Howdy Hawaiian!
How to Wear the Hawaiian Shirt: The Rebirth of a ClassicVacation style is finally reborn
Not long ago, the Hawaiian shirt was stitched deep into the fabric of boring dad style. The Hawaiian shirt screamed depressed Friday office style not one of the best trends in fashion. For some reason, the sartorial gods descended from their golden throne to bring the Hawaiian shirt back to us. The Hawaiian shirt is reborn.
The Hawaiian shirt is everywhere now. Pretty much every celebrity and men’s fashion icon is wearing it in some colourway or another. There’s a good reason too. While not every trend is something we support at jaks, this one is a keeper. I think we can all admit that even though the Hawaiian shirt might have seemed like a sad attempt to recapture that sense of vacation easygoingness, we all secretly had some love for them. There’s no way you can watch Magnum P.I. and not want one of your own. This is only amplified when you find yourself falling into a sea of men in navy and black. Before you get too excited, there are some guidelines to follow. We’ll break down everything you need to know.
The Hawaiian shirt was first created by Chōtarō Miyamoto in his store in Honolulu Hawaii. A few decades later a man named Ellery Chan modernized the look and sold it en mass. Soon the Hawaiian shirt was all over the islands. When troops stationed in Hawaii during World War 2 returned home, they brought the look back with them. This rocked men’s fashion and made Hawaii a mecca for all things vacation wear.
Recently, designers have started to invoke this classic style and bring it back to the modern era.
The Commandments of Wearing Hawaiian Shirts (ignore at your peril)
While the Hawaiian shirt has risen like a phoenix back into menswear, the stigma of the old days hasn’t entirely been shaken. If you’re going to rock this look, there are some rules to follow.
The Fit is Always Everything
The fit is everything. The oversized trend might be working its tendrils into everything but this isn’t one of those things. A baggy Hawaiian shirt is going to leave you looking like your dad’s boss not like a rock star. Get something that is form-fitting and tailored to your body. If you’re a bigger guy, this is especially important. The bold prints will keep you looking slim while the proper fit won’t have you swimming in fabric.
We’ve covered above what to do if you want to keep the style lowkey but for those ready to dive headfirst into the look, go wild. The Hawaiian shirt is fun so take it wherever you want to go. Change up the classic materials or go for a collarless shirt. Pair with a cool pair of jeans or even a matching print pair of shorts and rock festival style every day. Keep things lively with some accessories like a silver ring or necklace.
