By Craig T. Kojima, Star-Bulletin
Carmen Morioka shows off the Liberty House collection
of leashes, above. They can have a single loop to snag your
glasses or they can connect in the more traditional manner
at both earpieces. Either way, below, they're
fancy enough to be jewelry.

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It’s all in
the accessories

Keep your glasses close at hand—and
do it with style

By Kimberly Fu
Star-Bulletin

From everyday black nylon to threads weaved in ethnic patterns, from plastic pastel chains to elaborate metal beading with cloisonné accents, eyeglass holders are setting a trend in Hawaii fashion.

"They have style," said Carmen Morioka, a Liberty House employee who owns several pieces from different collections. "I always wear the cheap ones because I like to change my style a lot." Morioka said her favorites are the beaded Corinne McCormack numbers ($13 to $20), which feature funky gem-studded stars, porpoises, simple chains with anchor accents and elegant tortoise-shell beads that double as necklaces.

The collection is also popular with the locals, another Liberty House employee said, because they are simple and inexpensive. Japanese tourists prefer to give the heavy, beaded holders accented with metal trinkets ($45) as gifts.

Power cords are popular with everybody, said Terrie Toma, a Shades of California employee. Available in both thick and thin styles, the black power cord ($2.80 to $5.95) is the shop's top-selling eyeglass holder because it's "stronger and the hold is better."

Shades of California also carries a large assortment of Croakies -- wide neoprene or cotton holders printed with anything from jalapeno peppers to frogs ($5.95) -- popular with the athletic set, Toma said.

To set a fashion statement of your own, stake out the following stores:

Shirokiya features simple metal chains with bead accents, small beaded links and leather ropes, from $9.90 to $47.

Sunglass Hut offers an array of holders, from tiny, beaded Corinne McCormack links to sporty Croakies. The "gourmet" holders are handmade Bastuli Vision cords, from $39.99 for leather cords with metal accents to $64.99 for metal chains with metal or crystal beads. They sell well with expensive sunglasses such as the Lagerfeld collection, an employee said. Also available are natural or colored leather designs (from $14.99) to multicolored nylon bands, a local favorite because of the price ($5.99).

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Dead Ringer