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. Read more...

Little Magic Glasses

Covering horn-rimmed glasses is similar to covering blue jeans. Where do you begin? How can you possibly describe every style out there without writing a novel? You can't, really, which is why it is best to focus on styles from individual decades - in this case, the 1960s.

"Everything is so much clearer with our new glasses!" ViewImages.com.

During the sixties, if one wasn't heading down the hippie path by wearing wire-rimmed, funky frames, chances are they stuck to their trusty horn-rimmed glasses. Just take a look at any old yearbook (this one from 1967 will do) for proof!

Musicians and actors, always in touch with the latest fashions, helped promote the eyewear. Although Buddy Holly died in 1959, his signature thick frames lived on through the 1960s. Even the Zodiac Killer, whoever he was, donned a pair, and two of his victims - Paul Stine and Bryan Hartnell - did the same.

Weezer lead singer Rivers Cuomo is known for his signature horn-rimmed glasses. Engagements.ca.

These classic glasses never did fall out of fashion, and can often be spotted on today's stars. Newer styles feature thinner frames (possibly to avoid the "geek" stereotype), but the inspiration is still clear. You don't have to be an A+ student to wear them, either! Read more...

Making a Splash

With swimming now on virtually every television viewer's mind, questions are popping up left and right over athlete's underwater wardrobes. Questions like, do those new Speedo swimsuits really make a difference? And what's the point of wearing a swim cap if you hardly have any hair, anyway?

"Our new swim caps double as gardens!" Corbis.com.

Swim caps weren't always designed with competition being the main concern - in fact, there was a time when every swimmer wore one, regardless of how intense their swim would be. For a significant period of time, many pools required the caps, only relaxing on the rules about thirty years ago.

Women wore swim caps for one particular reason above all: Their hair, of course! Why, can you imagine the effects of chlorine on those lovely locks? Neither could they, so every time they went out for a swim, their caps came along with them.

Today's athletes are equipped with personalized swim caps. GettyImages.com.

And we're not talking ordinary swim caps, either. After all, if you had to wear one, why not make it somewhat pleasant? During the 1950s and 1960s, colorful florals were all the rage, with some especially elaborate designs costing up to $50 in today's money. Expensive, but keeping hair healthy and dry seemed to justify the cost.

Now, the question that really matters: Think Michael Phelps would wear one? Read more...

Grinning Like a Cheshire Cat in Cat Eye Glasses

Meow! Summer isn't over just yet, so there's still plenty of time to find that perfect pair of sunglasses. If you're at a loss when it comes to what style to purchase, look no further than the family pet - the cat, that is.

"Well, aren't we just a bunch of cool cats?" The Owls Go on Flickr.com.

For women in the 1940s-60s, cat eye sunglasses were, well, the cat's pajamas. However, most people recognize the frames solely from the 1950s, when teenagers and adults alike wore the glasses in every shade of color imaginable and with embellishments of all shapes and sizes.

It was during this decade and the 1960s when eyewear began turning into more than merely protection from the sun - many people went by the philosophy of, if you're going to have to wear a pair, why not make it flashy and fun?

Tom Ford's take on cat eye sunglasses, in a style called 'Anouk.' Sunglasses-Direct.co.uk.

Fifty years ago, during the famously glamorous 1950s, these shades only cost you around $3. Nowadays, designers like Tom Ford and Gucci charge upwards of $250 for their modern take on the cat's eye. There's something else from the past I wouldn't taking back - reasonable prices!

Where to find cat eye sunglasses:
- Hey Viv!, $10 (Available in black, red, white, black/white, and pink/white)
- GoJane, $5 (Available in black, blue, pink, purple, white, and yellow)
- Hot Topic, $13 (Available in leopard print) Read more...