Say ‘aloha’ to this summer’s coolest style statement
For such a genial sounding (and looking) garment, the jolly Hawaiian, or aloha, shirt has caused dispute. Well, its origins have: certain sources claim it sprang into glorious being at the Honolulu-based Musa-Shiya the Shirtmaker in the 1930s.
Then again, a Chinese textile merchant named Ellery Chun of Waikiki, also operating in the 30s, claimed it as his invention. We’ll leave it to them to duel it out in the history books; what’s clear is by the time that the MGM starlets washed up on Hawaiian shores in the 1950s and onwards, the bold print shirt was firmly part of the fashion landscape of the tropical island.
Organic cotton, ￡155, Toast; Resort print, ￡13.99, H&M
There was Montgomery Clift, looking every inch the matinee idol in 1953’s From Here to Eternity, tousled in the sand in a splashy patterned shirt. Then Elvis swept in with his ukelele in Blue Hawaii some years later, lei around his neck and hibiscus-printed shirt on his back. Tom Selleck’s 1980s Magnum PI wardrobe might not have always been the epitome of sartorial excellence, but it was brilliantly of its time and the Hawaiian shirt played a big part. Even Pierce Brosnan’s James Bond got in on act in 2002’s Die Another Day.
Cotton, Anyday John Lewis; Cotton flower, ￡45.99, Mango
Of course, thanks to its garish design and open- necked collar, the Hawaiian shirt is synonymous with off-duty holiday attire – lending a certain ‘dad at Disneyland’ look – although Al Pacino in Scarface and Leonardo DiCaprio in Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo + Juliet offered masterclasses in how to look brooding in one. Today, it’s the attire of Gen Z catnip like Harry Styles and featuring on the catwalks of the achingly cool Saint Laurent and Celine.
Don’t discount the aloha shirt as entirely ‘casual’, however; it can add a bit of vim to smarter looks too. With a biscuit-coloured suit for a formal event, for example, or with crisp white chinos for aperitivo hour. They don’t have to be all one note, either – limited to tropical flora and fauna or beachy palm fronds – if you’re more inclined towards a playful paisley pattern or patchwork print instead.
Tapestry linen, ￡229, Percival; Viscose blend, ￡86, Portuguese Flannel
Lyocell, ￡275, Paul Smith; Viscose, ￡95, OAS
We’ll be in serious, back-to-school September attire soon enough; for now, why not embrace happy-go-lucky Hawaiian vibes?
Are you tempted to try a Hawaiian shirt this summer? Or is this a style firmly
Solve the daily Crossword
