Unlike furs and thigh-high boots, ponchos adapt well to our tropical climate. Designers are offering them in cool, lightweight fabrics as well as cashmere and mink.

Low-end designers and retailers quickly picked up on the trend so we have plenty of choices, at a wide range of prices.

A word of caution: A poncho can go from glamorous to dowdy in a flash. Be sure to get the proportions right. If you want to wear it with a skirt, the skirt needs to be narrow, such as a pencil skirt. A long, flowing skirt and a poncho can overwhelm even the tallest woman. A too-short skirt can make the poncho look silly, unless it's one of the tiny cropped versions.

The simplest solution is to pair a poncho with slim jeans or pants. Drape it off one shoulder and va-va-voom.

A big brooch or faux flower at the neck finishes off the look.

Ponchos are ideal for travel, as they fold up like a scarf and can be used as a blanket when napping on a plane or as an easy to manage cover-up when exiting the airport.

What we found

Whether you're shopping in Honolulu, online or in catalogs, there's a poncho to fit every pocketbook. Here's what we found when we went shopping.

White House/Black Market in Ala Moana Center looks like poncho central. Every sales associate was wearing a poncho she interpreted in her own way. Stripes, solids, textures and fringes in a variety of styles and lengths were paired with slim pants or sexy skirts in prices from $58 to $88.

Gap ponchos favor the cropped length with lots of details: scalloped hems, buttons at the neck or blanket fringe, in white lambswool ($68) or pink or purple wool ($48).

DKNY's look is classic with a cable knit blue wool turtleneck poncho ($295). Their blue cashmere V-neck poncho has a deep dolman sleeve ($395).

Neiman Marcus has ponchos in several departments on the first and second levels. A cozy, pebbly, white turtleneck version by Theory is made of alpaca and wool ($390), while Adrienne Landau offers a purple poncho in cuddly rabbit fur ($695). The most luxe look is by Loro Piana: a honey gold printed cashmere poncho ($2,500) spotted in The Book.

Macy's has a whole section devoted to ponchos in its ThIsIt department, from Mexican serape looks to granny fringes to bright stripes and acid citrus shades ($28i34).

At bebe, a black rayon mesh poncho with cowl neck and deep side slits ($69) caught our eye i it's sophisticated and has nice finished edges. There's also a fashion forward purple striped poncho from Peru with a beaded shoulder strap ($59).

Plus-size catalogs prominently feature the figure-forgiving poncho. Lane Bryant has a pink shoulder-tie poncho ($34.50) that's feminine and flirty, as well as a striped asymmetrical poncho ($34.50) with the feeling of a serape at www.lanebryant.com. Catherine's Plus Sizes goes safari with a silk animal-print poncho ($15), www.catherines.com.

Make your own

Still can't find exactly the right poncho to suit your personal style? Try making your own. It couldn't be easier. Pick the right fabric, such as Ultrasuede or felt, and you don't even need to sew. Simply cut a puka large enough to put over your head.

Take a cue from Jean Paul Gaultier of Hermès, who sewed up one arm of a cashmere poncho to dress it up and make it easier to keep on.

If you have a sewing machine, use any fabric you like. Simply make a finished seam or add bias binding around the neck and hem. Add a little fringe, trim or tassels on the corners (you can find them in fabric or craft stores) and you've got the luxe embellished look that's a must this season. Remember, purple is the IT color for fall, and it pairs beautifully with neutrals, as well as the other jewel tonels: emerald, sapphire and ruby.