(Photo: Cosmic Dust)
My <3 for acoustic music & island artists
A few years ago, I would have never downloaded or bought the local music that was playing on the radio stations. I never really cared for the “jawaiian” kind of music in Hawaii. I didn’t really connect with it, maybe it was because I grew up listening to Kapena, Hawaiian falsetto and Carlos Santana. I felt those artists were so desperately clinging to Bob Marley and the Caribbean that they haven’t come up with a sound of their own, something that was truly created and inspired by the Pacific island lifestyle. Lately, island music has been evolving and recent artists incorporated r&b/pop elements into their melodies and lyrics. Current island artists and bands that have made it onto my playlist are Kimie, Common Kings and The Green. Even artists across the Pacific Ocean that haven’t yet released an album have made their way onto YouTube through covering popular mainstream songs. Although these are not their original songs, these are my favorite performances by up and coming artists in Hawaii and Austrailia.
This Australian-based sexy foursome FOURTUNATE is heating up the island YouTube community with their swoon-worthy harmonies and their humble personalities.
Here we have the handsome duo, FONOTI, from Australia. This is one of my favorite videos because they created an ingenius mash-up of the oldies.
Last but not least, here’s Hawaii’s very own KIMIE and her friend Kaipo Kapua. Don’t let the poor lighting in the video fool you. She has better videos but this is one of my favorite versions of Turn Your Lights Down Low. Kimie has an album and a few singles out on iTunes – I highly suggest you download “Good Vibes” if you like sultry r&b.
I’m pretty happy with all the good music that has been popping up on local radio stations. We’ve got some young and amazing talent here in the Pacific Ocean.
Cropped & pastel
I don’t think I could ever pull off a cropped top. Being a plus-sized, curvy girl, I haven’t completely ruled out this particular style. I use crop tops for layering. Here’s one that I really like on Search and Construct on Etsy. I love the pastel turquoise with orange, blue and brown dots on the back.
ISWAS+WILLBE on Etsy is doing their thang with the natural stones and chevron-esque metal beads. Their bracelets and necklaces are simple and colorful.
There’s nothing like something rugged and raw to balance out the cutesy pastels. I loved this Porcupine Quill Natural Ivory Bullet earrings by Raw Earth Studio on Etsy. I love how dangerous they look.
El verano
Summer has officially started and I made a bee-line to the beach yesterday. I took good old Rigoberta to Waimanalo Beach Park and we bonded over lime chips and salsa.
#INSTALIFE
@islandbohemian
mi abuelita blowing her candles on her 89th birthday
Mara Hoffman
I’m so damn inspired by this badass New York designer Mara Hoffman. She’s known for her bohemian silhouettes and her tribal patterns. It really is unlike any of that neon-vomit “indian” fringe tops that you see by Charlotte Russe or Forever21. Don’t ask me why this cluster explosion of tribal-esque, Aztec print, neon-rainbow crap is occurring in our world today. Has the world gone mad? Are we still exploiting the indigenous tribes and making their original garments “cool?” Who knows. Maybe. But Mara Hoffman takes this concept and transforms it into a deeper, cleaner collection. Aside from the ridiculous prices (hey, the girl’s gotta make $$ and I understand), I like to think Hoffman and I share the same hippie glam god-mom…except this chick is better at bringing her inspirations to life.
Her work is exotic and colorful. Scrolling through her blog is like scrolling pages of her dreams – the content is just insanely beautiful and twisted. This second photo was an invite to her fashion show last year.
I had to post this last photo of her recent collection. They somehow remind me of one of my favorite artists, Frida Kahlo, with the buns and the excessive neckline details.
>>> All images courtesy of MaraHoffman.com.
Summer fashion inspiration: Ashley Madekwe
Longevity by Ashley Madekwe
My ideal summer city chic outfit is cool, clean and simple. It’s finally summer and the weather in Honolulu isn’t getting better. It’s hot, humid and there’s some kind of mist (vog) lingering in the air giving people breathing problemas, so I need something that will function as a cool, breezy outfit that will easily transition from work to happy hour…island style. So I think I’ll shop for something similar to this and add on some flavor like the fabric statement necklace by Charlotte Hosten and replace that clutch with either a vintage clutch or weekend bag by Fossil.
The beauty of digital artwork
Hear me calling by Catrin Welz-Stein
Me fascina mucho cómo estos conceptos vienen de una artista que solamente usa su computadora y su imaginación. German born artist Catrin Welz-Stein lives in Malaysia and works as a graphic designer. She makes amateur GDs like me feel inadequate and green with envy of her creativity. Influenced by surrealism and the medieval era, Welz-Stein relies on her computer and imagination to create each piece. I’m still not over how her mastery of graphic design can produce textures like these. I can’t even comprehend how she gave each photo depth…was it filters? brushes? I’m stumped…
“Longing for Love” is one of my favorites, just because it’s so literal, vibrant…and painful. The women that she uses have some kind of goddess-like quality to them, but this shows vulnerability.
“Rhythm and beats” is definitely one of the ones that stand out from the rest. It possesses a somber nostalgia that I feel connected to. Oh, miss Catrin, if only I could post every one of your creations on my blog. They’re all so inspiring and captivating that I feel as if you draw each character from your wildest fantasies and bring them to life.
>>> Being a tribal badass
I guess I’ve been feeling more of a badass since my last post about designer Brooke Fung, because I’ve been looking for things that pack some punch and express the little indígena in me. In grad school, I’ve learned so much about the struggles of los aztecas, mayas e incas and I’ve become somewhat fascinated with how they have influenced designers like Judith from Rusty Cuts to this day.
Even jewelry designers like Grace of MamaSheaShea are influenced by some sort of tribal fever. Grace calls her trendy pieces “cultural collages” that pairs the rough with the refined. My inner badass would totally rock these with a clean, preppy peplum and a leather jacket.
These mixed metal trapeze earrings were also designed by Grace. Her idea of pairing the natural with the industrial isn’t something I find surprising. It’s what I experience every day. I like to think that I am a child of both the rough and refined – a confusing, but relatable blend of indígena and assimilated island-girl-wannabe-badass.
Rust, browns and kaftans
Lately, turbands like this one have been requirements for the muggy and hot weather here in Hawaii. I’m particularly fond of this one by Triko in rust because it’s just so unexpectedly cute and rugged at the same time. The next one is a suede round-tip collar by FloryFauna. I like to add a bit of prep to my outfits now and then, just to pull it all together with a clean accessory. The last one is a random kaftan I came across during late night “window” shopping. It’s by GoldDustDresses and it’s called the Coachella Charmer. I’m absolutely in love with its bohemian-style-cut-short, which is perfect for summer mornings at the beach…although it is out of my budget. Hopefully I’ll find a similar dress for half the price.
