Hawaiian Shirts - Aloha Shirts

[cherry lips]

Wow! One of the coolest I've ever seen!

My only one, although it's Barbadian (Barbudian?). Cotton.
Any ideas about dating it?

 

[cherry lips]

Well cherry lips...let's see a photo of you wearing it!

Thanks for the request! I will when I get a pic this summer (though my shirt isn't "real", and is pretty tight!)

^Cute!

 

[SGB]

Thought I'd revive this thread because I'm the last guy that ever thought he'd wear an Aloha shirt! Went to Maui for a wedding last week, was kidnapped by a band of left over 60's hippies that did too much drugs and thought they were in Bora Bora. They held me captive for two days all the while making me wear Aloha shirts and gave me only Pina Colada's to live on. When they released me the day before the wedding I suffered from acute "stockholm Syndrome" and ran out to buy an Aloha shirt...haven't taken it off yet. Oh and that's my wife.

Great shirt, classic well known design. Sounds like you had fun at the wedding, and welcome to Hawaiian shirt wearing.
I recently did a count of my Aloha shirts and was surprised it's over 300, I'm constantly adding more so I guess I should have expected that number. I buy vintage when I can find them at antique stores and vintage shops, then sell/trade them to Bailey's Antiques in Hawaii. I only wear repros anymore since tearing a good vintage one, which really hurt as it was real nice one.
Enjoy wearing them, and enjoy the great art on them, as that is really what it is, art.

SGB

 

[WineGuy]

Great shirt, classic well known design. Sounds like you had fun at the wedding, and welcome to Hawaiian shirt wearing.
I recently did a count of my Aloha shirts and was surprised it's over 300, I'm constantly adding more so I guess I should have expected that number. I buy vintage when I can find them at antique stores and vintage shops, then sell/trade them to Bailey's Antiques in Hawaii. I only wear repros anymore since tearing a good vintage one, which really hurt as it was real nice one.
Enjoy wearing them, and enjoy the great art on them, as that is really what it is, art.

SGB

Thanks SGB! Could you post some pics of your favorites, and if you have any vintage 30's or 40's I'd really love to see some pics too!

 

[hatophile]

Keep 'em coming, guys, I will get some pics of mine when it warms up a bit more here!
Looking very "tropo", Alex.

 

[Alex]

Thanks cherry lips and Perry!

 

[Hugh Beaumont]

Love the Aloha Shirt.

I grew up on Maui and used to collect them. Sold most of them to help finance my move to the mainland in 2004 Had some classics from the 40's and 50's. Still regret getting rid of them. Oh well. I now wear repro Kamehameha, Avanti, Paradise Found.

WineGuy, I spent nearly 20 years in the wedding industry on Maui as a videographer. Curious to know who your wedding crew was. Is your wife Filipina? My wife is Filipina (born and raised on Maui). Looks like you were on Kaanapali Beach...maybe right outside the Hyatt?

 

[WineGuy]

Love the Aloha Shirt.

I grew up on Maui and used to collect them. Sold most of them to help finance my move to the mainland in 2004 Had some classics from the 40's and 50's. Still regret getting rid of them. Oh well. I now wear repro Kamehameha, Avanti, Paradise Found.

WineGuy, I spent nearly 20 years in the wedding industry on Maui as a videographer. Curious to know who your wedding crew was. Is your wife Filipina? My wife is Filipina (born and raised on Maui). Looks like you were on Kaanapali Beach...maybe right outside the Hyatt?

You nailed the location Hugh, but my wife is Chinese from Canton. Photo courtesy iphone. There was a professional photographer there for the wedding but I've not seen the pics yet and don't know his name...guy in his thirties and shaved head.

 

[Hugh Beaumont]

Awesome! Who was your officiant? Miss my old friends in the wedding industry. Congrats!

 

[WineGuy]

Awesome! Who was your officiant? Miss my old friends in the wedding industry. Congrats!

Not my officiant, we're married 26 years, but the wedding of our friend was held in an old church in Lahaina and I don't recall the cleric name...sorry!

 

[Hugh Beaumont]

oops...sorry about the misunderstanding. 26 years? Your wife doesn't look a day over 30!

 

[mrbieler]

Love the Aloha Shirt.

I grew up on Maui and used to collect them. Sold most of them to help finance my move to the mainland in 2004 Had some classics from the 40's and 50's. Still regret getting rid of them. Oh well. I now wear repro Kamehameha, Avanti, Paradise Found.

LOL. Lived on Oahu from 1979~1983. Had a nice collection going which I wore into the ground. Regret not getting more. Still have a small collection of Kahala's and Reyn Spooners. My favorites are the pull over Reyns.

 

[Gene]

Here's two of my favorites.

This one's 40's or 50's. Wooden buttons, silky, double-stitching where the sleeve meets the shirt.

This one's 50's or early 60's, feels like linen.

 

[flix]

This is one of mine, it's a repro

 

[cherry lips]

I like this one! What are the words shell ginger, flame ginger, etc referring to? Colors? Flowers? Please explain!

 

[WineGuy]

Here's two of my favorites.

This one's 40's or 50's. Wooden buttons, silky, double-stitching where the sleeve meets the shirt.

Hi Gene, the shirt is gorgeous and I love the printed text! I purchased a book called Hawaii Unbuttoned and it has a very good catalog of Aloha shirt labels with estimated production dates. On a bright note your label is not listed which might indicate a more rare production, on the other hand if you note the progression of the spelling going from Pikaki with an "I" at the end to Pikake with an "E" at the end it would appear that your shirt is possibly 50's or later but not 40's. Were there any references you had to date it to the 40's. I'm asking only because I'm trying to learn to identify vintage Aloha shirts as quick as possible.

 

[D Gambini]

i had a question
i recently found a vintage "the kahala" brand shirt at a local shop
http://vintage-aloha-shirt.com/shop/product_info.php?cPath=40_83&products_id=380

it is exactly like this one
but
the loop collar and buttons are on the opposite side
was this common?
it doesnt fit like a womans shirt, it has that 50s box cut, no darts
very intersting, it fits well and looks amazing, just curious about that.

 

[Mr Badger]

Bit late to the party, but as we've no camera, I had to wait until a pal came round to snap my Hawaiians!

These are all Avanti repros but, as far as I'm concerned, they're pretty darn good for not a lotta dosh... yep, the silk's a mite thin and the fit can be a little odd, but the collars are nice and pointed and the quality of the prints is good... anyway, they're a darn sight cheaper than Sun Surf repros or originals!

The balance of my current stash - from left, an RL eagle print, Joe Kealoha underwater print, Pearl Diver repro with guitars and royal crests and, unbelievably, a long-sleeve Stussy 'Diamond Head' print!

They all get regular wear during the Summer months... here's me spinning some 45s on my decks, which are nicknamed Phonohenge, at a pal's birthday last year...

 

[Corky]

As I understand, with an Hawaiian shirt, the style is: the louder and more garish the print, the better.

 

[Tomasso]

As I understand, with an Hawaiian shirt, the style is: the louder and more garish the print, the better.

Really, because many of my favorites are relatively understated.