New Year, New Gear: Where to Shop in Honolulu Right Now

Bold earrings, new shopping spots and collections, plus style resolutions for 2019.

March 5, 2019

Stacey Makiya, Brie Thalmann,

Beauty and the Beach

After running into shop owner after shop owner who raved about Oshan Essentials’ restorative powers, we finally decided to give the Maui-based botanical skincare brand a try. Perfect timing, as& founder Shelley Lee—a former pro surfer who created the line to soothe her sun-ravaged skin—recently debuted a fresh addition: ‘Ōlena, a luxurious winter-exclusive series (available through Feb. 15) that includes a heavenly matcha salt soak, a papaya seed body balm, a vitamin-rich lip balm and, our current obsession, a revitalizing sea salt body polish made with healing turmeric and coconut oil.

oshanessentials.com, select items available at Here, Salt at Our Kaka‘ako, (808) 369-2991.

Show and Sell

Looks from the Anywhere But Here (left) and Paper collections.

Photo: Louis Scheer

Hit refresh on your wardrobe with the latest from Matt Bruening and Rumi Murakami. The local designers paired up this winter for Paper Plane, a joint runway show at the Hawai‘i State Art Museum, the first of a series of First Friday runway shows being put on by the HiSAM Museum Gallery Shop x Mori by Art + Flea. Bruening’s vacay-ready Anywhere But Here Resort 2019 collection was chock-full of sheer fabrics and retro-inspired prints while Paper, Murakami’s Fall/Winter 2018 collection, offered sharply tailored styles that folded, wrapped and draped.

Shop the collections at mattbruening.com and Murakami’s new online shop at rumimurakami.com, which launches this month.

Open Season

MISTER ICE GUY

Button up and cool down at aloha shirt label Kāhala’s new Kaka‘ako outpost. Along with the brand’s apparel for men and boys, OluKai footwear and Smith sunglasses, the shop also wows with an in-store shave ice stand featuring 100 percent organic Hawai‘i-sourced syrups from ‘Ono Pops.

Salt at Our Kaka‘ako, (808) 566-6306.

STATE OF THE ART

Bright, cheery and all about the tropical vibes, Lauren Roth Art, painter-illustrator Lauren Roth’s long-awaited storefront, has finally arrived in Kailua. Snag her original paintings, prints, homewares, stationery and fashions, plus works from other local artists on the rise.

131 Hekili St., Kailua, (808) 439-1993.

DAWN PATROL

At Dawn’s new Ward boutique perfectly echoes founder Eriko Suzuki’s earthy pared-down aesthetic with minimal concrete floors and rustic bamboo and rattan décor. Also inside, a handful of new brands including S.F.-based Corrin Ceramics and Argentine footwear label Martiniano.

1108 Auahi St., Suite 154, (808) 232-1809.

Frill Seeker

Everyone’s into swinging this season, but not all fringe has benefits. Forget the head-to-toe look you see on the runways; if you’re not a leggy supermodel it doesn’t work. Start simple. Accessories are a great option. Fringe bags add unexpected cool to workwear, and statement fringe earrings—Gucci did it with rhinestones—elevate a tee-and-jeans look. Meanwhile, fringe pumps dial up the sexy-in-the-city vibe.

Zoo What Wear

Last year, the city was a concrete jungle, with women sprinkling zebra, leopard and tiger prints into their daily wardrobes. This year, throw in the towel on animal apparel and step into one of this season’s fiercest trends: feline-and-reptile-inspired shoes. Walk on the wild side in exotic snakeskin boots, leopard mules and patent heels with feathery details.

Bike Shop

Sporting bike shorts might sound too casual, but we’re here to tell you it’s worth the ride. Spring/Summer 2019 runways resembled the Tour de France thanks to Fendi, Chanel and Roberto Cavalli. Cycle the workout tighties into your daily attire by balancing them with longer blazers or, another new trend, updated safari jackets. Wearing anything tight on top would be a wheel deal breaker.

Red Alert

Kiss nude, blah lipstick goodbye. Glamour houses are championing red for your smackers this spring and they’ve stocked up with matte, shiny and gloss options. If you’re after subtlety, a berry lip stain enlivens bare lips. From work to weekend? Try a wine hue. And, if you are looking to stop traffic, swipe right with a sexy pop of crimson, scarlet or ruby red.

Blue’s Clues

According to Pantone’s 2019 fashion color forecast, two new blues are on the horizon: lively Princess Blue—a baby of navy and azure—and Eclipse, similar to a midnight blue. Princess Blue is fun and poppy; pair it with simple neutrals or black leather. Eclipse is the perfect shade to get you away from the basic black suit. Wear the pieces together or separately.

Draw out the drama with this season’s drop-earring trend. Sparkling crystals, glass beads and bold shapes give life to lobes in the new year. For more statement-making styles.

Crystal Web drop earrings