London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Aug 01, 2025

How the Hawaiian Shirt Became Cool Again

How the Hawaiian Shirt Became Cool Again

Once a touristy faux-pas the vibrant Hawaiian shirt has become a perennial summer favorite.

Aptly dubbed the "Aloha Shirt," Hawaiian shirts have become a cheeky wardrobe staple. Despite the garment's sunny demeanor, it has a fairly complicated history. Some believe the garment was created when a college student crafted a collared button down out of yukataขthe cloth used in Japanese kimonos. Despite this probable origin, Dolores Miyamoto claims it was Hollywood actor John Barrymore who custom ordered a floral button downขin the style of a Hawaiian shirtขfrom her garment shop. No matter the origin, Hawaiian shirts highlight the luscious flora and fauna of the sunny island through Japanese-influenced colorways and prints. By the mid-1930s, retailers across Hawaii began to widely produce variations of the colorful shirts in an attempt to appeal to natives, tourists, and to highlight the natural beauty of the island.

When servicemembers returned to the mainland United States from Hawaii after World War II, the garment became increasingly popular across the country. Commemorating the "Aloha'' spirit of the island, the shirt became a stylish way to sport a carefree attitude and a welcoming aesthetic. With Hawaii's subsequent statehood in 1959, the tropical shirt was featured across mainland retailers and in pop-culture-Elvis Presley's 1961 album Blue Hawaii features an eclectic Hawaiian shirt.



"Blue Hawaii," 1961

By the 1970s and '80s, the Hawaiian shirt began to be mass produced across the United States-allowing for widespread sale and consumption. With many workplaces adopting "Aloha Fridays,"-employees could opt for a more casual outfit on the last day of the workweek-the Hawaiian shirt became forever embedded in fashion's style lexicon. Though the original iterations were often made in rayon and synthetic fabrics, cotton and linen became a popular choice for the garment during this period. Making cameos in cult favorites such as Friends, Ace Ventura, and Romeo + Juliet, the garment was a natural sartorial choice for pop-culture's biggest players.



Leonardo DiCaprio in "Romeo + Juliet



Jennifer Aniston in "Friends."


Despite the garment's rapid success throughout the mid 20th-century, its original flair and appeal slowly began to diminish in the new decade. Becoming widely associated with cheesy Dad outfits and overzealous tourists, the shirt evolved into more of a campy costume than a breezy fashionable statement.

With fashion's love for everything nostalgic reemerging in recent years, the Hawaiian shirt has seen a subtle comeback. This time, however, the shirts are strutting down the runways of Prada and Dior rather than sitting on department store shelves. Below, L'OFFICIEL explores the most stylish modern iterations of the beloved garment through the lens of fashion's biggest brands and our favorite celebrities.


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Trump Administration Finalizes Broad Tariff Increases on Global Trade Partners
J.K. Rowling Limits Public Engagements Citing Safety Fears
JD.com Launches €2.2 Billion Bid for German Electronics Retailer Ceconomy
Azerbaijan Proceeds with Plan to Legalise Casinos on Artificial Islands
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
The British propaganda channel BBC News lies again.
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
×