegan. And by vegan I don't mean this is just a plastic bag.

 

Luckily the R&Ems are so inexpensive, you can get the tote and have your clutch, too.

Macy's Herald Square 34th Street between Broadway and Seventh Avenue

Best 34th Street Gifts, Day Two: Macy's Herald Square

Call me commercial, but there is nothing like being in a busy department store the week before Christmas. And while there are endless gift possibilities to be found in Macy's Herald Square, today I'm focusing on one particular department: the new Alternative Apparel boutique on my beloved 2nd floor.

Wrap! I wore this upside down all day yesterday and that was cute too.

I want a stocking full of rolled up Alternative burnout T-tunics. They are long, they are soft, sexy (it's the cut and fit), and they are the perfect for layering. And did I say they are long? I can't abide a T that rides up when I sit down. I also can't abide yanking my T-shirt down all day long. Below are more perfectly cut, soft-cottoned, well-cut Alternative items: a cowl neck top, striped shirt, and the striated wrap.

Did I mention the sleeves in these are long? Love a long sleeve.Yes, I'm into long.

Look closely at the rings....

This dress, above, is fantastic. I've been wearing just about anything on top of it with leggings and boots. And in the summer I'll let it all hang. No, not really because the top of the dress is sheer, so do one of Alternative's really soft tank tops underneath. That are, yes, really long.

But definitely get her (or him, or yourself) one of Alternative's zip-up sweatshirts, because they're so comfortable you're going to want to loll around in one all Christmas Day. I consider mine "dressy" gym gear, but I'd wear it to the office with a dress, too.

And click! Don't hate on me, just go get some of your own. NYC is not currently available, (Update:  NYC is currently available! Email wendy at wbjewelry at hotmail.com for more info) but you can get the F@#! or OMG rings, and donate to a good cause, too.

And a perfect Alternative accessory? The Wendy Brandes NYC rings bought during her Kickstarter campaign. I tried really hard to pose sans "fist in face," but I'll have to work on that. When one's husband begrudgingly takes photos for you while watching football on the couch and the lighting sucks, one must be happy with the above.

Many thanks to Jarod from Alternative who sent me along these items after I worked with them at their Macy's boutique opening. Really, he has just made an Alternative fan for life.


Macy's Herald Square, 151 W. 34th Street btwn Broadway & 7th

Go For the Alternative Apparel

What's lacking in my wardrobe? Soft cotton blends cut with enough style to layer with serious day looks, then unwrap into less serious night fun. I don't do Alexander Wang's slouchy basics because I won't pay that much for T-shirts. Lucky for me, Alternative Apparel will now be filling that gap. Yesterday evening I dropped by the launch of the brand's new shop in Macy's Herald Square, took some pics, felt the cottons, fantasized about a weekend wearing their pants in a ski lodge, in front of a fire with the husband and something warm and strong in a mug, and it's snowing, and I look comfortable but very chic, and maybe the baby's at home with grandma....but back to the clothes.


 These are what the brand is all about, the T's look soft even in the photos.



Love this red check jacket, $120, both buttoned and unbuttoned.



 Yes, that's what I'm wearing to the Swiss ski chalet, both mannequins, please. On the right is my artistic hoodie photo.



 Party shots!



 Model shots! Those flowered leggings are $45. Love her layers and the cut of his pants.




Here are some of the Alternative Apparel people, including the company's president, Evan Toporek. You can thank them all later, after you've sufficiently enriched your wardrobe with Alternative Apparel. From the looks of the boutique at Macy's Herald Square, it's impossible to go wrong with any of it.

Macy's Herald Square

34th Street between 5th & 6th Avenues