acacia swimwear: belle nomad collection

tribal

more often than not, a find that delights on screen tends to underwhelm when you meet in person. not so acacia swimwear which i finally had a chance to preview during an impromptu shop scout while home over the winter. i am happy to report that the gorgeous fabrics feel fancy and luxurious in real life while the pretty linings which charmed me from afar proved even more striking during our in-store introduction.

all those little details add up to a lot of love for the two-year-old label with devoted fans around the globe and a moment in this year's sports illustrated swimsuit issue. naomi and lyndie, the designers behind the homegrown line, debuted their belle nomad collection just before the holidays mixing vibrant patterns (zig zags! ikat!) with breathtaking bohemian details for their becoming bikini beauties.

my wishlist fell in love with so many pieces before realizing that the 2012 lineup is welcoming effortless coverups crafted of silk and tencel . . . simple but oh so pretty and quite well-timed considering my preference for more sustainable textiles.

more to adore after the jump!

cantik * choctaw

capri

hanalei * goa

are you swooning too?

happy news if, like me, you shied away from the very flirty bottoms and resigned yourself to adoring acacia from the sidelines. requests for a more demure bottom have been heeded so peek the newest silhouettes (hossegor & vienna) if you have been coveting a tad more coverage.

alas, no official online shop at the moment but island & mainland stockists abound while vida serene offers online ordering for the entire belle nomad collection.

happy hale*days 2011: budget edition

a freelance deadline kept me unexpectedly away this week, but i am delighted to be back to prove that gifting can still be pretty even on a budget!

let's have a peek at 2011's most fabulous presents under $40 . . .

1 - every girl will want to make a date with gypsy's newest underpinning. {$34; save 20% off sitewide with secret code gypsylovesyou. offer ends mon, dec 19th.}

2 - malie organics' roll-on perfumes will delight eco lovelies with scents reminiscent of paradise. {$29; spend $200 and receive a complimentary scent and free shipping with your order. offer ends sat, dec 17th.}

3 - bikini loving beach goddesses will adore a kini pouch by acacia which is sewn of the same gorgeous fabric that lines their flirty collection. {$30; find in-store at i heart hanalei.}

more possibilities for your gift list after the jump!

4 - office mates can count the days to their next holiday on emi ink's desktop calendar. {$13; find at the wedding café at ward warehouse & menehune mac's windward mall holiday pop-up.}

5 - handpoured hawaiian lip balms by maoli perfumes (created by mama coco's keiki) will keep lips kissable with xmas cheer. {$5; first 50 orders receive 50% off with secret code hapahale. offer good sitewide and ends when the 50th order is placed or on fri, dec 24th.}

6 - remind time-crunched friends to live in the moment with little hand, watch faces remade with vintage embroidery by machinemachine. {$36}

back soon with the aloha friday scoop!

aloha friday scoop

a power outage yesterday spoiled all my plans requiring electricity. yesterday's post may have been postponed but happy to be back online for today's edition of the scoop!

hele over to becca beach and save 50% off fighting eel styles for you and mini eel looks for your little one.

• when: now to sun, jan 23rd
• where: the kahala resort, 5000 kahala avenue, suite 2
• shop hours: daily, 10a to 7p
• fyi: parking validation available at the shop

split obsession just announced the shuttering of its ala moana shop with most clothing & toys up to 50% off.

• when: now to mon, jan 31st
• where: ala moana (second level by neiman marcus)

click over to slow art friday's facebook for the roundup of tonight's events, eats, and shopping.

• when: fri, jan 21st - 6p to 9p
• where: chinatown arts district

Click to read more ...

introducing acacia swimwear

naia

a recent facebook query made me realize that not everyone shares my preference for more modest swimwear silhouettes. then i happened upon the bikini bird blog (a maui-based must read for those on the lookout for pretty beach looks) and discovered the very ooh la la offerings by acacia swimwear which just may convince even the most demure among us to consider a cheeky backside.

the line was started by maui girl naomi newirth whose passion for homemade bikinis eventually led to a fashion degree at fidm. upon the launch of the debut collection from bali last year, naomi's friend lyndie irons (andy's missus who now calls kauai home) joined the acacia 'ohana in designing the most fetching bikinis and one pieces that would appeal to the readership of both vogue and the sports illustrated swimsuit issue.

acacia is all about wearable details and naomi and lyndie effortlessly employ bohemian fringe, sweet ruffles and coquettish crochet throughout their 2010 collection. all the pieces are designed for their "gypsetter" lifestyle with the very flirty bottoms inspired by the sexy cuts found in italy and brazil.

sage * quinn * olly

pretty linings * nihoa

marley * luka * missy

with fabric sourced from italy and custom printed linings sewn inside for a sweet surprise, expect to pay $176 for a bikini and $187 for a one piece.

order up your favorite style in acacia's online shop or pop into your neighborhood stockist (including guava shop in haleiwa and ginger & koi in kona) for a peek.

{mahalo bikini bird!}