Try and look at a picture of a Hawaiian shirt without the opening strains of \”Surfin’ USA\” twanging into your mind. Or maybe, depending on your mood, the image might throw up something mellower, \”California Girls\” or \”God Only Knows\”. Yes, the Californians of the 60s and 70s sure knew how to pull off the Hawaiian shirt, and it wasn’t just the beach-lovers who took to it; it became something of a summer staple. Odd, really, that a type of clothing that has one US state in its actual name should throw up an image of another one. But then again, who associates their wellies with a 19th century duke?

Although we in Europe might think of the Hawaiian shirt as traditional dress in the Pacific state that gives it its name, the Hawaiian shirt’s invention actually happened in living memory. It came into being in the 1930s, just in time for the beginnings of commercial flight, mass tourism and a certain romance being attached to the laid back way of life that Hawaii evoked in the popular imagination. The entrepreneur behind the shirt, Ellery Chun, had a hit on his hands and sold out as soon as he created the first batch. The local newspaper described the shirt as the “aloha shirt” and Chun trademarked it as its official name.

Although the originals were steeped in traditional Polynesian design, the look took on a life of its own, with the basic single-pocketed, short-sleeved shirt providing a canvas for all manner of abstract and figurative designs. Although the floral print was an ever-popular reference to the original idea, it wasn’t long before the repeating pattern played host to images of palm trees, sea shells, cars, surfers, beach scenes or whatever took the designer’s fancy (as long as it was vaguely linked to the beach). One interesting feature of a quality Hawaiian shirt is that much attention is paid to making sure the pattern on the pocket matches the pattern underneath as precisely as possible. It’s details like this that have helped to create a collectible vintage clothing market in the garments, with some changing hands for several hundred pounds.

One interesting fact about the Hawaiian shirt that might be lost to non-natives of the islands is that although they are strictly informal throughout most of the world, they are considered perfectly normal business attire in their homeland. Hawaii’s climate is really not suited to the stuffy suits and ties of the western business person or office worker, so something lighter is much more practicable. They do tend to be slightly more muted than the types of shirt your average surfer would wear, and the pattern is often printed on the inside to further tone down the appearance, but formal they are. Suits and ties are certainly not unheard of in Hawaii, but they are reserved for the most formal occasions.

So clear a couple of hangers in your wardrobe for a taste of the Pacific. You can go loud and garish or subdued and tasteful while maintaining an authentic Hawaiian look. And don’t forget – if you’re shopping for a vintage original, you might stumble upon a valuable rarity.

Author Bio: Vintage fashion is a passion for James. His love of Hawaiian shirts and other items of vintage clothing give him lots of ideas and subject matter for his work on the subject.

Category: Culture
Keywords: Hawaiian Shirts