A Shopper's True Paradise

Any trendy girl knows that vacation is no time to suddenly stop shopping--if anything, it is merely an excuse to spend more! After all, most tourist destinations make it easy nowadays to buy a gorgeous dress and an expensive necklace in the same store, which could be dangerous for a person's wallet, but great for their closet.

The International Market Place is stuffed to the brim with necklaces, bracelets, and clothing. Photographed by me.

In Hawaii, visitors are now able to choose where to spend their hard-earned cash, whether it be at luxury stores like Prada and Dior, the good old ABC Store, or a treasure box of a shopping center like the International Market Place. And, as many tourists can attest to, areas like Waikiki are abound with fun gift shops, where leis of every shade and Hawaiian dresses of every print are easily found.

Hawaiian Moon sells traditional Hawaiian clothing, all made in Hawaii. Photographed by me.

With stores like 88 Tees and The Clothes Chick located near most hotels, finding vintage clothing and accessories outside of the mainland no longer has to be a struggle. Availability doesn't necessarily equal affordable, as we all know, and the former store is infamous for its $30 t-shirts and jackets.

For vintage lovers not willing to spend thirty dollars for a shirt, the previously mentioned International Market Place is a must see and is full of deals just waiting to be discovered.

During my visit, the only purchase I walked away with was a set of two flower bracelets. Although the simple design and light colors reminds me of the forties and fifties, my main reason for buying the pieces was due to the pushy (but friendly) salesperson and low price ($5 for two!).

Banana Wind carries neat gifts and other items you never would have thought of before. Photographed by me.

Shoving the designer stores and hotel gift shops aside, my absolute favorite store in Oahu is the Waikiki Beach Walk's Hawaiian Moon, a shop selling traditional Hawaiian clothing.

One of my two dresses purchased on the trip was from this store, and I like to think that, had I somehow acquired extra cash, I'd have come home with another! Luckily for people not visiting Honolulu anytime soon, Hawaiian Moon sells their entire collection online.

Like any other major vacation spot, there are numerous places in Oahu (and the other islands, I'm sure) specializing in items other than clothing and accessories. One of these stores is Banana Wind, also found in the Beach Walk, which sells one of a kind gifts, home accessories, and unique jewelery.

The hand painted sarongs at Banana Wind. Photographed by me.

Regardless of any sale encountered in the streets of Waikiki and surrounding areas, Oahu is still a very expensive place to shop. This is more than likely due to it being a major tourist area, but one should keep it in mind before heading out for a vacation. But how can one resist those Hawaiian dresses and shirts?

Note: This post doesn't follow the typical style of Marcelled, but don't worry; the topics following will return to the normal focus on vintage trends.