Aloha

I remember when my parents went to Hawaii and brought me back a Hawaiian print dress as a souvenir. It promptly went into my closet and I never wore it. Too loud, too bright, too much pattern. If only they had come upon these handbags designed by Hawaiian local Denise Tjarks. Made from vintage mu'umu'us and traditional aloha fabrics, they are the perfect amount of Hawaiian. The lighthearted fabrics and colors have a youthful air that are fun and totally unique. The best part? The loud colorful flowers are now a beautiful accessory rather than plastered all over my body. Now I can have that "just got back from Hawaii" look, even if I can never afford to actually go there. This Audrey bag with bamboo handles is made from a vintage mu'umu'u in orange, red and pink (one of my favorite color combinations!) that reverses to a green palm print. That is like getting two purses in one! Not into the mumu/aloha fabrics? Never fear, she also makes stunning handbags in other fabrics. I love this three piece Shasa handbag in groovy swirls of celery, brown and orange with a cool silver "belt" that reverses to a solid denim. At prices starting at only $35, this is uptown style at a budget-conscious price. Since most of her bags are one-of-a-kind, don't wait too long to get your favorite bag (and you will have many I assure you!), as it will be gone before you know it.