Hawaiian Shirts - Aloha Shirts

[Tomasso]

Anyone know of a source for 100% linen Aloha shirts?

 

[GCHughes]

Avanti Hawaiian Shirts

I've been collecting these for about 15 years. Excellent workmanship, quality materials, the shirts are a warm weather staple for me.

http://www.avantishirts.com/index.html

 

[Lefty]

I picked this up over the weekend and know nothing about Hawaiian/aloha shirts. Using the RN/WPL search, I did find that the hat was made for Sears by Gridder Sportswear at 4 E. Pico St. in L.A., 90015. Further searches on Gridder yielded nothing. The WPL number tells me only that the shirt was made sometime between 1941 and 1959.

Can anyone provide further information?

 

[Guttersnipe]

Here's some of my collection . . .

Hale Hawaiian, 1950's:

Kamehameha "Gauguin" Honeymooner/wedding set, 1940's:

Now her are some Sun Surf repops that have caught my eye.

Reprint a the Kamehameha 1940's "Gauguin" print w/. a Keoni label:

Reprint of the popular 1950's "coconut tree climber" design:

A really cool photo print:

Reprint of Kihi Kihi Sportswear's 1950's "49th State" design. This is a cool one b/c Hawaii is not the 49th state, Alaska is:

And now for something completely different. A 1940's sheer nylon Hawaiian-esque shirt:

 

[carter]

This Kihi Kihi Sportswear reprint is outstanding.

Nice collection.

 

[Fletch]

Sharp shirts, fellas. I used to wear one now and then, but I don't think they're the kind of shirt you can wear now and then.

You have to be ok with the cliché aspect of them. I felt like I was carrying all of Pop Culture Americana on my shoulders - at any minute Marilyn and Jimmy Dean would appear and present me with the keys to a candy apple red '57 Bel Air and a cherry Coke.

 

[dhermann1]

Fletch, you think too much. I tend to think of my Granddad fishing in Florida in 1948.
My Hawaiian shirts all have to have an ocean liner or a Pan Am Clipper or a Woody station wagon on them, with floating islands, and possibly Hula Girls.
I guess I need to take some pics.
I'm a pretty big Hawaiian shirt fan. I like to look as gaudy as possible.
With a Panama, Khakis or rumpled linen slacks. I don't wear sandals or huaraches, but I probably should.
Having spent 2 years in Hawaii, courtesy of my Uncle Sam, I experienced the life style of living on the beach for an extended time, as opposed to just vacationing. The Hawaiian shirts help me get into that frame of mind.
BTW, I totally agree on never tucking a Hawaiian shirt in. Defeats the whole purpose.

 

[Fletch]

Absolutely. If you have to tuck it...well, you never have to.

Having actually spent more than a lei and a luau in the island kingdom, d, you have the proper perspective, one that I lack. There is definitely more to the aloha shirt than Gary Sohmers and Antiques Roadshow.

 

[Quigley Brown]

I have a few nice ones. I prefer to tuck them in.

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[dhermann1]

The committee will consider dispensations, providing there are mitigating or extenuating circumstances.

 

[avedwards]

A question about these, I have one Hawaiian-ish shirt which I wore today (the first time I didn't wear a long sleeved dress shirt for a long time) and I wore it tucked in and with a beige summer sport coat . My father told me on returning that this was incorrect but that had me wondering what sort of outerwear may be worn over a Hawaiian shirt. Surely something must be appropriate for when it cools down in the evening?

 

[Solid Citizen]

Hawaiian Shirts IN or OUT

IMO either way is correct many islanders wear them OUT. While you can find period 1950's pics showing guys in the USA wearing them IN. If your wearing a vintage sport coat over your Hawaiian shirt OUT looks a little strange .Solid Citizen

 

[avedwards]

So wearing the sport coat over the shirt when it's tucked in is acceptable? The coat is either vintage 1950s or retro.

 

[Chasseur]

Generally speaking (and I mean generally, we are talking about Hawaiian shirts and aloha wear and not formal wear):

(1) If you are wearing a shirt that has loud colors, in heavy cotton or rayon, has the following designs on it: hula girls, WWII aircraft, classic beach cars, surfers, drink glasses, etc., you are wearing shorts/jeans, and you are not working, you do not tuck it in.

(2) If you are wearing a shirt with muted colors, made of silk or lawn cotton, it has abstract or traditional Polynesian designs, you are wearing khakis and tasseled loafers, and you going to the office, you tuck it in.

Having said that there is a great deal of variation/deviation here...

 

[HadleyH]

Generally speaking (and I mean generally, we are talking about Hawaiian shirts and aloha wear and not formal wear):

(1) If you are wearing a shirt that has loud colors, in heavy cotton or rayon, has the following designs on it: hula girls, WWII aircraft, classic beach cars, surfers, drink glasses, etc., you are wearing shorts/jeans, and you are not working, you do not tuck it in.


Having said that there is a great deal of variation/deviation here...

I am no expert by any means, and i think both ways look good,in or out. For instance, Tom Selleck in "Magnum" wore his tucked in sometimes, even though it was loud, so as you say, there is a great deal of variation and no "set in stone" rules.

 

[HarpPlayerGene]

The committee will consider dispensations, providing there are mitigating or extenuating circumstances.

Whew! This is my loophole.

When I head out in the afternoon to set up my caricature concession, I wear my alohas untucked. But when I get set up and have to buckle on my belly pack full of markers and bills for making change, I have to tuck in.

It's for this reason, though, that I do not even buy or own any 'border shirt' types of aloha shirts. A true crime to tuck them in.

 

[Mike K.]

Bartenders...we need to merge threads!

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=9322

 

[Hugh Beaumont]

I grew up on the island of Maui and though I took Aloha shirts for granted growing up, I began collecting them when I got older.

Right now I own over 50 vintage shirts from the 30's up to present day. My biggest score was a box of 30 vintage shirts from the 40's and 50's some old Japanese lady had for sale at a garage sale. Got the box for 10.00.

Funny thing is, they are rare in Hawaii! Most of these shirts left the islands with tourist over the decades.

Some of the best labels are Kamehameha (check out their Hula Girl pattern), Diamond Head, Paradise Found (maker of the famous Magnum shirt), and Avanti. Other brands are Tori Richards (who make causal everyday shirts for business) and Hilo Hatties, who cashed in the vintage craze recently, but their shirts are usually made of cheap cotton.

At one time, I collected ALL of the Avanti shirts when they were the rave back in the early to mid 90's when vintage designs were making a comeback, but I ended up not liking the crepe silk they used and their shirts were cut way too thin and long. A good shirt is boxy. Avanti's don't look good because they extend to far past the belt line.

Been wanting to get some Sun-Surf labels, but too pricey for me right now.

I hit Baileys whenever I went to Honolulu. I would gawk at 3000 Aloha shirts! I remember Anthony Bordaine bought one of those shirts on his show on The Travel Channel. Must be nice!

 

[Lone_Ranger]

I am no expert by any means, and i think both ways look good,in or out. For instance, Tom Selleck in "Magnum" wore his tucked in sometimes, even though it was loud, so as you say, there is a great deal of variation and no "set in stone" rules.

The "Jungle Bird," is the Holy Grail, of Aloha garments! He's supposed to be ex-Navy, as Magnum. I think a lot of former military people tuck all the time.

Then again, Frank, Burt, and Ernie, did not tuck, in From Here to Eternity. GI's wore khaki back then. Very convenient, for a quick change after duty hours. They just took off the uniform shirt, and threw on a Hawaiian shirt.

 

[Hugh Beaumont]

Well I can say that you don't tuck in an Aloha shirt, even if you are Magnum.

Sure, you can do it, but you will get under the breath snickers from locals in Hawaii. It's equal to wearing black socks and dress shoes with shorts (yes, tourist do it all the time).

At our H.S. on Maui, we had dress like a tourist day. You were a hit if you wore your brightly colored Aloha shirt tucked in and you went over the top if you wore shorts with black socks and sandals.