go hawaii

 

well, i'm finally off on a long awaited trip home and have a list a mile long of things to check out during my short but sweet visit. h|h will still be updated so don't forget to check in to see what's new with a few of my favorite islanders.

one thing that i will be stocking up on while i'm home is hawaiian blend suncare. i first spotted it at longs a few years ago and it is the. best. sunscreen. ever. it smells just like hawaii and the ingredients are top notch (you'll have to take my word for it since i left my last tube at a hotel by accident, but believe me when i say that i am the kind of girl who knows her ingredients and this is good stuff).

you can find hawaiian blend at longs (of course) and the abc stores. why, it's even available for our friends down in guam. if you can't get to the nearest pacific island then hele over to their e-store.

malia mills hits the beach

island girl + mariposa

one of the best things to happen to swimsuits is the creation of separates. matchy-matchy sizing may work in the land of supermodels but it doesn't usually fit the rest of us.

malia mills was one of the first designers to introduce swimwear separates which made shopping for a swimsuit a tad less miserable. another reason to love the hawaii born/nyc-based designer is that she featured real women modeling her collection years before dove's latest ad campaign.

when you're ready to ditch the baggy tee, check out malia mill's lovely beach cover ups (mariposa shown above) which does double duty when paired with your favorite pair of jeans.

havaa surf gear

episode board shorts

pop quiz, hotshot. your board shorts have a puka (or two). what do you do?

• keep wearing them since nothing x-rated is being revealed . . . yet
• donate them to goodwill (or your cousin)
• hustle up a bamboo stick and some twine to macgyver a kite (why waste fabric?)
• toss 'em in the trash

if you are a bit more modest and selected one of the last three choices then the folks at havaa may have the perfect replacement to update your beach style this summer. rock the waves in the episode and its old school retro look which is just the thing for those yearning to relive the 70's.

havaa's goods are made in hawaii and they have a line for the ladies too!

olukai slippers

kumu

it never fails. every time you go to your mom's - aunty's - friend's (take your pick), you can never find your favorite pair of slippers in the jumble of footwear outside their house. maybe it's time to ditch your old slippers and slip into something from olukai.

olukai is the premium footwear line launched earlier this year by a former nike designer who was born in the islands. one look at their spring/summer catalog and you'll appreciate the perfect marriage of form + function.

and the best thing is your slippers will never get lost in the crowd again.

pualani hawaii

kalena

since summer solstice is only a few days away we're hitting the beach this week! well, in a virtual way at least.

if you're like most every other person on earth, you know that shopping for a new swimsuit can be an unpleasant experience. a few years ago, my wonderful wedding photographers (and wave warriors) gave me a tip about pualani hawaii. (okay, they also shot the catalog. did i mention how talented they are?)

big island native iwalani isbell's homegrown swimwear line has been getting a lot of buzz since cameron diaz was snapped sporting a pualani bikini a few years back. the pualani line has been designed to work in the water so definitely take a peek if you have been searching for a cute, super comfy and functional swimsuit.