roberta oaks spring/summer 2010

millie

my cousin's wedding invite just arrived in the mail which means it's time to start the official hunt for the perfect party dress for her summer i do's. preferably not too short, not too long, not too fussy for a morning ceremony yet not too casual for an evening reception, and - here's the kicker - sustainably made with a reasonable price tag.

sigh.

until then, i am content to browse the interweb and wistfully gaze at all the lovely frocks that do not quite fit my stringent list of requirements. one recent discovery are the new styles featured in oahu designer roberta oaks's spring/summer 2010 collection. the fabulously flirty millie is hard to resist with tiers of gorgeous ruffles rocking mini polka dots while the katherine maxi brings back bold florals in a modern mu'umu'u channeling little house on the prairie with a few artfully placed contrasting inserts.

katherine

birdie

also in the mix: updated colorways of customer favorites like the quaint and skipper along with a new jewelry line constructed of vintage car insignias upcycled into "grease monkey glam".

all of the featured looks are currently stocked in the online shop or click over to the website to locate your neighborhood stockist. and, oahu readers are invited to stop in and say hello when the doors are open at roberta's chinatown studio:

• where: 19 north pauahi street, chinatown
• shop hours: thu & fri, 11a to 6p

have you discovered a new favorite dress for summertime?

and the winner is . . .

teena from pasadena who will be rocking heather brown's fabulous green with aloha tote all summer long.

many mahalos to all the readers who filled out my little survey! while i suspected that you all swooned for style and design, discovering that eco-friendly finds was third on your list of favorite features was a delightful surprise. let's hope our designer friends heed our call for more sustainable goods from hawaii!

if you simply must have one of heather's organic totes to call your own, you can scoop one up on heather's website as well as at mu'umu'u heaven's kailua outpost.

congratulations teena!

be back tomorrow with some fabulous big island design!

a penny for your thoughts

hello! hope you enjoyed the loveliest of weekends and are happy to welcome the first days of summer. the day has finally arrived to get a better snapshot of the h|h 'ohana so i have gathered a few quick questions together for the first ever reader survey! it will only take a few moments of your time and your participation will definitely help h|h enjoy a bright and shiny future.

and, the standard penny payment has been upgraded which means one lucky reader who completes the survey will score a fabulous heather brown green with aloha organic tote bag scooped up during my spring trip home.

the survey will be open until saturday, june 5th and the winner of the tote will be announced next monday.

mahalo friends!!!

posh pua spring/summer 2010

hinahina

a year has zipped by since posh pua was first introduced on h|h and the maui label's spring/summer 2010 collection is a bit overdue for a peek. julie from posh pua sent word about the new lineup while i was deep undercover finishing up h|h's makeover and i finally had a chance to click over to the website and found the new convertible hinahina bikini top too cute not to share. with some simple remanuevering, hinahina can go from strapless to a halter style and offers a sweet surprise around the back with its darling knotted tie.

all in all, there are quite a few new additions to the swim line with five mix-and-match styles on offer this season. while swimwear production has moved off maui to keep up with demand, julie continues to make the everyday staples sewn with eco-friendly textiles including new additions like racerback tanks and bamboo/organic cotton leggings to pair with your favorite tunics and dresses all year round.

lola

metallic racerback tunic * bamboo leggings

the lovely patterned textiles found in the swim collection are limited edition and gone for good once they sell out (aloha sweet hearts pattern!). your best bet is to check in with julie prior to ordering and inquire about the current selection which typically includes three solids and three patterns.

you can scoop up all the featured styles via posh pua's etsy shop as well as the official online shop where the hard-to-fit can order up a bikini with custom measurements. or support your neighborhood stockists and make your way to wings hawaii in paia and guava shop in haleiwa.

new peeks: kealopiko ku collection

ke aloha aina

the lovely ladies behind kealopiko are definitely to be admired for their dedication in sharing the hawaiian culture with the modern world and their commitment to good design. i like to think of the descriptions that accompany all of their designs as continuing education . . . little histories which help folks (re)connect with their ancestry while clueing in kama'aina and others who may not have been immersed in all things hawaiian learn more about hawaii's native culture. more knowledge is always a good thing!

happily, kealopiko recently introduced their ku collection for spring 2010 and are showing more love for our 'aina by expanding the number of designs printed on organic cotton and eco-friendly fibers. one of the most striking designs is the ke aloha aina tee which mixes a variety of typefaces and serves as a printed reminder of the wearer's "deep love of the land":

"aloha aina is a very old concept . . . although it may change and adapt, it is a part of us that will never go away. we remain kupa‘a in our love for our place, which is challenged all the time by things that are not in the interest of the land or the people. more than a century of occupation may have produced a lot of confusion, but it can never break our aloha aina. so no matter what our different political persuasions might be, wherever we are on our journeys of learning, or wherever we find ourselves in the struggle, we must never forget our common bond of aloha aina."

in addition to tees and tops, pretty strapless dresses are now being offered which i suspect will be very popular this summertime. and, the kealopiko 'ohana also kindly shared a few of the custom looks created for one of the lucky wedding parties who have walked down the aisle wearing some of the most gorgeous designs for an island wedding.

aeo

lehua makanoe * lau amau & palai a kamapuaa

are you sharing my swoon over these lovely wedding looks from lauren and mason's wedding? the muted colorways are so pretty and this is certainly one of the most stylish ways to share the aloha spirit on such a happy day.

if you would love to order a custom design, be advised that kealopiko suggests a minimum of 8 weeks notice to conjure up something made just for you.

the ku collection is currently stocked in the online shop and you can find select styles at boutiques around the islands. oahu readers can also say hello to the kealopiko 'ohana during this weekend's e malama i ke kai festival:

• when: sat, may 15th - 10a to 3p
• where: kapiolani park bandstand, waikiki

{photo credit | lauren & mason's wedding: joanna tano photography}