What's Your Color?

Everyone has a signature color. Perhaps it’s their favorite color, or maybe it’s the one they wear the most. It’s the one each person feels compliments them best. Some even believe color has medicinal value. It’s true! Look it up – see “Chromotherapy” on wikipedia.org. But no need to replace your stylist with your pharmacist. Just check out some of these awesome colors that Alternative has recently added to their Hippie Collection to decide which one will suit you best.


Raspberry. In its fruit form, this tart treat can pack a very powerful punch. In addition to containing bountiful amounts of antioxidants and Vitamin C, raspberries have a very sharp, bright color that makes them look as scrumptious as they taste. It has a similar effect as a garment color. While we can’t guarantee it will assist in maintaining a perfect bill of physical health, we would bet that it would cure any fashion ailments you may have. If you’re a vibrant extrovert that loves to stand out in the crowd or you want to make a big statement, take two, three, or four of these and call us in the morning.

Sapphire. This beautiful blue gem has roots that run very deep into the past. It’s disputed whether or not it was discovered in Biblical times (as a sacred stone referenced in Exodus of the Old Testament), or if it was actually found during the Roman Empire as a form of Jacinth. In any case, it’s clear that it’s a timeless color with a venerable soul. And the good thing about a color that’s ageless is that it won’t make your wardrobe look like it came from the Planet of the Ancient. It will always add an element of dignified sophistication. If you’re more class than sass, this may be the one for you.

Emerald. Can you remember the first time you saw “The Wizard of Oz”? We may not have known it at the time, but the entire movie was a veritable study in color. From Dorothy’s sparkling red slippers, to the yellow brick road, to her ode to the perfect space in her imagination, “Over the Rainbow”, the film is an homage to the prism of colors that make up this magical world that we often take for granted. One of the more showcased colors in the film was depicted in the Emerald City, the home of the great Wizard of Oz. To reach the Emerald City, Dorothy made her way through forests, farmland, and poppy fields in order to reach her final destination. And her goal was rich and lustrous, a bustling city of growth and prosperity where every building, every statue, every garment was a lush shade of green. For Dorothy and pals, emerald represents the ultimate pay-off; the emerald represents that end result for which they had worked so hard. If you’re a thrill-seeker, industrious, or just highly motivated, slip on some Emerald and set your eyes on the prize.

Eggplant. This may be one of the most versatile, yet highly underrated fruits – that’s right, it’s a fruit, not a vegetable. Almost every nation in the world utilizes this surprisingly tasty and cholesterol-reducing food in some signature dish kindred to their culture, although it may be more commonly recognized in the Mediterranean. Geographic relevance aside, it is a most intriguing fruit, as it actually transforms itself when cooked from slightly bitter to a rich and textured buttery flavor. Its outer color is as multifaceted as its internal form. Since it’s a rich, deep purple, it can either blend in naturally, or be striking without being loud. For those who wish to be understated but still noticed, Eggplant might be your new favorite dish.

Amethyst. The root of the word “amethyst” stems from the Greek word “amethystos”, which basically translates to “not drunk”. As silly as this may seem, it couldn’t be a more apt description. Of course, we prefer “cool” or “calm” to “not drunk”, but any way you look at it, Amethyst invokes a feeling of relaxation and focus. So it’s easy to see why Ancient Greeks and Romans would drink out of Amethyst-constructed goblets when consuming large amounts of alcohol, believing it would keep them from getting too intoxicated. At some point, they wised up and realized this wasn’t working. So we wouldn’t suggest that you wear this color as insurance for a night of bar hopping, but when you’re looking for a color that speaks to your pragmatic and sensible side, cover yourself in Amethyst.

Turquoise. Some may find this hard to spell. Even more difficult could be determining it’s chemical formula, CuAl6(PO4)4(OH)8•4H2O. It’s quite a complex color. But it’s a beautiful color. So we think the smartest thing to do is to just wear it. You might not know its refractive index as measured by sodium light on a gemological refractometer, but that doesn’t mean you can’t look like you do. But just as a little insurance, here’s a factoid you can use to impress as you dress: Although it would seem turquoise got it’s name because it comes from Turkey, it actually does not occur in Turkey at all, but was prevalently traded at Turkish bazaars to Venetian merchants who brought it to Europe circa 16th century.


-Mike Klimis