Wahine wear

It's pissed-off tourist season on Kauai, which, in translation means it's been raining every day, all day. I've been feeling down lately, and usually a cure for the blues for me is vigorous exercise. Today I said to myself, "to hell with getting wet and frizzy, I am going for a run!" And so I did, but first I had to figure out what to wear. This is usually not something I ponder, I grab shorts and a t-shirt or tank, and go.

However...

On Kauai, there is tourist wear and there is local wear. If you are local- and by local, I mean you live here, are kama'aina, not Hawaiian- then you are expected to show some skin. When I jog Hanalei Bay in shorts and and t shirt, I look like the fattest of redhead super-blobs to ever run the bay. I'm 5'8 and about 132. Not small, but not fat. But here, when you dress conservatively, you're asking to be disdained. Most girls run the bay in their bikinis. Some are tan, lithe, 23 year-olds. Some are tan, chubby, 55 year-olds. Doesn't matter, everyone's in a bikini. There's also a difference between the bikinis the locals and tourists wear. Local girl will be in a brazilian bikini, cut away on the bottoms, and hanging out everywhere. Even the big girls are in them. Tourists are in their one piece (totally weird here) or muted color full-bottom bikinis with spray tans and done hair.

A local girl is always luscious looking. Very long hair; like the rings on a tree trunk, you can tell how long a woman has been here by the length of her hair. Long hair, little clothing, faintly tinted red from the island dirt. Basically a bit off looking, compared to the mainland. I once ran into a woman at Costco wearing a beige bra as a shirt and no one looked twice but the tourists. You can get away with some crazy shit here.

Local boys are even more casual. It's hard to get them to put on a shirt. You will also know them by the Kauai local boy truck.



Keepin' it classy on Kauai. Today I ran in a pink sports bra and adidas shorts. Seven more pounds and a few more months of island living before I'm rocking the bikini.

aloha.