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POSTED: Thursday, July 02, 2009

What a difference a few years make.

Few Americans were ever against the red, white and blue, but as recently as two years ago, many were hesitant to don the symbolic color combination when to do so risked being associated with the hawkish cult of “;You're either with us or against us”; flag wavers who helped turn our once-respected nation into a global pariah.

Now that our new president has begun the task of rebuilding our relationships with other nations, those sensitive to nuance and the United States' stature around the globe can once again feel proud to sport the colors of the American flag.

Of course, fashion doesn't have to be symbolic. Red state or blue state, politics don't really matter when red, white and blue just happens to be a classic color combination associated with summer and leisure.

Wear the crisp colors singly or together this Fourth of July holiday and beyond. Most of all, wear them with pride. Here are a few looks pulled from the racks at Ala Moana Center.

                                                                                                                           

CELEBRATING THE FOURTH

» Place: Ala Moana Center

» Centerstage entertainment: Noon to 5 p.m. Saturday (Maunaloa, Touch of Gold, and Taimane Gardner) and Sunday (Aloha Monday Band, and Peter Apo and the Rainbow Nation Band)

» Parking deck concert: 5 to 8:30 p.m. Saturday, with Anita Hall, Hoku Zuttermeister, Natalie Kamauu, B.E.T., Pali and Manoa DNA

» Fireworks: 8:30 p.m. Saturday, with 30 percent new pyrotechnics

» Shop: Pickup a savings pass for a 20 percent discount at participating merchants