Is it wrong that I want to cram every single one of these onto my fingers? (They’re all above $70 each, though, so I may refrain. But I still covet nonetheless!)
xoxox
Carly
From StarsandInfiniteDarkness
Like taking polls? Click below to answer 3 single-question polls – where style and shopping converge, at Ideeli.com. Your opinion is in high demand!
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2009 Fashion Recap
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Now it’s common knowledge that I love Forever21, H&M, Target, Topshop, and ASOS.com. I love being able to navigate to a website and click around for hours, looking at an extensive selection of affordable clothing, jewelry, and accessories that are on-trend and versatile. And the more affordable it is, the more I espouse the brand as one of my personal faves!
When it comes to online budget shopping, I thought I was pretty well-versed in what’s out there; that I knew many of the trendy destinations already on the web. But I was floored to hear about Accessorize and Monsoon.co.uk – and I can’t believe they have slipped under my radar up until now!
Accessorize may be familiar to those of you on the other side of the pond or in Asia already, but here’s a little intro for those who haven’t heard of it. I, for one, was completely unaware that it even existed up until now – shows what I know, right?? And I love the story behind the brand and its evolution up until today.
From their website: The parent company Monsoon was founded in 1973 by Peter Simon following a period of selling shaggy woollen coats on the Portobello Road and hand block printed clothes from Rajasthan to anyone who would buy them. The original focus was always clothes with an ethnic origin from faraway places, including unusual dresses from Afghanistan and countries en route.
In May 1973, the first Monsoon shop opened in Beauchamp Place, Knightsbridge, London. In 1984, Accessorize evolved as an exciting and a strongly differentiated High Street concept for fashion accessories in an adjoining shop to the Monsoon, Covent Garden Piazza branch.
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This was later followed by the launch of the Monsoon Home brand shop, Monsoon Baby, Accessorize Angels, Monsoon Boy, and Monsoon Men, now spanning the globe with more than 600 stores worldwide (and 400 in the U.K. alone!) (See a list of all Accessorize stores throughout the UK and the world here.) To draw a comparison to a brand many of us may already be familiar with- they’re kind of like Icing by Claire’s…except bigger and um, better.
With its own in-house design team, Accessorize holds a unique position on the high street with its inspirational, globally sourced, well-priced and good quality collection of fashion accessories. Displayed in an original and impactful colour-bay design, the constantly changing range includes every kind of accessory imaginable; bags, purses, jewellery, belts, hats, scarves, flip flops, gloves, hair accessories and cosmetics.
The jewelry, bags, shoes, beachwear, swimsuits, hats, hairbands, sunglasses, wallets, and scarves from Accessorize are super-fun and flirty – they have a tongue-in-cheek whimsy about them. I love that they’re not dark and super-serious, like so much is lately in fashion. They play to the lighthearted side of every girl – and with everything retailing less than $70 – the line is supremely affordable and glam at the same time.
Now the shopping cart function for the website is in British pounds, but even if you’re not from the U.K., what’s a different currency to deter a savvy shopper from getting a great deal? (1 pound = $1.59 U.S. at the current exchange rate – see XE.com for currency conversions.) They do ship overseas (10 pounds to the U.S.) – 3.95 pounds domestically in the UK, and 7.95 pounds to other European countries. If you live in a different country from the above, add yourself to their mailing list to get notified when shipping will be available (coming soon to Hong Kong, Australia, Japan, Russia, and Canada, among others).
Definitely check out their website to get a better feel for the brand – because the items above barely represent one-one hundredth of what they have to offer! (And check out their parent site Monsoon for home furnishings and accessories, women’s and children’s clothing, and lingerie as well!)
-Carly J. Cais
(Disclaimer: Accessorize.com sent me some items to review and invited me to check out their website. I would have loved them regardless of receiving the pieces since their jewelry and bags are indeed what I would term a “Chic Steal.” I will also be posting some items from them for a giveaway soon! Stay tuned!)
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via Fashiontribes but I loved this image so much I just had to post. It’s so freakin’ true!!
I quit making Resolutions when I was 29. I actually didn’t write anything down that year, didn’t make a list, didn’t decided what areas I was going to better myself in. (So uncharacteristic of me!!) I’m not exactly sure why – but I think it might have been because I would always write the same thing every year – and so now those “To-Do’s” are permanently emblazened in my brain; a constant reminder in the back of my head. I don’t need to write them down anymore.
Or maybe I finally realized that by making a plan, I tend to stick with it – and miss out on all the little opportunities that present themselves, refusing to veer from my plan in the slightest – and not realizing that I’ve overlooked that the journey is not always a straight line but often a meandering, crazy-ass wander that pitches you into a pile of brush on one hand, gets you lost on the other, makes you regret that you ever chose this path – but eventually, gets you exactly where you want to be in the end.
So No Resolutions! No To-Do Lists for the Year! (I make those on a daily basis, thank you very much.;-)
Just Life Goals:
2. Share, share, share. Eventually it will come back in droves.
3. Make friends, keep friends, appreciate loved ones – multiply the love.
4. Be fit and healthy.
5. Be HAPPY!
What are your resolutions/goals?
xoxo
Carly
After seeing not one but TWO of my blogger friends posting that they were in Honolulu for the holidays, I felt compelled to create a shopping map of one of the towns I know best in the world. (I didn’t live there for 4 years for just the pineapples ya know! [the affordable ones are the ones flown in from the Philippines BTW])
The thing that always got my goat about shopping maps of Honolulu/Waikiki was that the ones distributed there are all sponsored by various corporations – so they leave off a whole slew of great places and instead list a bunch of stores that are way beyond the average person’s price point or not selling fashion, or completely untargeted, or an attempt to corral the Japanese tourists. The stores aren’t good, trendy, cute, affordable – or even unique…what you got on those maps are the stores that cater to the tourists with Aloha shirts, Hawaiian jewelry crafted in precious metals, kukui nut and shell necklaces, leis, coconut bras, crappy touristy gifts, t-shirts with “Hawaii” or “I got Lei’d” on them that shrink after 2 washings (thank you ABC stores), muumuus, personalized mugs, dog shirts…and on the other end of the spectrum, Gucci, Fendi, Chanel, etc. (Actually I find the Japanese tourist shopping maps a little more extensive/exhaustive in shop listings than the English-language ones, just my 2cents there.)
You can also get an individual map of each shopping center on the island – but you have no idea which stores are worth a visit and which you should pass up. Those maps are so misleading! You have a map that says “Shopping in Waikiki” and you end up walking to a store thinking that it’s worth visiting…then find the same pile of junk you found at the store you were just in. A waste of time, in my opinion!
Having lived there for enough time to accumulate all the above touristy crap I can tell you I definitely don’t want more of it! And if you go there, one trip down to the ABC store on the corner or to Hilo Hattie’s will definitely suffice for the tourist in ya. (Better yet – buy at Hilo Hattie’s online or the ABC Store online – and ship it to you at home.) You’re only there for a short time – do you really need to look at more aloha-print shirts??
And the high-priced designer stores? Sure, I’ve been dragged into them by my mother-in-law when she buys three pairs of the same shoes in all the different colorways at Salvatore Ferragamo been lucky enough to visit a few…but why bother? I can’t afford anything in those stores – and the designer stuff is so much cheaper on the internet – whether on Ebay or Gilt or even at a Saks online 70% off sale. (In Hawaii, the designer stuff is about 15 – 35% more than it is in other parts of the U.S.!!) So not worth wasting a Hawaiian minute stopping in, even to look! (And trust me, there’s nothing exclusive to those stores in Waikiki that you can’t find elsewhere…except maybe J. Crew on-the-island…yes that’s the real name of the J. Crew store at Ala Moana Shopping Center…must find out more regarding this anomaly.)
Anyway, unless you’re Japanese loaded, are you really going to visit Fendi, Louis Vuitton, and St. John’s in paradise???
Do you really want to spend an entire day just at one mall?
Well, in case you do or are loaded or want one of those corporate-sponsored maps that lists everything indiscriminately and leaves off all the neat trendy boutiques who didn’t want to fork over the cash for inclusion in said maps, you can check this out here or this here (but you have to click on the individual maps of each shopping center to view them.) Why can’t there just be one single map with everything cool on it???? Okay, there is – a printed map – available in Waikiki. Not on the internet – why, I have no idea. (someone please correct me if I’m wrong???!)
Well, I made one. Here ya go.
(I have failed to list the souvenir-y, gift-y places like The International Marketplace, ABC Stores, Hilo Hattie, Hula Supply Center, King’s Village, Island Treasures Antique Mall, Aloha Stadium Swap Meet, or the Aloha Flea Market (a larger pile of dirtier crap I have not found elsewhere in the world) – because the clothing/accessories at those places is nothing to go out of your way for. If you have a few extra minutes, stop by to say you at least went…but otherwise, those are not places that warrant extra shopping visits, IMHO.)
Ah yes – and for you crafty DIY people – you may want to check out Fabric Mart, Bead It! (Kailua), Kaimuki Dry Goods, Ben Franklin’s, Craft Supply of Honolulu, The Bead Gallery at Ward Centre, or Isle Knits…though all the shops listed about have prices way beyond what you would pay on the mainland for pretty much the same items. (Though if you’re hankering for aloha-print cotton fabrics, Fabric Mart is your best bet – and likely cheaper than on the mainland.)
…and a couple nail art items; I couldn’t resist.
(click for full-size; this thing’s gigantic)
Hope this helps you guys on a trip there!!
Any stores I’ve neglected on the map that you think are a must-see? (I haven’t been back in a year, so I may be a little out of date – I did google “waikiki shopping” to get the most up-to-date, ridiculously untargeted, mapless information I could find:-)
Have fun and aloha!
xoxox
Carly
Carly J. Cais I am a DIY’er, designer, sewist, maker, and marketer. Chic Creative Life is where I share what I do, and help others bring their unique style into their own lives.
