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.
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 Boys 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 shirts 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.
To buy Hawaiian shirts with coconut buttons you can log on to: http://www.pablooceanique.com
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 Boys 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 shirts 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.
To buy Hawaiian shirts with coconut buttons you can log on to: http://www.pablooceanique.com
