Aloha equals fun; it's never out of fashion...

Before...

and after...

Which one do you prefer?

Aloha shirts...a state of mind

For many years I lived in the Northeast USA where winters were brutally long. It seemed like weeks, even months would go by when I never got to see or feel the sun on my skin. I was starved for the summer and warm, sunny weather. I even got very envious of TV programs set in Hawaii, Florida, or California. Until one day I went to an upscale department store and saw a section with Hawaiian shirts. I was hooked. I bought two Paradise Found rayon aloha shirts. The rest of the winter was spent dreaming of and planning a Spring vacation to the West Coast where I had some relatives. To make a long story short, my wonderful wife and I have now been living in San Diego almost 25 years. Those two aloha shirts changed my state of mind from one of gluminess to one of hopefulness, and ultimately changed my life.

OK, so what are the best brands to buy?

When buying a Hawaiian aloha shirt, look for "Made in Hawaii" on the label if you're a purist. But there are other brands which are not made in Hawaii which are top-notch quality such as Tommy Bahama, Go Barefoot, Jamaica Jaxx, etc. Generally, I do not go by brand when buying...I go by the print; is it bold or conservative...am I bold or conservative? Then there's other things to consider. Does it have a matching pocket? What's the material ... cotton, cotton blend, cotton lawn, rayon, silk, polyester? Buttons...wood, plastic, coconut shell, metal, oyster or abalone shell?

Here are some popular Hawaiian shirt brands:

                  Kahala

                Reyn Spooner

                 Tori Richard

             Tommy Bahama

                 Hilo Hattie

                Go Barefoot

                 Jams World

These are just some examples. There are many other brands available.

New, used, or vintage?

Generally speaking, new aloha shirts are more costly than most other kinds of casual shirts except for T-shirts. They can range from about $50 to over $100. There are many reasons for this. For one, to create a good looking flow to the pattern, matching pockets are a must. That costs money because they have to be done by hand. Not only is it time-consuming but it is wasteful of material. Vintage Hawaiian shirts can range in the hundreds to the thousands depending on the scarcity. Used aloha shirts that are in excellent almost like-new condition are plentiful and are a good choice for many people.

Mahalo and happy aloha shirt hunting!