Vintage Hawaiian shirts

[j]

I'm heading with my family to Hawaii next Tues (actually a very inconvenient time for me to take a vacation, but it's free, so what am I gonna do?) so I went out looking for some hot weather clothing. I checked into a vintage store nearby and found a couple of vintage Hawaiian shirts that I really like.

The first one is by Evelyn Margolis and appears to be rayon (?) crepe, sort of heavy as these go. It has a pattern in blue, purple and green that looks like someone drew on it with markers. Very ugly, but so far to the ugly it's cool again, IMO.

The other is by Alfred Shaheen and I'm pretty sure it's cotton. Very pale blue with heavy dark teal printing of junks (boats) all over it.

Anyway I will keep my eye out for these from now on. As it turns out they go for a fair bit of money. Does anyone collect these? I'll get some pics tomorrow if I get a chance.

 

[j]

This one is just like mine only different colors.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Alfred-S...QQcmdZViewItem

I paid about 1/5 of that.

 

[jonnyunpleasant]

My mom makes all of my Hawaiin shirts. It works out pretty well.

 

[j]

Evelyn Margolis:

Alfred Shaheen:

 

[Get Smart]

The Alfred Shaheen is seriously sick.

I have some friends that are really into vintage Hawaiian shirts...they would know more about the collectibility of labels than I. I just get the repro's from Avanti or Sunsurf

 

[j]

Thanks. Somehow I knew you'd show up here...

I have a couple from Avanti as well that were brought back as gifts. They cost more than the vintage ones though! Like $90 retail IIRC.

 

[Shoe-nut]

I collected Hawaiian Shirts in the 70's and had a whole closet full of them. I would mention a few points in relationship to the vintage ones. First the Rayon ones are hot so if you sweat a lot this could be a problem. It might make it seem that cotton is the better choice.

Next some of them are the devil to iron unless you have the dry cleaners take care of that for you. And lastly they wrinkle very easily so one has to be careful how you sit otherwise when you get up there will be a big creases going down your back that look like heck.

 

[Kent Wang]

Are these available in a trad motif with, say, lobsters and crabs?

 

[Lucky Strike]

Here's an old pic with a deaf dog, Nudie SJs and cigar (only Hawaiian shirt I own):

 

[Teacher]

A serious question: Would wearing these scream "TOURIST?" I've never been to Hawaii

, and I don't know, but this is oftentimes the case. Anybody?

(And even if they do but you don't care, j, then go for it...and good luck finding more!)

 

[Jovan]

I'd rather wear a linen shirt, to be frank. All "Hawaiian" shirts just scream tacky to me.

 

[Shoe-nut]

Originally Posted by Teacher

A serious question: Would wearing these scream "TOURIST?" I've never been to Hawaii

, and I don't know, but this is oftentimes the case. Anybody?
Having lived near the beach my whole life I would have to say no. Vintage Hawaiian Shirts are quite stylish and have a particular look all of their own. It is a fine line I suppose between a cheap loud Hawaiian Shirt with Bermuda shorts which I would say no to and the finesse of a more subdued well designed 1940's shirt with blue jeans. Even the quality of the material stands out on its own. A good portion of the repro shirts are done quite nicely today but still miss a bit in the translation I don't suppose it would work so well in the cooler climes of Europe but here in the US and Hawaii they fit right in with casual attire.

 

[j]

Originally Posted by Teacher

A serious question: Would wearing these scream "TOURIST?" I've never been to Hawaii

, and I don't know, but this is oftentimes the case. Anybody?

(And even if they do but you don't care, j, then go for it...and good luck finding more!)
No, lots of people in Hawaii wear them. I would assume there is actually more cred for wearing rarer vintage shirts than for wearing the crappy ones from JC Penney. If you combine with an extreme paleness (which I will bring), and some long black socks, ugly beige velcro shoes and shorts (which I will not bring), and a camera slung round the neck, I think that is what screams 'tourist'.

 

[Tokyo Slim]

I like to scream "tourist". But only when I'm at home.

 

[Dakota rube]

Hawaiian shirts in Hawaii are definitely NOT tourist. You'll fit right in j. And have fun on the islands.

Are Hawaiian shirts popular in season in Seattle? I wore them exclusively from Memorial Day to Labor Day for about 20 years...I had about 4 dozen and hardly ever saw anyone else sporting one. A few years ago, while at a tavern before a concert here in town I noticed every single guy in the joint had one on. Most were cheapies from Target and a few Tommy Bahamas, but all of a sudden I didn't want to wear mine anymore. I boxed them all up the next day and gave took them to the thrift store.

Seeing your two new finds j, methinks I might rethink things. Nice shirts.