Best known as the “Hawaiian Shirt”, this now globally popular fashion trend indeed originates in America’s 50th state but, to the people of Hawaii, it’s called an “Aloha Shirt”, and it has a history as colorful as the prints themselves.
The Aloha shirt trend expanded westward as World War II soldiers returned to the mainland from bases in Hawaii and as air travel to the islands brought increasing numbers of visitors to Hawaii from the continental US. As mass-market shirts were churned out for tourists, a homegrown high-fashion line was introduced by Alfred Shaheen, one of whose shirts was worn by Elvis Presley on the cover of the soundtrack for the film Blue Hawaii in 1961. The following year, the Hawaii Senate passed a resolution recommending the Aloha shirt be worn by legislators throughout the summer, beginning on Lei Day (May 1).
Not content to allow the fashion trend to be restricted to surfers, tourists, and government officials, the Hawaii Fashion Guild launched “Aloha Friday” in 1966 to promote wearing Aloha shirts in lieu of formal attire at all places of business. By 1970, thanks in part to its adoption by the president of Bank of Hawaii, Aloha shirts became acceptable as official business wear in Hawaii on any day of the week.
Kamehameha Shirt
Kamehameha Shirt
Kuu Ipo Shirt
Kuu Ipo Shirt
Hale Hawaii Shirt
Kiilani Shirt
Mc Gregor Shirt
Royal Palm Shirt
Royal Palm Shirt
Musashiya Shirt
Musashiya Shirt
Musashiya Shirt