beauty & the beach

since my remaining weeks of 2008 and opening weeks of january were a bit of a holiday/traveling whirlwind, the next few weeks will be spent playing catch up on the sidelined features that have patiently waited until my return. also making an appearance: all the fab finds from my trip home plus peeks of the latest looks from hi's favorite designers . . . and a few surprises!

katie wilson and tami snodgrass, the maui-based roomies/creators behind beauty & the beach,
launched their new swimwear collection late last year to add a retro meets romantic point of view to the growing number of ocean style offerings from the islands.

if anthropologie sold swimsuits year round, i imagine they would stock styles reminiscent of beauty & the beach which dishes up sweet bohemian looks ranging from a revival of vintage crochet designs to embracing a more modern turn complete with flirty flourishes in the dfly line.

two tone bikini + crochet one piece

plum bow + fru fru

malea crochet beanie * jules' jewels seaglass & opi'i necklace

and, while not all of us can rock the more revealing beach looks, the online storefront offers one stop shopping of an edited selection of maui goodness from the likes of ginger 13, malea, jules' jewels (shown above), pompei beach & wings hawaii. welcome news for off-island fans searching for ways to reduce shipping charges while stocking up on their favorite valley island designers.

p.s. katie and tami are on the lookout for up & coming island talent so drop them a note to learn how to get your label stocked in the b&b online shop.

and the winner is . . .

theresa from bellevue, wa who will soon be flipping through the pages of the ultimate guide to shopping on oahu for the inside style scoop.

alas, there was only one copy to give away, however the publisher sent along an exclusive 30% discount just for the h|h 'ohana. simply click over to the online shop and order away!

• secret code: hapahale
• fyi: no expiration date
  

congratulations, theresa!

{mahalo dawn!}

ultimate shopping guide giveaway

imagine my surprise upon discovering that h|h made the list of shopping resources in the ultimate guide to shopping on oahu. a review copy was soon on its way to me and the purse-sized guide, penned by executive editor kathryn drury wagner of honolulu magazine, shares the skinny on the best spots (a mix of local boutiques and brands with oahu outposts) around the island to unearth designer deals, vintage finds, island style, and where to go when you need a little extra help (mamas-to-be, petites, etc).

one lucky winner will receive a copy of the handy guide (compact enough to slip in your purse) complete with a shopping survival kit (not available in stores).

• email your name & current hometown to: aloha [at] hapahale [dot] com by thu, dec 18th - midnight hst
• please put ultimate guide holiday giveaway in the subject
• one entry per person/household
• previous h|h winners are not eligible

hele back on friday for the winner and a preview of the final goodie to be given away.

p.s. email subscribers - simply hit reply and follow the above instructions to throw your name in the giveaway hat.

{update: winner list posted}

happy hale*days 08: budget edition

shopping on a budget can be a challenge but you can still gift stylish and thoughtful presents without breaking the bank. scroll down for a few finds under $30 that will make for a happy surprise on xmas morning.

1 - machine machine designer shannon hiramoto offers hand stitched hats ($30) with a vintage twist. (fyi - the honolulu-based label is now stocked at shasa emporium)

2 - baltimore-based momi antonio-barnes of space moderne crafts gorgeous felt goods from wine pockets to this lovely blossom brooch ($20).

3 - all of lunchbox clothing's charming illustrated tees, including this cute pueo design, are now on sale for $10!

4 - the berrysprite workshop has been busy whipping up handy zip bags ($8/each or 3/$20) in a mix of sweet patterns.

5 - stash your gift in a reusable tote ($5) rocking a design by artist heather brown to support a plastic free haleiwa.

6 - stop by one of honolulu jewelry designer stacey lee's upcoming appearances to scoop up minimalist gemstone necklaces priced just right ($20).

7 - go kawaii with len & jen's adorable bags ($10) perfect for toting groceries and sundries home from the market.

8 - french-made barrettes ($22) by laurent olivier mimic the graceful curves of traditional hawaiian quilt designs.

9 - scoop up a copy of the just released honuguide ($15) filled with deals from eco-friendly local businesses that tally up to a cool $3500. (fyi - pickup available at tomorrow night's ecolounge at indigo)

shop letarte opening

the once sleepy beach town of paia has been abuzz with the opening of letarte's flagship boutique earlier this week. the letarte 'ohana (lisa designs the luxe swimwear line while sister michele handles all the behind-the-scenes business) designed the shop with an eye on sustainability including eco-friendly paint and lighting while offering packaging made from post-consumer recycled materials to tote your purchases home.

ana from letarte was kind enough to send along peeks from the 2009 collection which is already on the rack in the new shop. does anyone else think letarte's modern take of gorgeous island inspired patterns would be equally lovely at home?

peacock bikini

kenneth jay lane for letarte

handblock fish print one-piece

maya tunic

letarte surfboard

lisa & michele

the paia shop also stocks keiki line petite letarte, alora ambiance home fragrance, claus porto soaps, golden child jewelry, in2 design lariats, t-luxury & more.

• where: 24 baldwin avenue, paia
• fyi: 10% of purchases during opening week will be donated to surfrider's maui chapter.

p.s. off-island fans can scoop up select styles from the 09 collection in the newly relaunched online shop.