Consider me a connoisseur of Alaska's coolest casual wear. The evidence stacks up in the form of ak starfish co. sweatshirts in my closet. Then there's my Hulin Alaskan Design hoodie, always in after-work wear rotation, or my impeccable record of showering moms-to-be with Alaska Love Clothing pint-sized hoodies.
I'm not alone. Alaskans wear localized loungewear like it's a uniform. What's got locals furiously printing clothes these days?
"People love to rep Alaska," said Brett Connor of Hulin's, one of many Alaskan clothing designers deserving credit for a trend of homegrown pride. Representing A-K has never been easier -- or more fashionable. Here's a round-up of of some sweet Alaska-themed gear.
ak starfish co.
Celebrating 10 years, the starfish is the veteran of the Alaska gear group. What started as a simple hand-drawn stippled starfish screen print has grown into a series of designs that, "celebrate pieces of nature, pieces of Alaska, representations of us," said owner and designer Marci Nelson. Other art includes wild salmon, wildflowers, ravens and a new design coming in June that Nelson says is equally significant -- all with the same minimal style. The brand has grown from Nelson's living room to a temporary set up of seven statewide ak starfish stores.
Online: ak starfish co.
Festivals: Coming soon to a fair or festival in your neck of Alaska.
Scissorkick!
Can you throw an Alaska hand map? It's a kind of secret handshake separating the local, born-and-bred Alaskans from the imports. Taylor Medley banked on that fierce Alaskan pride when she launched Scissorkick!, a line of screen-printed clothing with different characters hand-signing Alaska. Medley said she tried to think of something completely Alaskan, "that only we know and get."
Online: Scissorkick!
Brick and mortar: Bella Boutique (Anchorage); High Tide Arts (Homer); or Sugar Magnolia's (Soldotna)
Screamin' Yeti Designs
Great ideas always seem to come from humble beginnings. So when Michael Kirkpatrick of Screamin' Yeti Designs admitted that the "Get High on the Chugach" concept started from an idea on a sticky note and a gamble, it should come as no surprise that it is now one of the most popular of the homegrown hoodie set. Perhaps the mischievous wordplay makes us feel like we're part of an inside joke — or maybe you really do get a high when hiking the Chugach Mountains. Other Screamin' Yeti favorites include a simple shot of XtraTufs and a nod to Palmer with the "P-Town" moniker.
Online: Screamin' Yeti Designs
Brick and mortar: Dos Manos (Anchorage); Palmer Museum and Visitor Center (Mat-Su)
Hulin Alaskan Designs
If a hipster-friendly option could emerge among our custom cotton crew, it's Connor's Hulin Alaska Design hoodies, boasting images cheeky (Tincan Mountain) or gritty (a dumpster in Spenard). Connor admits he never wanted any of it to be too cool or too deep, and it's all a little rough. It keeps with, "the style that built itself accidentally," he said, from not knowing what he was doing.
Alaska Love Clothing
You can't get more literal with local love than with Alaska Love Clothing's transformation of our state's most significant symbol, the Big Dipper, mapped in, you guessed it, hearts.
Online: Alaska Love | Facebook
Alaska Roots
The Alaska Roots designs are a bit self-explanatory and perfect for a more refined style. Based on the idea of putting down roots, a spruce tree's roots subtly take the shape of our great state.
Online: Alaska Roots | Facebook
Kittiwake Alaskan Apparel
Kittiwake Alaskan Apparel's take on Last Frontier life is playful. In fact, the design options — tutus and XtraTufs, hockey skates and mountain bikes — might seem like Saturdays with the kids.
Online: Kittiwake Alaskan Apparel | Facebook