Aloha shirts were created in Hawaii in the 1920s. It wasn't until the mid 1930s that the shirts became known as Aloha shirts - the result of a popular marketing tactic of the time that involved attaching the word "Aloha" to various Hawaiian products.
For just over a decade, the Aloha shirt was mostly sold in Hawaii and worn by Hawaiians, including as employee uniforms. After World War II, many soldiers that served in the Pacific theater returned to the US mainland with what would come to be known as Hawaiian shirts. The 1950s marked the beginning of major clothing designers and companies selling higher quality Hawaiian shirts - such as those worn by Elvis Presley in Blue Hawaii or Tom Selleck in Magnum P.I.
Traditional Hawaiian Shirts
Traditional Hawaiian shirts feature Hawaiian, tapa, or floral designs and patterns, and are marked by their muted or pastel colors. Traditional Hawaiian shirts may feature a reverse print design where the pattern's bright side is on the inside of the shirt, leaving the outside more muted.
Contemporary Hawaiian Shirts
Contemporary Hawaiian shirts feature brighter colors. While designs and patterns may be similar to traditional Hawaiian shirts, they may also feature other designs, such as palm trees, surf boards, marine life, and other tropical and non-tropical elements.
Hawaiian Shirt Brands
- Baboo Cay Hawaiian Shirts
- Go Barefoot Hawaiian Shirts
- Hinano Hawaiian Shirts
- Kahala Hawaiian Shirts
- KY'S Hawaiian Shirts
- Pacific Legend Hawaiian Shirts
- Paradise Found Hawaiian Shirts
- Reyn Spooner Hawaiian Shirts
- Tori Richard Hawaiian Shirts
- Two Palms Hawaiian Shirts
- Weekender Hawaiian Shirts