I don’t know about you, but I am feeling very anxious and impatient for Spring to arrive. I have been seeing the Spring fashions for months now, and feel the need to get out of these darker and heavier clothes. I am even quite willing to put away the boots (my favorite part of Winter fashion).

My travels have taken me to a few destinations this month and I always check out the local fashion scene wherever I end up. As different as the various locations are, there are certainly similarities. Each location has unique boutiques that carry different lines, however the main theme is often the same.

I was in Miami, Bahamas, St. Thomas, Puerto Rico and Grand Turk. The turquoise waters and white sand beaches were certainly an inspiration for all the turquoise jewelry we are seeing in the fashion magazines this year. Fashion is being infused with nature this Spring, much of the jewelry, belts, and accessories are made from natural materials, such as seashell hemp or straw. The big floppy sunhats you see on the beaches of the world, are another hot item that will be appearing on our North American beaches for this Summer.

I had the pleasure of chatting with another boutique owner in Nassau, Bahamas. Next time your travels take you to Nassau, be sure to stop in and say hello to Maria at Via Mare Boutique. I found beautiful dresses, footwear and accessories in this tastefully appointed shop. You can enjoy a latte from the adjoining coffee shop, while you stroll through her boutique and enjoy the fabulous finds.

As I think about how much I enjoy the shops of exotic destinations, it makes me think of all the tourists we get in Kelowna who are so pleasantly surprised when they step into Frakas in the Mission. We greet shoppers from all over the world, so it is certainly a huge compliment when they tell us how wonderful the store is in Kelowna.

This week, I am off to Bali, Indonesia. I look forward to checking out the fashion hotspots in Ubud. And, I look forward to returning to Spring in Kelowna.

Be sure to check out the Frakas blog for weekly fashion stories, pictures and motivational updates at Frakas.

And for you Facebookers, you can find tons of pictures of our Spring arrivals at “Frakas Boutique”.