Hawaiian shirts: Should a gentleman ever go tropical?
Have you said Aloha to a floral print this summer?
Words: Jonathan Wells
Before you start tagging your fashion-forward friends, let’s get one thing clear. There are patterned shirts, and there are patterned shirts. The former – tightly-checked, striped or printed numbers – are perfectly acceptable, and only really pernickety people take issue with them.
But the other type – the big, bold and brash Hawaiian shirts – are the type likely to get you into trouble. And it is these shirts we are here to discuss – so expect harsh truths, loud prints and lots of Tom Selleck.
Also know as an Aloha shirt, Hawaiian shirts are printed, mostly short-sleeved and collared shirts that come from Hawaii. The lower hem tends to be straight, as you shouldn’t be tucking a Hawaiian shirt in, and they are often coloured brightly with floral or traditional Polynesian patterns.
For around 100 years, these shirts have gained popularity through famous wearers such as Elvis Presley and Tom Selleck’s Magnum P.I – a real moustachioed man’s man, and champion of the loud Hawaiian shirt. Which brings us to our next point…
You need confidence to wear a Hawaiian shirt. They’re bold and they’re bright and they’re going to turn heads so, if you’re not comfortable with that sort of attention, stick with something a little less colourful. But, if you’ve got big kahunas and feel like you could rock such an intense item, then by all means go for it.
Women love confidence, men respect confidence, and just look at Tom Selleck. The shameless wearing of a great Hawaiian shirt is peacocking at its best, so if you can back up your wardrobe with charm, charisma and character, then you go for it. Which leads to the big question…
With so many colour and pattern options, the number of Hawaiian shirts available to buy is mind-boggling. Just look at Tom Selleck’s wardrobe in Magnum P.I (the last time we’ll mention him, we promise), who only wore vintage authentic Hawaiian button-downs and still managed to crop up in something different every week.
But, despite the general public’s love-hate relationship with these floral shirts, you can find a surprising number of them to buy. So browse at your leisure and, if you’re feeling confident enough, take the Hawaiian plunge…
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