Shopping in Huntington Beach

Visitors to The Movement enter a 10,000-square-foot space filled with all the clothes and gear for hitting the beach, halfpipe, or stylish midsummer barbeque from brands such as RVCA, OBEY, and Volcom. Surfers and snowboarders keep track of time with the help of high-performance Nixon and G-Shock watches, and GoPro cameras help them record and upload their aerial antics. The Movement also carries name-brand sunglasses from Oakley, Ray-Ban, and Maui Jim as well as a host of flowing women’s tops, dresses, and skirts.

Cobalt blue, lavender, and turquoise hues pervade the lines of baubles and accents at Primitives, LTD, a jewelry outfit that has been curating a selection of handcrafted pieces since 1988. Created primarily by Navajo, Zuni, and Hopi artists, the shop’s displays are dominated by nature-influenced designs. Artist Alan Kiva handcrafts a line of Zuni opal prayer beads, carving a total of 365 cuts into each bead’s stones to represent hopes for good health, prosperity, and a surfeit of cat videos for each day of the year. The opal inlaid into the beads’ sterling-silver setting comes in colors from frosted pink to green fire and is cut through by a ribbon of clear gemstones, exemplifying the ethereal beauty of many of Primitives’ pieces.

In 1981, Maggie Morgan and her daughter, Maria, opened a clothing boutique together in South Wales. They two fair-haired women named their shop Blondies, and in its window, they displayed a replica of the taffeta gown that Princess Diana wore when she became engaged to Prince Charles a month earlier. Maggie passed away due to lung cancer in 1999, and after moving to the United States, Maria decided to honor her by opening a lingerie shop with the same name as the boutique the two had shared. Additionally, she decided that the newest incarnation of Blondies would hold events throughout the year to benefit cancer research.

Blondies' patrons browse lingerie from 15 manufacturers and bras in sizes 30A through L that Maria custom-fits to ensure they don't fall into the majority of bra-wearers who sport an ill-fitting size. She also embellishes bra straps with Swarovski crystals and designs flowing, jewel-encrusted scarves that can be worn in a variety of ways.

Canvas Print Now's owner and founder, Marcus Stokes, began his canvas career with a single canvas printer. That was 12 years ago. Along with 24 years of experience in the general graphics industry, he used his knowledge to form Canvas Print Now. On the edge of technological advancement, the company's printers now produce high-definition artwork from their image store. Clients can also send in shots from their personal cameras or mobile phones to be printed for display in their homes or the homes of their sworn enemies. The staff can customize each image as well, producing it in collage or split form, and they can add effects such as sepia, paint-like strokes, or color retouching.