The Hawaiian shirt is considered ‘The clown’ of the man’s wardrobe; a simple, humorous way to show your fun and playful side. This shirt is an ideal way to express your individuality and to add vibrancy to your usually, more sombre wardrobe choices. The Hawaiian shirt has now become synonymous with holidaying and makes for an ideal ‘play shirt’ for the weekend. We take a look at this iconic shirt in a little more detail.

Where did the Hawaiian shirt originate?

The Hawaiian shirt was created in the 1920’s and was originally known as the ‘Aloha’ shirt. Its popularity truly blossomed in the 50’s after the Great Depression had ended. The shirt was first created by Japanese women from Kimono fabrics and became increasingly popular as it made its way to the mainland.

Interestingly, women were great lovers of this style of shirt and as the joke went: “You’d better get two or three because it’s a cinch your daughter, sister, wife or even mother will want this bright-colored shirt as soon as she sees it,” the Los Angeles Times teased in 1936. We can certainly see that this still runs true with our customers wives who tend to be the driving force behind the men, encouraging them to being a little more experimental.

What makes the Hawaiian shirt so iconic?

As the war was coming to an end and the tragic aftermath was starting to lift, it seems that the Hawaiian shirt was truly welcomed and lifted the spirits of Americans, who had been suffering for so many years during the war.

What’s fascinating is that this rather feminine styled and patterned shirt came amidst a time where the introduction of bodybuilding and Superman entered the American market. Perhaps offering an insight to men liking to wear something that brightens their day, just as much as women do.

How to wear a Hawaiian shirt

When wearing a Hawaiian shirt, make sure it’s the only show stopping piece you are wearing. Wear with more patterns and colours and your super stylish look can quickly descend into chaos.

• Wear a well cut Hawaiian shirt to show that you have made a well thought out style statement
• Do wear with a complimentary colours. For a smart look, opt for a pair of dark blue, smart jeans. Alternatively, pick out a colour from the shirt and choose as your trouser colour.
• Wear smart/casual shoes such as loafers or wear a smarter pair with trousers. Sandals will simply make this look appear more like a history teacher trying to achieve ‘cool’ status with his students and not actually looking it.
• Wear with a great pair of sunglasses and a Panama hat to make this look like you really mean it.