Go Overboard

‘Tis the season, and don’t be shy!  Accessorize in abundance, go overboard because that is what it is all about this Holidays. If you are planning on wearing bracelets, wear them in multiples on both wrists; go ahead, make a statement. Do the same with necklaces, mix long strands of pearls with gold chains  - vary the links, twisting them together to keep it interesting.  Find some gorgeous chunky colored stone rings (there are plenty around)  - mere baubles they may be, who cares it’s just for fun, wear them on your middle fingers, and let them flash.

Glam up your little black dress by wearing some sexy elbow grazing lacey gloves, add a pair of big chandelier earrings and imagine yourself sipping on a cool apple martini – ooh la la!

 And how about changing up your ubiquitous black bag carrying instead a bright candy colored clutch? It’s so much newer. The best come in shiny patent or a sleek metallic finish; say in yummy hot pink, vibrant purple (think a la Marc Jacobs), turquoise ……or perhaps you could even ask Santa for one of Prada’s luscious snakeskin bejeweled ones in sea blue or rich emerald green (so hard to choose)…. they’re on every girls’ wish list.

Whatever you do, remember, ’tis the season, it only comes once a year. So get in on this year’s trend, and add some drama to your outfit. Whether you are wearing the originals, or some designer’s interpretation (you know what I mean), accessorize boldly, stand out from the crowd – after all this is one of the most opportune times to meet new people or maybe get closer to somebody you might like to know better. So step out boldly, yet always with a sense of fun (because that is what fashion is all about) because before you know it, you will turn around and lo and behold the Holidays will be over. Catch them while you can!

For more visit www.Tooseriousforme.com

A New Slant on Basics!

Fabulous Fit

Every day new and wonderful options are appearing for us here in Hawaii, and one of the best of these is Club Monaco. This store, with its clean, uncluttered interior is the perfect place to find great, and I do mean great basics. Their pants have long been held an inside secret for their fabulous fit among the fashion cognoscenti, and their cotton shirts (with stretch) and featherweight T-shirts (admittedly not offered in a vast array of colors) are the perfect staples.

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Price vs. Quality

For a store with such fabulous items the prices are surprisingly reasonable. Furthermore the prices do not reflect the quality, because their merchandise is extremely well made, and will stand the test of time. So pop in and try a few things, and if you are lucky you may be able to pick up some real steals! I saw some fabulous shirts on sale for $39.00 - $49.00, linen pants that are lined $39.00 and who knows what else. So really it could be well worth your while to give this great new shop a try, and I can assure, you will not be sorry!

For more please visit www.Tooseriousforme.com

Indulgence

Can you imagine an indulgence, an absolute ecstasy of enjoyment that does not come back to bite you in the form of a couple of extra undesirable pounds. Well girls this is it!! Shoe shopping – I absolutely adore it; our feet are our silent friends, never gaining a pound, capable of morphing from athletic queen to sexy siren in the blink of an eye. So take them for a spin and visit a mecca of delight – Nordstrom shoe department.

Look at the bevy of beautiful things, all laid out ready and waiting for you. Feeling sexy today – try a gorgeous pair of stilettos that add inches to your height instead of your waistline, feeling rampantly healthy; a new pair of running shoes is just the thing. And the best of all, (not that we haven’t had options before in Hawaii, I mean who doesn’t love Jimmy Choo or Sergio Rossi, it is just that we can’t or shouldn’t empty our bank accounts for them) here is a store where you can get a taste of everything. From sleek Manolos to ultra hip Miu Miu’s, they are all here and then some. Look carefully and thank God (for your wallet) you can also find their step-sisters for the look without the “ouch”. Searching for the gladiator shoe “a la Balenciaga” which is all the rage, well here are umpteen different versions; from the mock alligator heel with the convenient side zip to accommodate the zillion straps, or what about the nude colored pair that tones down the slightly dominatrix look.

But buyer beware, because however much you may love them they are so dominant a style that you might have to build your wardrobe around them unless you are extremely careful. Metallics are a far easier way to go, and again there are plenty of choices from subtle matte or gorgeous golds, to shimmeringly elegant silvers. Flats to high falluting stilettos to great wedges, whatever your little heart desires.

And this is where I was stopped in my tracks, caught in a moment of total lust, for right before me were the most gorgeous pair of gold rope wedges. They just screamed total luxury, a must have for the season…. So if you are looking for the Michael by Michael Kors gold-knotted sandals in a size 6.5, look no further because they are now sitting stunningly on my newly pedicured feet. An indulgence……no, not at all, at $98.00 I would say an absolute steal!

For more visit Tooseriousforme.com

RED Style

I would like to introduce myself, Mari Stewart a Fashionista to the bone! Having once been a retailer (owner of Rafael at Ala Moana) and an online retailer (RafaelHawaii.com) I am truly excited about being given an opportunity to participate in the business I love in this new and truly dynamic arena Hawaii Red Magazine.com. For me Fashion and Style go hand in hand, they are a form of self-expression, as varied as my moods. An art form with no right or wrong, whose only parameters are a light-hearted attitude. So, I hope that you will join me in my monthly Fashion blog where we will discuss what we all love (and what some of us are obsessed with) – Fashion - in all of its fun and quirky forms!

For more please visit  www.Tooseriousforme.com