Weekend Recap: Mau‘i No Ka Oi

Posted on May 15, 2013 by Mae

Aloha Kakahiaka, Lovecat! It’s Hump Day! Yay!

Here is what my weekend looked like. WARNING: Picture Heavy. My weekend started on Thursday, since I had a mini-vacation planned for four days with my Mama-in-Law in town from Detroit.

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{ Thursday’s sunset lightshow. }

Thursday

Sunset chasing with Husby and MIL.

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{ Maui’s south shore from the sky. }

{ Safety first, kiddies. }

{ Happy Travelers! }

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{ My lunch crepe from Cafe de Amis in Pa‘ia, Maui – brie, avocado and apple crepe with local greens salad. }

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{ An OOTD shot. As Husby called it: “[a] poseur, posing.” }

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{ Dharma center (LOST) in Pa‘ia, Maui… Buddhist prayer temple thingy (?). }

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{ Rainbow State of Mind. }

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{ Our house! }

{ AMAZING bnb find on http://www.airbnb.com! }

{ Our four post bed in our AirBnB in Makawao. }

{ Always, always, always over packed. }

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{ Pukalani Superette. Where we spied Dave Kalama in the parking lot. Google him. Big deal in Hawaii! }

{ Junkies. }

Friday

Flight to Maui
Lunch, touring and shopping in Pa‘ia
AirBnB check-in in Makawao and some OOTD hammin’
Always over packed, always late and always over-dressed.
Went to Pukalani to find the Superette to buy some snacks for the BnB (we listen to Maui radio and wanted to go… such dorks), and spied one of the Godfathers of big wave tow surfing, Dave Kalama. (Google him. He’s a big deal in the surfing world… and in Hawaii.)
Hanging out and chilling at our BNB after dinner.

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{ Hale‘akala sunrise fail. }

{ Once the clouds cleared, gorgeous views from Hale‘akala’s slopes. }

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{ Breakfast after failed sunrise trip under coffee trees in Kula, Maui. }

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{ Iao Needle in Iao Valley. }

{ Iao Valley. The sacred river. }

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{ Sharon and Elisha of Eli*Sharon, the adorable fashion blog, and my besties. }

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{ Mystical Mountains in West Maui. }

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{ Caught gramming. J/K. Husby with his gear, trying to catch sunset, Napili, Maui. }

{ Hammin during sunset chasing in Napili, West Maui. }

{ Hammin’ Part Deux during sunset chasing in Napili, West Maui. }

{ Sunset over Moloka‘i as seen from Napili. }

Saturday

4AM wake up call for trying to catch sunrise from Hale‘akala, Maui’s large volcano, measuring at 10,000 feet above sea level (3,048m)
Sunrise fail. The summit was all socked in with clouds. We saw nothing. (Here is what Hale‘akala really looks like when you can at least see something. EPIC.)
After getting lost, a satisfying breakfast in Kula under coffee trees, serenaded by a local musician singing Hawaiian folk tunes on his acoustic and slide guitars. Epic.
Naps.
Road trip out to Iao Valley, hoping to get some good photos, but the valley was also wreathed in clouds and raining hard. The sacred area was still gorgeous, even in the mist and downpour.
Quick snack and coffee to warm up at Whole Foods where we ran into my bestie boo, Sharon and her hubby Eli(sha) by chance! Talk about good fortune! And yes, I can’t believe they dress this AMAZE for running errands, either!
Road trippin’ out to the west side of West Maui volcano to photograph mountains, sunset chase and catch dindin with Eli*Sharon.
Hammin for OOTD pics with Shar and Eli, while Husby and Mama got bored and waited in the car. LOL. Pictures to come from this “sesh” later.

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{ Husby’s rare selfie. Isn’t he so handsome?

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{ Doing makeup for brunch. }

{ Mother’s Day brunch dessert at Market Fresh Bistro in Makawao, Maui, }

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{ Streetside waterfalls in the rain-soaked afternoon on Hana Highway AKA Road to Hana. }

{ Gushing waterfall 4 of about 20 along the Road to Hana. Dangerous, but beautiful. }

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{ Black sands Hana Bay. }

{ Me and my Mama hammin’. }

{ The Poseur, asked to pose. }

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{ Dreams of Flying, on the black sands of Hana Bay Beach. }

Sunday

Mother’s Day Brunch at Market Fresh Bistro, complete with apple banana (Hawaiian banana) Nutella fritters for dessert. YUM.
Road trip on the hair-raising, winding and sometimes harrowing, Road to Hana (also seen here from our trip to Maui last year)
Lots of waterfalls gushing from rocks and rivers and swollen streams on the hair-pin Road to Hana… I’d be lying if I didn’t tell you some of these waterfalls terrified me–all the water and power? OMG.
Saw and felt the softest, pillowy black sand at Hana Bay Beach.
Dinner at Hana Ranch Restaurant… nothing to speak of.
Terrifying drive back to Makawao in the dark on the Road to Hana, which I did all on my own, no switching. *Pats self on back*
Chilling at home and then passing the heck out at 9PM.

{ Hale‘akala sunrise reloaded… also epic fail. }

{ Maui’s farmlands as seen from Hale‘akala. }

{ As Husby put it, Maui, showing off. }

{ Kula and West Maui mountains. }

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{ Facebook, Instagram and email junkies. }

{ Our lovely view from our seat on the plane ride home. }

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{ Home… and welcome by the second worst traffic in the country. }

Monday

3:45AM Wake up call to try to re-attempt another sunrise from Hale‘akala, given the clear and warm weather forecasts in Makawao and Kula.
Stuck behind a string of slow-driving idiot tourists all in Mustangs… we reached the summit, only for it to be wrapped in wet, super cold clouds, AGAIN!
Total fail.
Stuck behind slow-driving idiotic tourists who stopped in the middle of the road–with traffic behind them and bikers streaming past going down-mountain–to take a phone-pic of a rainbow. PULL OVER TO THE SIDE on the sanctioned shoulder, dummies! Don’t cause accidents, you morons! (I am so sorry to report, but they were my people: Asians! GOD, MUST YOU PERPETUATE THE STEREOTYPE?! Piss me off.)
Milquetoast breakfast a Kula Lodge Restaurant where there were literally two vegan options, Rice and Papaya. I had the pancakes and immediately regretted it. They were nice and fluffy and tasty, but I don’t eat dairy or eggs… total bad idea. My Mamasita reported that her french toast was so so. Not a recommendation, if you’re a vegan, or expect a gourmet experience.
BNB check out.
Airport to return car and fly back to O‘ahu. – Least interesting view from our window. We were stuck next to the engine and wing. We could see nothing from the plane.
Stuck in Honolulu traffic (second worst in the nation!) to pick up Bear from the kennel.
Dinner and then immediately went to bed, super exhausted!

Now I’m home, back to reality and already making a wish list for our next trip to Maui! I wish we could go SOON! We’re so lucky to have all these amazing places to see so close by! Thanks, Husby, for the amazing birthday/mother’s day getaway. Best present ever. <3

More detail of our trip later!

{ What did YOU do for Mother’s Day weekend? Do you have any vacation plans lined up for spring or summer? DO TELL! }

Rock on, Lover!
Me ke aloha ~ With love + aloha,
Mae Xx

*All photos by me except for photos 2 (Maui from the sky), 6 (my OOTD in hat), 11 (Bed), 14 (MIL and me on phones), 23, 24 (MIL and me on beach), 26 (husby selfie), 27 (me putting on makeup), 29 & 30 (waterfalls), 32 & 33 (at Hana Bay with MIL and me posing), 40 (traffic)

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A Big Girl Birthday

Posted on May 9, 2013 by Mae

Aloha, Lovecat!

Although I celebrated my birthday two nights ago, IT’S MY BIRTHWEEK**, so I wanted to let you in on my celebration. Here are some photos from my surprise birthday dinner party at YuZu, a vegetarian/vegan friendly sushi joint in Ala Moana.

{ Surprise! A Big Girl Birthday Dinner Party With People! Yay For Friends and Vegetarian Sushi! }

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{ Make a wish! My birfday strawberry nutelle crepe. }

As I stated yesterday, my birthday wish was to have something super low-key, understated, quiet and possibly boring. I didn’t want anyone or anything to be a big deal for my thirty-first. A cheap dinner and a walk on the beach would’ve been perfect, but Husby wanted to go out to dinner, so I suggested our new Japanese go-to restaurant in Ala Moana (the district with the big-ass mall next to Waikiki), YuZu, which provides a much broader range of options for vegans and vegetarians than other Japanese/Asian restaurants in Honolulu.

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{ Husby’s vegan-friendly veggie nigiri sushi platter. All vegan options! Delish! }

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{ My dinner entrée: Seafood Dynamite roll – Teriyaki salmon and shiitake mushrooms on dynamite roll bed. I’m a pescetarian – a fish-only vegetarian with vegan tendencies. }

{ Nigiri sushi balls @ Yuzu, Ala Moana at ma birfday dindin. }

When we walked in the door, running ten minutes late, I spied our friend JB, a triathlete, extreme hiker and Doctor of Group Hugs and Handshakes, sitting on the couch in the lounge. He gave me a hugely quizzical face, probably mirroring the perplexedness wrinkling up my face. I didn’t recognize him at first, since he was scrubbed up all nice, and I only ever see him in biking or hiking gear, covered in a sweaty sheen with some streaks of Hawaiian red mud. I’m sure he was stunned by my beauty (read: not at all). LOL.

After we were seated for a few, ordered some drinks, who comes sauntering in but my very first real friend in Hawaii, Allie (of life & style blog, Heels, Eggs and Rice) and her boyf G! Allie draped a gorgeous, fragrant orchid lei about my shoulders, and, at that moment I felt like some sort of pageant queen.

Husby then informed me that our other friends M, C and their son Nico couldn’t make it, and that he had forgotten to invite a few other people. Of course, I was pretty thrown off, because I wasn’t expecting people. Husby and I generally celebrate our birthdays just the two of us and in quietude. To have people at a birthday dinner is a huge change! It would’ve been a full-on grown up party! I’ve only ever had a few of those in my life, so it was a beautiful night.

{ Da group. Missing a few good people. }

{ Allie and I discussing eyebrows and fashion bloggers, and the men discussing hiking… and GD hopping in between convos. LOL! }

{ Birfday girl’s delicious dessert. }

For dessert, I ordered a Nutella organic strawberry crépe (with the whipped creme 86′d–don’t do full on sugared dairy). Delicious, nutty, chocolate-y goodness to finish off a night of amazing conversation, friendship and fun in a gorgeous, dimly-lit, homey environment.

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{ Shaka to yo mada! }

I decided against wishing, since all my birthdays have been progressively better, and each year of life improves upon the last. With my family, friends and amazing life in Hawaii, I decided making wishes would be hypocritical or excessive, or even may jinx all the good fortune with which we’ve been blessed over the last two years. I’ll just let the Universe continue to bestow all the amazingness and ride the current for as far as it takes us, perpetuating good waves and vibrations by trying to remain drama and negativity-free.

A wonderful night, all in all. Better than a mountain of presents. Mos’ def.

{ Do you make wishes on your birthday? What do you usually wish for? Share with me in the comments below! I’d love to know! }

Rock on, Lover!
Me ke aloha ~ With love + aloha,
Mae Xx

**FYI: This entirely spoiled rotten, indulgent notion of a birthweek is completely farcical and said in a joking manner. I would never encourage or demand anyone celebrate my birthday for a week straight. That’s just way bratty. Also, it would be too taxing on my energy to have to celebrate that much.

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Architecture of an Outfit: Lazy Day Essentials: How to Get Away With Not Shaving Your Legs

Posted on April 24, 2013 by Mae

Aloha, Lovecat,

Let’s face it, women are under pressure to always look good, either by society, media or even ourselves. And, in all honesty, it’s a lot of effing work, ain’t it? Who always has the energy to constantly have the perfectly coiffed and turned out hairstyle, flawless skin, glowing makeup and well-chosen clothes? And that’s just the surface stuff! What about the energy and time invested into the maintenance of it all? We have to treat our skin and aging concerns, tweeze those eyebrows, file and manicure those nails and shave those legs. Seriously, it’s a ton of work and, while it often has a great effect on our psyches, it can take a toll on us from the sheer amount of effort required.

Sometimes you just want to cut corners!

{ Architecture of an Outfit / OOTD: Lazy Day Essentials – How to get away with not shaving your legs! }

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{The Lazy Girl’s Guide to Getting Ready: Skip the shaved legs with a maxi skirt!}

{OUTFIT ARCHITECTURE/DETAILS}

Vintage cropped acid wash denim jacket. Target Inc basic white tank. Forever21 nautical chevron print maxi skirt. Rebecca Minkoff MAC Mini bag (exact). JewelMint rings and birdcage bracelet. Marc by Marc Jacobs heart locket watch.

{Lazy Day Essentials: Printed maxi skirt, basic white tank, acid wash denim jacket, punchy hand bag, gold accent jewelry.}

[ALTERNATIVES]

JACKET: Distressed cropped denim jacket.
SKIRT: Chevron print maxi skirt, belted chevron maxi dress (LOVE THIS ONE), striped maxi tank dress.
RING: XO stack ring, stackable initial ring.
CUFF: silver cage cuff, gold cage bracelet.
WATCH: rosegold heart watch.

{Gold accents keep the look fresh and stylish.}

I’ll let you in on a little secret: I hate shaving my gams. I have a depilator, whose effects of hair removal can last for a good week to two weeks before hair regrowth, but the time to depilate is exponentially more consuming than a quick shave. But even shaving? I hate it. That extra 5-6 minutes in the shower is a lot of wasted water (even though I usually turn off the shower), time and energy trying to maintain my balance.

This is why you will catch me in a maxi dress, maxi skirt or leggings more often than shorts and shorter skirts. This is my secret to cutting my beauty corners and shortening time spent in the bathroom. I don’t shave my legs unless I have a pair of shorts or skirt I’m dying to wear or my family and I are going to the beach. The rest of the time, you’ll find me in leggings, jeans, or a maxi dress or skirt!

WHEW! That’s a huge load off my chest.

So, next time, when you’re pressed for time and energy, and you just want to forgo one of those stupid steps to getting your perfection on, just get back to the basics and put on some jeans or a maxi with a fantastic print. You’ll be glad you just shaved by! HAH!

Rock on, Lover!
Me ke aloha ~ With love + aloha,
Mae Xx

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Style Cravings: Luxury Lounge

Posted on March 22, 2013 by Mae

After I discovered lux casual/lounge brand Emerson Fry, I decided my new mission is luxe lounge, luxe casual looks: things I can comfortably work and run errands in, but still look polished and chic. When I’m sore with a lupus attack, comfortable clothes are of the utmost importance, but I don’t want to look or feel like a slob, otherwise, I risk exacerbating my condition.

{ Lusting After: Luxury Casual }

Easy separates and comfy maxi dresses that I can get in and out of quickly when I’m sore. Things like that make a huge difference when you have inflamed hips or stabby knees or a spine that feels like a bat’s been taken to it. Any of my readers who suffer from arthritis, lupus, fibro, celiac, or whatever other Auto-Immune condition we have, will understand completely. When you’re going through a flare, you don’t want to look as cr*ppy as you feel, because that might make everything worse (mental affects physical and vice versa), but you also don’t want to don something super complicated to put on or something that will hurt, like jeggings or a super tight dress. You need something soft, with give and will be as comfortable as pajamas, but won’t make you look like a slob.

Hence, Luxury Cazh.

Luxury Lounge by thereafterish featuring pleated pants

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{ Lux Casual / Lux Lounge – Craving stylish blouses and button downs that are comfy and polished }

Luxe Casual Tops

Victoria’s Secret Silk button down blouse.
Emerson Fry Emerson pockets silk blouse. (Similar HERE.)
Emerson Fry A-line mod tank. (Similar HERE.)

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{ Style Craving of Luxury Casual calls for luxuriously soft but comfy tees. }

Luxe Casual Tees

Emerson Fry E Lux v tee (not yet available). (SIMILAR James Perse v neck tee & American Vintage v neck tee .)
Emerson Fry Word boyish tee. (Similar Wildfox Loved tee & Wildfox First Date tee – LOVE THIS ONE.)
Emerson Fry Big R tee. (Similar Joie luxe soft tee & Soft Joie drape tee & LnA sheer loose tee.)

{ Luxury Casuals for Spring call for amazing spring colors interspersed with traditional neutrals. }

More Luxe Tees

Emerson Fry E Lux racerback tank (not yet available). (SIMILAR James Perse luxe racer back tank & Splendid soft racerback tank & Joie metallic trim racerback tank.)
Victoria’s Secret essential boxy tee in Cabana Green. (Similar striped boxy tee here.).)
Victoria’s Secret scoopneck muscle tank.

{ Luxe loungy pants: polished and chic and easy to get into! }

Cazh Luxe Lounge Pants

Current/Elliot leopard print skinny jeans. (SIMILAR HERE.)
Zara Elastic hem trouser. (Similar here & HERE.)
Emerson Fry Lee banded hem trousers. (Similar Relaxed trouser & luxe drape trouser.)

{ Luxe Lounge dresses: easy to get into and look amazing no matter what. }

Sexy luxe cazh dresses

Emerson Fry Bib Shirt dress. (SIMILAR A.P.C. shirt dress.)
Victoria’s Secret high low dress. (Similar: Splendid high low tank dress & Aryn K high low dress.)
Victoria’s Secret ‘must have’ maxi dress. (Similar aqua maxi dress.)

{ Comfy but cheeky and simple pullover sweaters or sweatshirts can be dressed up or dressed down. }

Sexy luxe cazh sweatshirts / jumpers

James Perse raglan sweatshirt.
Sincerely Jules Dream Believe Achieve sweatshirt.
Wildfox ‘Love is Everything’ sweatshirt.

Do you like these picks? Would you wear them? What are your style cravings lately?

Rock on, Lover!
Me ke aloha ~ With love + aloha,
Mae Xx

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Style Craving: Geometric, Black and White Bathing Suits

Posted on March 8, 2013 by Mae

Style cravings: Black and White contrast, Geometric prints and structured bathing suits.

{ Wishlist – Style Craving }

Aloha, Lovecat.

The thing about living in the Kingdom of Eternal Summer is that

A.) a great beach is usually within a 20-30 minute drive of where you are at any given moment,

and

B.) if you take advantage of this amazing fact, you tend to need a large bathing suit wardrobe or wear out your small bathing suit collection fairly quickly.

My beloved deep plunge, low-backed retro style one piece is pretty much on its last legs, and the neon stripe bikini I snagged at Target last year is already looking dingy and worn down.

Is it just me, or do bathing suits seem inordinately expensive in proportion to the lesser amount of fabric they take to manufacture? To me, most stylish options are just unaffordable or way over-priced in general. Enter gargantuan online retailer ASOS. Not only do they offer innumerable trendy clothing options, they also cater to every budget. So if you’ve got the moolah to splash out on a $400 bathing suit, they have that. Or, if you only have $50 to spend for your beach attire, they have that, too!

The other night, I found myself browsing and browsing and browsing and ended up gravitating toward mainly black and white pieces. Call it the YSL effect, but the mod look really hooked me.

Here is what I am currently lusting to sport on the beach:

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ASOS Longling Contrast Bikini. $30.52USD for the top, $20.35 for the bottom.

Top available HERE. Bottom available HERE.

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HIDE THAT BELLY: instead of the teeny bottoms, I will wear it with THIS: ASOS mix and match high waist polka dot swim pant. $28USD

High waist polka dot swim suit bottom, available HERE

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Retro, sexy and alluring without being slutty or giving away anything. $50.87USD.

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Retro, sexy and alluring without being slutty or giving away anything. $50.87USD.

Available HERE, search “ASOS stripe belt moulded cup”

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Sexy and subtle at the same time. The Mesh Panel Plunge Suit, $50.87.

Available HERE

See, you don’t have to break the bank to be sexy and stylish at the beach. Additionally, you don’t have to be completely stripped down to the bare skin to be sexy, either. You can be alluring and desirable and still have a lot of your landscape covered. In my case, my biggest concern is looking hot while keeping my post 30s tummy pooch under wraps. (Is it just me, or is it, like, super hard to get rid of the pooch once you’ve crossed the thirties mark? Seriously! No, really… is it just me?)

VERY IMPORTANT: Always remember that, above fun beach fashion, your biggest concern when you’re out and about under the sun is to protect your skin from aging UV rays. UVA and UVB not only lead to cancer, but they also destroy elastin and collagen, leading to saggy skin, fine lines and wrinkles and dark spots. UV can be a trigger factor with some people who suffer from auto-immune diseases, so you have to take every precaution if you are photo-sensitive or have lupus (like me).

Be safe and be chic: make sure your main accessories at the beach include SPF 30+ sunscreen, reapplied every 60-80 minutes or after swimming, shade, a big sun hat and a good attitude about being healthy and sun protected! And try to avoid baking… unless you like the orange, dark leathery look. In which case, go for it. When you’re in surgery or chemo, don’t say you didn’t know better.

What are your style cravings lately? And what will you be sporting on the beaches this spring/summer?

Rock on, lover!
Me ke aloha ~ With love + aloha,
Mae Xx

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Life’s a Beach: Sherwood Forest AKA Waimanalo Bay Beach Park

Posted on March 2, 2013 by Mae

Aloha, Lovecat!

One important thing you should always do, if you’re blessed to live in a paradise like Hawaii, is to always make time to go to the beach, or, as locals say, “go beach.” One of the best things about Hawaii living is that if you make the time, a slice of heaven is within a 15-30 minute drive. One of my favorite Hawaii beaches within a 30 minute drive of my house in East Honolulu is Sherwoods AKA Sherwood Forest (also called by its lesser-known, official name, Waimānalo Bay Recreation Area).

{ Life’s a Beach: Favorite Beaches in the Kingdom }

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Max the Bear and Husby playing fetch along the rollicking waves.

Waimānalo Bay in South East Oahu creates Oahu’s longest stretch of white sandy beaches. Turquoise waters wash along five miles of soft white shoreline that comprise three beaches in Oahu’s cowboy (paniolo) country: Waimānalo Beach, Waimānalo Bay Recreation Area and Bellows Beach.

The first is the most easily accessible, directly right off Kalani‘anaole Highway with a large parking lot and bathroom facilites very visible from the road. Bellows Beach, on the north side of the bay, fronts Bellows Air Force Base, and is only open to the public on the weekends.

Waimānalo Bay Recreation Area aka Sherwood Forest
Sandwiched in between is an absolute gem often missed by tourists (yay!) because of its unassuming entrance through a thick forest of ironwood trees. The inconspicuous sign is so miniscule, it’s easy to drive right past on the highway. Tucked away down a road winding through the forest, this gorgeous strand of sand and bright azure blue waves is one of the most lovely beaches due to the clear water and wide pad of sand often uncluttered with the usual (sometimes annoying) crowds.

Referred to by locals as “Sherwood Forest” or “Sherwoods” for the slew of robberies and shady activity conducted in the Ironwood forest that fronts the beach.

Gorgeous azure waves at Sherwoods Beach (AKA Waimanalo Bay Recreation Beach)

Looking north to Bellows Beach, the military installment that takes up the other half of the bay.

Waimānalo Bay Recreation Area is actually commonly known by locals as “Sherwood Forest” or “Sherwoods,” a name that persists from a bygone time when the forest abutting the beach was a favorite spot for shady activity–thieves would strip cars and rob beachgoers.

There are two huge parking lots and spots for camping (which can be done with a free permit from the County of Honolulu office). Walk about 100 yards from the parking lot to find the powdery white sand and a vast blue sea in front of you.

Also called “Oahu’s best-kept secret”. It’s a popular spot with locals, less so than with tourists. Yay for us.

“The cure for anything is salt water – sweat, tears, or the sea.” – Dinesen, Isak

The waves here can get a little rough due to the sand dropping depth quickly from the shore, and often can be forceful enough to knock you on your *ss. So, Sherwoods makes for a great place for wave jumping, bodysurfing and boogie boarding with small and medium sized waves that even some daring keiki (kids) can brave, and aren’t the epic, bumboocha kine (big, forceful kind) that throw you down and knock you out that adventurous locals find at other south beaches like Makapu‘u and Sandy’s. Being the weak swimmer I am, I don’t normally favor this as a swimming beach. But that’s just a personal thing. Check the surf reports, though, and if the wind is high and surf is large, you should respect the waves and stay on the shore.

This is not a surfer’s beach. No can shred ova hea… So no bring da board and mek ass. Basically, leave the surfboard at home and don’t make a fool of yourself. And, because of the rough waves, it’s not much of a snorkler’s beach, either, so if that’s what you’re into, take your snorkling gear north to Lanikai or Kailua.

A few things to keep in mind:

Currents called longshore currents can form parallel to the shoreline, but you can get out of them if you swim perpendicular to them back to shore.
Portuguese Man o War, jellyfish-like creatures, can occasionally drift in with the tradewinds that blow into the East Shore during certain lunar patterns. Their sting is painful, even if they are dead on the beach. If you see warning signs posted on the beach, avoid the water. If you’re stung, remain calm, get out of the water, and use a stick, gloved hand or credit card to remove the tentacles, then rinse with cold salt or fresh water. Apply a cold compress or ice to control pain. See a doctor if pain persists or worsens. In the very rare case of severe reaction, get the lifeguard and call an ambulance immediately.
Not that Sherwood’s is still a hotbed of criminal activity, or anything, but whenever we visit, we never bring anything valuable with us (except our Bear and our phones) and we never leave anything in the car. In fact, we usually leave the car unlocked so potential vandals can see there’s nothing worth nicking.
Trade winds pick up in the afternoon. Sand can sometimes blow in da eyes.
Bring in your own food and drink. There are no concession stands or any food trucks ova hea. Just make sure you bring back out with you what you brought in (i.e., don’t be a litter bug).
Sunset occurs earlier on the Windward Side because of the Ko‘olau mountains, so it will darker slightly earlier than in town. But it’s a perfect place to catch sunrise, if that’s your thing.

If you’re going to visit, make sure you take your trash out with you. You know, that whole malama o ka ‘aina thing? (Take care of the earth.) Yeah, do it. Exercise some serious kuleana (responsibility) and stuff and be mindful of the amazing paradise that is Oahu. There are tons of trash bins all over the place. (Don’t get me started on the local hipsters that leave cigarette butts all over the freakin’ place. No mek li’dat, yeah? If you find a few, maybe pick some up and throw them out with your trash on your way out?)

Great amenities here like full facilities, ample parking, picnic tables, camping grounds and showers. Oh, and shade. I love shade. Tanning be dangerous business, yo.

3 mile tract of white, soft sands along rolling turquoise waves.

I want to live in this gorgeous sand Castle… reminds me of Cair Paravel in the Chronicles of Narnia

Not trying to be a “Footprints” cliché, but it is pretty gorgeous.

This place is absolutely gorgeous, backed by the dramatic, fluted, lush cliffs of the Ko‘olau Mountains, the unique ironwood trees and the brilliant ultramarine waters of Oahu’s windward side. One of my favorites because of the ample shade and because it’s usually not crowded. The peace and quiet and the wind whipping through the forest makes it one of the best places to just relax and cruise.

Of course, I think Hawaii is the most beautiful, best place in the world, so naturally I’d think our beaches are the most beautiful beaches in the world. You can call me partial, but I think millions of people around the globe would agree with me.

If you’re ever in town and want to “go beach”, drop me a line. I’d be happy to show you this special place.

Do you have any special places dear to your heart in your own town? Do share!

Rock On, Lover.
Me ke aloha ~ Love + aloha,
Mae Xx

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Architecture of an Outfit: Sherbet Pringles

Posted on February 21, 2013 by Mae

A knife pleat maxi skirt that reminds me of peach sherbet and Pringles. A stubborn and playful dog that looks like a teddy bear. A busy combination of long lines and micro stripes. The ever burning question a blogger has to ask herself, “do I need to suck it in more?” It’s my….

{ Architecture of an Outfit: knife pleat coral maxi skirt, striped shirred sleeve top, lace dangle earrings, and Max the Wheaten Terrier Bear Dog }

thereafterish, ootd, coral knife pleat maxi skirt, stripes, wheaten terrier, asian street style

The movement and swish of the skirt make wearing it fun.

I love the knife pleats of this coral maxi skirt against the micro thin stripes of my top. Probably too busy.

Max is bigger than most of his pictures make him seem.

From the back. Straight up busy with all the lines. I love.

Wore this about a month ago when we got stuck in traffic and missed getting to our favorite farmers market out in Kane‘ohe. Instead of getting all bummed and going back home, we went to Greens & Vines, our favorite local vegan eatery. Thankfully, we brought Max, our adorable teddy-bear-like Wheaten Terrier, who spazzed out with friendship and playfully insane energy whenever someone came by our table. He probably gave our server a full-on saliva bath.

OUTFIT ARCHITECTURE / DEETS

H&M rouched sleeve stripe top. Zara coral knife pleat maxi skirt. Target woven belt. Random boutique lace crochet dangle earrings. Aldo leopard wedge heels (not pictured… not seen). Claire’s Boutique gold woven headband. Wendy Mink gold cuff. JewelMint floral full finger ring. House of Harlow antique key ring.

ALTERNATIVES / WHERE

TOP: Alice + Olivia Stripe top.
SKIRT: Coral maxi skirt, Thakoon (most similar). Topshop pleated maxi skirt.
BELT: Woven leather waist belt, Ralph Lauren. (GO for high quality waist belts!)
EARRINGS: … one of a kind…
ARM PARTY: House of Harlow antique key ring, (exact). Alexander McQueen floral skull ring. Gold filigree full finger ring.

thereafterish, ootd, asian street style, lace dangle earrings

Got these crochet lace dangle earrings in a boutique in Decatur, Atlanta, when I was visiting Cath and Lar from AsianCajuns.com!

ootd, arm party, House of Harlow key ring, jewelmint floral full finger ring, wendy mink cuff

My arm and hand party: House of Harlow Antique Key Ring, JewelMint Floral full finger ring, Wendy Mink hammered gold cuff. J’Yeah!

“Is my belly pouche showing? Do I need to suck it in?”

And I leave you with my funny expression where I’m asking Husby if my stomach (bloated from dinner) is stickin’ out. IS IT?

SUCK IT IN, LADIES! Bwah hahah!

Have a SUPER AWESOME DAY! Don’t forget to enter my SHOPBOP $100 Giftcard GIVEAWAY. It ends next Wednesday Feb 27 and winner will be announced on my FACEBOOK PAGE on February 28th! SO MAKE SURE YOU ARE IN THE KNOW.

Me ke aloha ~ With love + aloha,
Mae Xx

Find out how I earn cash back from 95% of my online shopping! Click here to learn more: http://bit.ly/YB8oHX

Architecture of an Outfit: thereafterish. x Bleed For Fashion – Bestie Meet Up

Posted on February 12, 2013 by Mae

When two separated friends finally unite. Lily of ‘Bleed For Fashion‘ x Mae of ‘thereafterish.’. Finally… this happened.

{ thereafterish. x Bleed For Fashion: [Finally] united, and it feels [felt] so good. }

thereafterish, ootd, bleed for fashion, street style fashion, asian street style, vancouver street style

thereafterish. x bleed for fashion: bestie e-union.

Meet one of my best and dearest friends in the world, Lilyanne.

I’ve been known Lily for 3+ years through reading her blog ‘Bleed For Fashion‘. Over that time, we became friends–we bonded through long, heartfelt emails, tweet conversations and blog comments for the longest time. It wasn’t long, though, before we started video chatting late into the night on Skype. We had had standing plans to meet up two Christmases in a row while I visited my family in British Columbia, Canada, but the timing never worked where I could actually make it to Vancouver to see each other. Well, this past holiday, our e-union (as opposed to re-union) finally happened.

And it was like we picked up right where our last phone call left off. This is what you call happiness: realizing that the friendship you’ve built for years while separated by time and distance is exactly as wonderful in person as it is in digital. It’s the same feeling I felt upon the realization that my marriage to Husby (N) was just as wonderful as when we were dating and living together, but better, because we were just as happy, and nothing had changed or that nothing was “different” as everyone had sworn in ominous tones it would be.

A lot of bloggers may understand what I mean about having a mostly long-distance deep friendship. And a lot of other people (read: non-bloggers) may find it weird that I call someone I’ve only mostly known online my best friend. But honestly, most of my best friendships usually are “vetted,” honed and bonded this way: through letters and texts and long Twitter conversations. It’s these snippets of life I can save like a cookie fortune, tucked away in my memory banks and email archives and keepsake boxes, to look back on and savor or pull out when I’m feeling gloomy and in need of warmth.

Hell, I met N online and we’re still together, going strong, eight years later.

The types of friendships built on thousands of words and profound moments are the kinds that you can treasure. Though you lack physical experiences and activities together, you share a bond through the thoroughly getting to know one another, sharing the deepest parts of your heart and mind. It’s a bond of emotion, mutual respect and a type of unconditional passion (non-romantic) that you create together.

My best friend, Lily. She’s amazing. Anyone who thinks otherwise is absolutely in error.

WORN:

Motel Rocks Pleather Moto Jacket, MikiNola Oxblood Pleated Skirt, Wool Circle Scarf, Marc Jacobs Nylon Tote (also here – Striped Version), Black Platform Wedge Bootie.

ON HER:

Black Cropped Leather Jacket, Rachel Comey Booties (Exact), Chanel Shopper Tote (Exact).

I’m so lucky to know this brilliant, courageous and utterly gorgeous woman–inwardly and outwardly. Not only is her style out of this world, she is one of the sharpest, brightest minds of the blogosphere, and in my little bubble of perception.

Love you, girl.

Read, love and find my BFF Lily here:
Website: Bleed For Fashion
Facebook Page: Bleed For Fashion Facebook
Instagram: @bleedforfashion

Have you ever made a good or best friend or even a significant other online? DO SHARE!

Also, don’t forget to enter my very little entered Valentine’s Day beauty giveaway HERE. You can win my two Holy Grail red lipsticks that look good on everyone plus a few pampering goodies.

Me ke aloha ~ With love + aloha,
Mae Xx

Add me on Instagram! (@maeluu)
VISIT My Facebook Page now! Join me and be my ohana (family)!
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What I Wore: Head Gear

Posted on February 5, 2013 by Mae

Aloha, Lovecat? Howzit?

I’m going through an obsession phase with head gear.

thereafterish, ootd, what I wore, stylish head accessories, goddess headband

Head Gear Game: My new obsession with headbands is just a way to deal with the awkward grow-out length of my hair.

It’s the perfect way to combat that awkward grow-out phase of my hair where one side flips in and the other side flips out despite a blow out and product. It’s great to be able to pull it back and “hide” with a headband whilst I mull it over whether I go back under the shears or whether I allow the hair to grow out again. I’ve had long hair. But I’ve mostly had short hair since my senior year in high school. Should I grow it out again or try something edgy? MEDUNNO.

What say you?

What are your fashion obsessions lately?

Me ke aloha ~ With love + aloha,
Mae Xx

Architecture of an Outfit VID: All Black & James Perse Tee Review

Posted on January 29, 2013 by Mae

Aloha, Lovecat! This is how I dress when it’s cold and rainy during our “winter” in Hawaii. And I address the question: “Are luxury tees like James Perse T-Shirts worth the money?“

{ Architecture of an Outfit VID / OOTD: All black James Perse V Neck T, Lace Tights, High Waisted Bandage Pencil Skirt, Suede and Rubber Wedge Booties, Bomber Jacket and Gold Armswag. }

I wore this a couple weeks ago when the weather was booty here in Honolulu. It’s not cold for most of you, but it was freezing for me. So glad I saved my lace stockings from when I used to live in Detroit. WIN.

EDIT:
Are Luxury Tees Worth The Price?: A Quick Review of my James Perse T-Shirt

So, after winning a ShopBop giveaway last month, I was finally able to snag my first James Perse T-shirt. Given the $50-65 price tag, I’d never justify nor entertain the idea of buying one. Why you try to gut me, luxe T designers? I’ll cut you.

But seriously, dude, why so expensive?

If you never feel one or try it on, you won’t get it. They are, just as the description and label infers, luxuriously comfortable and soft. Immediately out of the packaging, I could feel a difference between my $5 regular cotton Ts and my slightly more pricey $20 American Apparel T. The weave is more delicate with finer thread, so the cotton feels more silky or creamy against the skin. Think a smooth pudding versus a creamy oatmeal. Or satin versus muslin. That’s the difference between James Perse and a normal Hanes T.

are james perse tees worth the money, james perse tee review, thereafterish, ootd

Question: Are James Perse Tees worth the money? Let’s see.

Secondly, the shirts are manufactured Stateside. Not in some cramped, dark, horrible factory in Bangladesh or China or Southeast Asia. (Granted, there may be issues concerning the working conditions of American clothing manufacturing facilities which need further looking into… But US made is important.) US made products are usually more expensive, especially from luxury brands. However, some of that high price tag goes to supporting American manufacturer jobs. At least you’d hope.

Thirdly, after 3 wears, the fabric still didn’t pill or ball up even with friction of my tote bag and wearing jackets over it. This means high marks from me, since Ts Ive bought from other companies that charge $60+ for Ts (Ahem, MinkPink!) ended up pilling and showing wear in the pit region after only two wears.

With how amazing the fabric feels on, and against my skin, I feel like I understand the high price tag of some of these T Shirts. Will I pay $65 for a plain T if I didn’t have a gift code for it? Probably not without great debate… And I’d probably super lurk and cyber stalk the item until it goes on sale and snag a couple instead of paying full price. But the bottom line is that I get it. Would I pay $100+ for a basic T? Absolutely not, but at the $45-65 range, it’s reasonable. And besides, if its something you’ll wear regularly, you might as well get something of quality that will last and wear well, rather than something cheap like a $10 T shirt that will start looking grungy, worn out or gross after 6 washes and you have to demote to cleaning rag status or donate. (What chic thrifter will want a worn out T, anyway?)

One con to these luxury tees, price notwithstanding, is the care involved. My James Perse T is no throw-it-in-with-the-socks type. You have to read the care label and wash accordingly and with care. I put my tee in a lingerie mesh bag and washed it on gentle cycle with my lacy unmentionables and bras. And, instead of throwing it in the dryer, I hung it on a velvet flocked hanger and let it air dry. (Lying flat would’ve been better, but we don’t have space for a drying rack in our house.) It should be steamed, not ironed, to preserve the integrity of the tissue-thin cotton.

James Perse Tee, Bamboo Sky Collar Necklace, Mikinola Bandage skirt, Sketchers Booties

Most people will not go to these lengths to care for their Ts. And, in that case, I’d say your shirt won’t last as long. But is it still worth the price? Mostly.

For those whose throats constrict just thinking about splashing out that much for a mere T-shirt, but still want a good quality USA made T, American Apparel shirts are pretty good and only cost $20ish. I’ve had my deep v cotton T for ages (maybe 5+ years?), and it still feels great, but that piece is pilled to sh*t and the v is too sexy-deep for a busty girl like mahself to bust out without a tank under (a whole OTHER problem with Amurrican Appurl altogether). If you can’t justify either of those for a T-SHIRT, stick with Fruit of the Loom. They’re comfy. But they’re still lumpy oatmeal and not silky chocolate pudding. Just sayin’.

Point is: yes. I can see the reasons behind the price. Will I be willing to pay it for real next time, yes, if it’s in the budget. But I’d rather wait for it to go on sale. Do I want more James Perse Ts? You bet your ass I do, toots.

OUTFIT ARCHITECTURE

Luxe T, James Perse. High Waisted Bandage Pencil Skirt, Mikinola Boutique (@mikinola on Instagram). Bomber Jacket, Chloe K (?). Lace Tights, Target. Suede Wedge Booties, Sketchers. Gold collar necklace, Bamboo Sky. Gold Tribal earrings, Bamboo Sky. Screw bangle and mini spike bangle, CC Skye via ShopBop.

ALTERNATIVES

TOP: James Perse V neck T-Shirt (exact same)
SKIRT: High waisted bandage pencil skirt, & HERE
JACKET: Bomber Jacket, & HERE
SHOES: Suede Wedge booties (high end) & HERE
NECKLACE: Gold collar necklace & HERE & HERE
BRACELETS: CC Skye screw bangle (exact), CC Skye Spike Bangle (exact).
EARRINGS: Gold triangle earrings & HERE

MUSIC: Broke For Free – “The Gold Lining”

LINK: Watch on YouTube Page

How is your week going so far?

Me ke aloha ~ With love + aloha,
Mae Xx

VISIT My Facebook Page now! Join me and be my ohana (family)!

Find out how I earn cash back from 95% of my online shopping! Click here to learn more: http://bit.ly/YB8oHX

FTC Disclaimer: Not a sponsored video, contains affiliate links. Any opinions expressed in this video are mine and mine alone, and are my personal and honest opinion. This video is not intended to influence any viewers or to malign any of the manufacturers or product companies mentioned. Any representation, statistic, quote or product claim should be verified by the party in question. Video creator is not responsible for the content in any comments on or responses to this video. Music obtained from http://freemusicarchive.org – Music is all royalty free and approved for use by artists through the Free Music Archive user agreement.

#InstaStyle/OOTD: What I Wore Today

Posted on January 24, 2013 by Mae

Aloha, Lovecat. I’m too tired to write a real post, so this is one of my “Preview” type OOTD… except I won’t post the full outfit post for a couple of weeks, since I need to shoot the outfit still.

If you want to stay up to date on my goings on and what outfits of the day I’m rocking more frequently than I show here, add me on Instagram (username: @maluu)!

thereafterish, ootd, hawaii street style, asian street style fashion, grecian dress, yellow belt, eden

Grecian style dress from Eden In Love Boutique at The Wedding Café, Ward Warehouse, Honolulu.

Snagged this Grecian style dress with split front slit at Eden in Love Boutique at The Wedding Cafe at Ward Warehouse Mall in Honolulu. So cute and comfy. Went barefoot in the office… kicked off the gladiator sandals and went Aloha Style. But I have my yellow Zara heels in the car which I forwent for the day since the Hawaii News Now weather report app was horrendously off on their prediction of “scattered clouds, low chance of rain.” Um, it was raining torrentially for hours on and off and the sun was nowhere to be found. #MeteorologyFAIL, guys.

Well, that’s it. That’s what I wore today. Do you like? What sort of jewelry or shoes should I wear with this?

Me ke aloha ~ With love + aloha,
Mae Xx

VISIT My Facebook Page now! Join me and be my ohana (family)!

Architecture of an Outfit: Oxblood and A Million Lights

Posted on January 20, 2013 by Mae

Oxblood pleated skirt, striped tie-neck blouse, floppy hat by ETSIS, and A Million Lights. It’s my…

{ Architecture of an Outfit: Oxblood pleated skirt, striped tie-neck blouse, custom floppy hat and an obsession with twinkling Christmas lights }

Aloha, Lovecat. Howzit? OMG, this is my 500th post on thereafterish.! WHOA.

thereafterish, ootd, oxblood, oxblood skirt, Asian Street Style Fashion

Oxblood pleated skirt, ETSIS Custom Hat, Stripes and obsession with Christmas Lights

Another canned traditional blogger pose.

Close up of the tie neck blouse.

I love Christmas lights. I wish Christmas wasn’t over so I could still drive around Hawaii Kai and stare at the million twinkling lights.

Arm candy detail

OUTFIT ARCHITECTURE

Striped tie neck blouse, Vince (similar here, here). Pleated oxblood skirt, Mikinola Boutique (similar here, here). Nude belt, J. Crew (similar here). Nude pumps, Steve Madden (similar here, here — most similar, here). Floppy hat by ETSIS Hats (similar here, here).

OOTD: Nude to balance the oxblood and stripes.

Are you as obsessed with lights as I am? How will you rock your oxblood this year?

Me ke aloha ~ love + aloha,
Mae Xx

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Architecture of an Outfit: Whip It

Posted on January 16, 2013 by Mae

Getting wind-whipped by a draped wrap cardigan next to a crazy Christmas House on a mountainside Hawaii neighborhood, while walking a stubborn Wheaten Terrier that looks a lot like a teddy bear… It’s my…

{ Architecture of an Outfit: Drape Wrap Cardigan, Thigh Highs, Body Con Skirt, Paisley Blouse, Sam Edelman Booties, Getting Whipped by Wind, The Christmas House and a Dog That Looks Like a Teddy Bear }

thereafterish, koko head, hawaii living, hawaii life, living in hawaii, koko head, mariners ridge

Hawaii Life: Epic Light on Koko Head at Golden Hour

Aloha Kakahiaka ~ Good morning, Lovecat! How’re you today?

I’m fabulous. Yesterday’s sunset was absolutely gorgeous. As I was coming home, Golden Hour was in full swing and hit Koko Head just so. The evening felt magical and full of promise, which I of course squandered by taking a long nap once we were done with our family walk.

“Winter” is weird here in Oahu. It can be completely hot and dry on one side of the island, and on the other, it’s 10 degrees colder, windy, blustery and raining off and on like crazy. Living on the side of the mountain makes the weather difference more punctuated as well. It can be about 5 degrees cooler and much wetter and windier in our neighborhood than in the neighborhoods out near the water. Hence, I hardly ever take outfit shots outside near my home.

I tried a few shoots on a couple of Family Walks before Christmas. It was an experience–my clothes whipping violently against my legs and my hair slashing my eyeballs.

Mariners Ridge, Hawaii Living, Hawaii Life, thereafterish, Hawaii blog

Down the street from The Christmas House – Husby (N) and Max the Bear[Dog] and I on a “Family Walk”.

thereafterish, ootd, asian street style, hawaii street style, wrap drape cardigan, Sam Edelman Zoe

Wind Whipped

Stubborn Bear[Dog] pulling me.

Max and I at the Christmas House.

Inspired by Harry Potter. Without the drape cardigan. and I’m pouting because I’m cold.

OUTFIT ARCHITECTURE / DETAILS

Victoria’s Secret drape wrap cardigan. Club Monaco paisley print button down. Tiered body con mini skirt, unknown. Sam Edelman Zoe Bootie. Random locket watch. CC Skye Gold Screw Bracelet. JewelMint Golden Goose Bracelet.

Harry Potter chic?

thereafterish, ootd, armswag, asian street style, hawaii street style, wrap drape cardigan, Sam Edelman Zoe

My Armswag

Random… got it off Amazon. You can probably get a similar one from Clair’s for, like, $8.50.

ALTERNATIVES

CARDI: Wrap drape cardigan, Alice + Olivia. Drape cardigan, 7 For All Mankind (most similar). Knit drape cardigan, Splendid.
TOP: Silk paisley blouse, Elizabeth & James (most similar). Paisley blouse, ALC. Printed paisley blouse, MNG.
SKIRT: Bandage skirt, Wow Couture. Bandage skirt, Herve Leger (most similar).
BOOTS: Sam Edelman Zoe bootie (exact same). Black platform wedge bootie (similar).
ARMSWAG: Gold spike bracelet, CC Skye (exact same). Gold screw bracelet, CC Skye (exact same). Gold spike bracelet, Shopbop (similar to Golden Goose). Spike bracelet, Max & Chloe (similar to Golden Goose).

Windy…

From the back.

How’s your week going?

Me ke aloha ~ With love + aloha,
Mae Xx

VISIT My Facebook Page now! Join me and be my ohana (family)!

Days in the Life: Holidays 2012, Part I

Posted on January 10, 2013 by Mae

Aloha, Lovecat. So, yeah, I was kind of missing in action all Christmas/Holiday Season. But, I’m bat-sh*t crazy for Christmas. If you didn’t know… you will know once you’re done watching this vlog. Even though I was MIA, I filmed a lot of footage of my days. So here it is…

{ Day in the Life: My Holiday Season 2012, Part I }

thereafterish, honolulu living, wheaten terrier, dogs that look like teddy bears

Max the Christmas Bear at the Christmas House in Hawaii Kai

If you want to know what I was up to this Christmas season… please keep watching.

The Christmas House
My Fixation with Christmas Season and Festive Decor
Christmas House #2
How Christmas in a Warm Climate is More “Christmas-y” to me than Snow Fields, Pine Trees and Cold

More to come with several parts – see parts of my Christmas Holiday, parts of a last minute trip to Canada, and how I spent New Year.

Music:
Listed in Order of Feature.

Goto80 and the Uwe Schwenk Band – “Volksing Ferretismico” (Chip Tune, Electronic)
freemusicarchive.org/music/Goto80_and_the_Uwe_Schenk_Band

Sycamore Drive – “Slumber” (Chip Tune, Electronic)
freemusicarchive.org/music/Sycamore_Drive/

Lomovolokno – “Overlay Star” (Electronic, Chill Out)
freemusicarchive.org/music/Lomovolokno

Sycamore Drive – “Mortimer’s Melody”

Will Heikoop – “Christmas Star”
freemusicarchive.org/music/Will_Heikoop

How was your Holiday Season?

Me ke aloha ~ With love + aloha,
Mae Xx

VISIT My Facebook Page now! Join me and be my ohana (family)!

FTC: Not a sponsored post. There is nothing sponsored about this video. It’s a very personal video and no person or thing was harmed in the making of it.

Music obtained from Free Music Archive by WFMU. Music is all royalty free and approved for use by artists through the Free Music Archive user agreement.
—

Vlog: Love and Honesty: Be Who You Are, Show Yourself

Posted on December 5, 2012 by Mae

Aloha, Lovecat, This will be a very personal vlog and article…

I’ve mentioned it before, but I am and can be insanely self-conscious about myself, my body and my outfits, and sometimes down-right insecure about all three. So I thought I’d talk about 1. perception and tell you a bit more about my personality, 2. go bare-faced and in depth about the biggest insecurity of all that I face daily, and 3. show you a little bit more about my Everyday (my workplace and my office).

*Warning: NSFW: contains explicit language*

You may not know that I’ve been a blogging for, like, forever… I started a personal blog back in 2002, which began as a true journal, where I’d write my fiction (I’ve been a writer since childhood, and even went to school for writing–English Bachelor of Science), talk about my relationship, do some creative non-fiction and, of course, the occasional style post. As time went on, I wanted to focus less on talking so openly about my relationship as we progressed and grew into more of a family-unit together, and more on my style posts and fiction. Eventually, it was advised that I focus primarily on style and make a separate style blog just for my fashion-related posts and keep my creative, personal blog private. That was two years ago. Eventually, my journal site writings fell by the way side as my energies on my style blog grew, and the more open, raw, honest and personal side began to diminish.

I know that I don’t always showcase all sides of me on my style blog. Many fashion bloggers have this flawless, gorgeous appearance. They always look amazing, they have perfect photos, great outfits, expensive clothes, the perfect house. They have this well-polished facade–not necessarily fake, but a curated aspect of their world that only showcases one facet of their life, while keeping their personal, IRL personality behind an unspoken screen. Occasionally, they show us their real colors and their personality, but a lot of the time, what we see of them is only what we see in their gorgeous, edited photos.

I have many times tried to infuse my silly personality through my writing, but I never know how it’s received. Some of you actually know how insane, quirky, totally bat-shit weird I am. Some of you know that I have the habits of a yuppie and like to joke that I hate being called it. Some of you know I label every thing in my life in order to ascribe meaning to them and what they mean to me. Some of you know I don’t take myself very seriously. Some of you know that I’m pretty sarcastic and my sense of humor doesn’t make sense to most people. Some of you realize I think I’m a lot funnier than I am truly, and that what I can say in text can translate pretty poorly. Some of you know I live with Chronic Bitch Face and Chronic Bitch Voice, so I can appear or sound condescending, snotty and bitchy, when in my head I’m singing, dancing in the rain and skipping down streets, and cooing at people in a happy voice.

But honestly, until you’ve met me, you don’t really know what I’m like, because only fractions of ME show up on screen. So I challenged myself to open up to you guys a little more and talk about things in my life honestly.

I’m finally now in my Thirties, and it’s taken me a life-long journey of successes, failures, strength and weakness, grief and joy, pain and calm, to understand who I am, what I want in life and how to get there, what it is I love about me, how to address what I don’t love, and grow and mature in the process.

I used to want everyone to love me, like me, understand me. I used to want to get along with everyone and please them. Everyone had to be my friend. When they didn’t, when I got rebuffed, when I got bullied (I was bullied a ton in grade school and junior high), when I was threatened, when people talked sh*t, it f*cking hurt, leaving me heartbroken. It would rend my little world asunder, my head would reel and falter and my heart would plummet into a void for weeks or months. Sometimes, it still feels a little like that when people don’t like me, and yeah, it hurts a little, but after awhile, I’m like Eff-It. I’m more than blessed with amazing family, friends, besties and even readers who are some of the most brilliant, supportive and kind people in the world. But you know? It took lots of alienation, lots of great friendships lost and gained, lots of heartbreak and new love for me to understand that not everyone can appreciate the intensity of my personality, style of communication, friendship and love. A lot of people can be put off by me as a person, and by how intensely and passionately I live my life. But that side doesn’t always communicate through the screen, the silly canned poses and edited pictures, since my blog is probably the one thing I take casually and view as a fun, creative outlet and a type of catharsis from everything else in life.

Anyway, I’m trying to show you my True Face, my Bare Face… so that I’m a bit more real to you as a person, and hopefully as a friend. I speak very plainly in this vlog, and I know that I may get flack or not for even posting it, but if I’m being honest with you (and myself), then it doesn’t matter. I just want to connect with ONE PERSON over everything I’m saying, however scattered, however nonsensical I may sound right now, and maybe make another true friend from it. (Note: Some of the best friendships I’ve had and have in my life, have been made through blogging connections, and I am so lucky for that. Bloggers are a tribe.)

What you think of yourself is much more important than what people think of you, be happy with yourself inspirational quote

Truth. via http://www.yogitimes.com.

None of us are perfect, we all have SOMETHING we want to change about ourselves, and maybe by being real about it and talking about it and addressing it, we can grow and mature from it and maybe even change it for the better. And when you learn to live to make yourself happy and make yourself a better person, and not live for other people and what they think of you, your entire life changes and makes the world in which YOU live a better place.

Okay…. that was all off the cuff, just letting my brain go, brain-farting as it so often does, so I don’t know if you follow any of this scattered mess. I just wanted to be more real and give you more about me. I want to get back to the open, more real stuff I used to write about. I used to find such joy in writing. I won’t go into the details I used to–after all, SOMETHING has to be kept private–and I may or may not post fiction here, but this blog is more to me now than just my over-the-top fashion. For one thing, I live on a budget and I can’t afford to shop all the time. And for another, I’m too busy to photograph my outfits everyday, anyway. When I’m not thinking about blogging (which is often), I’d rather just be living and enjoying the Heaven on Earth I’m so lucky to live in, and hopefully taking some of you along for the ride.

… um. So yeah.

Thank you for listening. Thank you for watching.

Me ke aloha ~ With love + aloha,
Mae Xx

thereafterish.

Tag Archives: thereafterish.

Weekend Recap: Mau‘i No Ka Oi

A Big Girl Birthday

{ Surprise! A Big Girl Birthday Dinner Party With People! Yay For Friends and Vegetarian Sushi! }

Architecture of an Outfit: Lazy Day Essentials: How to Get Away With Not Shaving Your Legs

{ Architecture of an Outfit / OOTD: Lazy Day Essentials – How to get away with not shaving your legs! }

Style Cravings: Luxury Lounge

{ Lusting After: Luxury Casual }

Style Craving: Geometric, Black and White Bathing Suits

{ Wishlist – Style Craving }

Life’s a Beach: Sherwood Forest AKA Waimanalo Bay Beach Park

{ Life’s a Beach: Favorite Beaches in the Kingdom }

Architecture of an Outfit: Sherbet Pringles

{ Architecture of an Outfit: knife pleat coral maxi skirt, striped shirred sleeve top, lace dangle earrings, and Max the Wheaten Terrier Bear Dog }

Architecture of an Outfit: thereafterish. x Bleed For Fashion – Bestie Meet Up

{ thereafterish. x Bleed For Fashion: [Finally] united, and it feels [felt] so good. }

What I Wore: Head Gear

Architecture of an Outfit VID: All Black & James Perse Tee Review

{ Architecture of an Outfit VID / OOTD: All black James Perse V Neck T, Lace Tights, High Waisted Bandage Pencil Skirt, Suede and Rubber Wedge Booties, Bomber Jacket and Gold Armswag. }

#InstaStyle/OOTD: What I Wore Today

Architecture of an Outfit: Oxblood and A Million Lights

{ Architecture of an Outfit: Oxblood pleated skirt, striped tie-neck blouse, custom floppy hat and an obsession with twinkling Christmas lights }

Architecture of an Outfit: Whip It

{ Architecture of an Outfit: Drape Wrap Cardigan, Thigh Highs, Body Con Skirt, Paisley Blouse, Sam Edelman Booties, Getting Whipped by Wind, The Christmas House and a Dog That Looks Like a Teddy Bear }

Days in the Life: Holidays 2012, Part I

{ Day in the Life: My Holiday Season 2012, Part I }

Vlog: Love and Honesty: Be Who You Are, Show Yourself

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