fashion Archives

Fashion Don'ts, Honolulu Style

Honolulu! You'd think that a city that has consistent summery weather, the most beautiful people in the United States, and a generous helping of designer boutiques would have minimal incidences of fashion dont's, right? Depends on how you define “don't" - we're talking about a city where flip-flops are welcome at church, and aloha shirts are considered professional.

In my case, I can take practically anything on anyone, but that does not mean that I can't draw a line somewhere when it comes to the fashion trends that drive me crazy. Consider these...

The Case for Domesticity

Helloooo and welcome to the new Internet friends of the Meimei! You must link the Meimei, you must blogroll the Meimei...

Erm. Uh, yeah. Today marks my first post as a Hawaii Stories community member. This means that I am formally introducing Domesticity to a whole new audience.

Dress Up

Last night at Macy's, in the teen girls department, Naomi and I flipped through a motley assortment of dresses marked down two, three, and sometimes four times. The splashes of color were outrageous - large red flowers with heavy black outlines, pink ribbons for straps, cartoon characters over bright yellow on a tea-length skirt. Under the cheap fluorescent lighting in the grundge-style fitting room, Naomi slipped into each outfit, and with childlike happiness she stepped toward and away from the mirror, turning different ways.

Wedding fashions

Once again I am requesting help, this time in finding engagement and wedding clothes.

First on the list is Pineapple Moon clothing for our engagement photos- there's a great silk design they have, with a pattern of plumeria blossoms and leaves scattered in a wide pattern. Currently, they're only sold through the MX- any military types out there willing to help?

Next is an Ao Dai, or traditional Vietnamese wedding costume. I haven't really found anyplace specializing in these here.

Too Cool for School?

Dress codes and uniforms in public schools. They're spreading here in Hawaii, but a story today notes how they're now falling out of favor in California — birthplace of the movement only a decade ago. "This year, three elementary schools and the high school are allowing students to wear blue-and-white Hawaiian print shirts instead of the standard polo shirts as incentive to keep them in uniforms." And at one school, 60 percent of the kids went with the tropical option.

Do uniforms and dress codes improve performance, reduce disruption, and erase outward class barriers? Or do they just stifle free speech? More importantly, are they an answer to the premature sexualization of our children? Or is this an age-old battle returning from the '60s that will ultimately be futile, and forgotten?