Hawaiian shirts and fedoras

[GHT]

An old favorite aloha shirt with my new ventilated straw hat from Cuenca, Ecuador.

View attachment 168030

That hat, the shades and the shirt make a great ensemble. The wearer, looks a distinguished gent too. I shaved my beard of forty years off when the silver threads appeared, vanity you see.

Here's a weather report that I have cut and pasted from the web.
Europe heat wave: France sees record June high of 106 degrees and may be hotter Friday. A ferocious heat wave has overtaken parts of Europe. ... Over large areas of western and central Europe, temperatures have neared or surpassed 100 degrees (37.8 degrees Celsius) on consecutive days. It's all down to some weather condition in The Sahara Desert, the heat from that has risen into the jet stream and that has sent Western European temperatures soaring. Bring it on. Hawaiian shirts and fedora weather.

 

[Bill Hughes]

Help me out guys. What is a good source for Hawaiian shirts?

 

[dh66]

Help me out guys. What is a good source for Hawaiian shirts?

Ebay is a good place to start. You can usually find something that won't break the bank.

Avanti, Reyn Spooned, Kahela, Kamehameha...all are good brands with their own websites. Not cheap, though. Probably there's a Wal-Mart or a TJ Maxx near you somewhere. Both are good sources for inexpensive options and often they have some pretty good ones.

Sent from my P008 using Tapatalk

 

[GHT]

Help me out guys. What is a good source for Hawaiian shirts?

UK prices vary from £20 to £50, the price is dependent on the material used. My missus spends something like £45 for the fabric because she buys top quality cotton and there's more waste because she lines the pattern and the pocket to match. Lining, stiffener, thread buttons and other notions add a further £15 to the cost, the paper pattern is around £5 and it takes her ten hours to make one.

But you don't need to have such largesse, if you can find a seemstress or tailor who makes them, I can put you in touch with our Hawaiian supplier and our paper pattern vendor, she's in Canada.

 

[GHT]

Help me out guys. What is a good source for Hawaiian shirts?

Bill, as my missus buys most of the fabric for my Aloha shirts direct from Hawaii, I had a look at one or two Hawaiian web sites. You can pick up a shirt from twenty dollars upwards, just Google, original Hawaiian shirts.

At the cheaper end you will find the fabric used is rayon. Rayon is a manufactured fibre made from regenerated cellulose fibre. The many types and grades of rayon can imitate the feel and texture of natural fibres such as silk, wool, cotton, and linen. The types that resemble silk are often called artificial silk.
Since rayon is manufactured from naturally occurring polymers, it is not considered to be synthetic. Technically, the term synthetic fibre is reserved for fully synthetic, like polyester. In manufacturing terms, rayon is classified as "a fibre formed by regenerating natural materials into a usable form." Specific types of rayon include viscose, modal and lyocell, each of which differs in manufacturing process and properties of the finished product.
Rayon is made from purified cellulose, harvested primarily from wood pulp, which is chemically converted into a soluble compound. It is then dissolved and forced through a spinneret to produce filaments which are chemically solidified, resulting in fibres of nearly pure cellulose.
The properties of rayon resemble silk, the disadvantage to that is that the shirt front can have a crumpled look. Remember that I said my missus uses a stiffener? It's actually known as interfacing, that's what gives my shirt fronts a lapel look to them. You have seen the photo before, but it's well worth another look, here's a shirt in progress with the interface being sewn in.

After the interface has been sewn in the fabric is now doubled and supports buttons and button holes perfectly.


A bespoke shirt also has the advantage of being made to measure, it fits like a glove, and if you go that route at least you won't have a sharp tongued wife. My lady loves to say,"what size are you dear? Maternity?" However I can put up with that, here's a picture of the shirt that I have on today, followed by a close up. Look how she lines up the material, the breast pocket is almost invisible.


And here it is, how good it looks with either felt or straw hat.

 

[Bill Hughes]

Bill, as my missus buys most of the fabric for my Aloha shirts direct from Hawaii, I had a look at one or two Hawaiian web sites. You can pick up a shirt from twenty dollars upwards, just Google, original Hawaiian shirts.

At the cheaper end you will find the fabric used is rayon. Rayon is a manufactured fibre made from regenerated cellulose fibre. The many types and grades of rayon can imitate the feel and texture of natural fibres such as silk, wool, cotton, and linen. The types that resemble silk are often called artificial silk.
Since rayon is manufactured from naturally occurring polymers, it is not considered to be synthetic. Technically, the term synthetic fibre is reserved for fully synthetic, like polyester. In manufacturing terms, rayon is classified as "a fibre formed by regenerating natural materials into a usable form." Specific types of rayon include viscose, modal and lyocell, each of which differs in manufacturing process and properties of the finished product.
Rayon is made from purified cellulose, harvested primarily from wood pulp, which is chemically converted into a soluble compound. It is then dissolved and forced through a spinneret to produce filaments which are chemically solidified, resulting in fibres of nearly pure cellulose.
The properties of rayon resemble silk, the disadvantage to that is that the shirt front can have a crumpled look. Remember that I said my missus uses a stiffener? It's actually known as interfacing, that's what gives my shirt fronts a lapel look to them. You have seen the photo before, but it's well worth another look, here's a shirt in progress with the interface being sewn in.
View attachment 175368
After the interface has been sewn in the fabric is now doubled and supports buttons and button holes perfectly.
View attachment 175369

A bespoke shirt also has the advantage of being made to measure, it fits like a glove, and if you go that route at least you won't have a sharp tongued wife. My lady loves to say,"what size are you dear? Maternity?" However I can put up with that, here's a picture of the shirt that I have on today, followed by a close up. Look how she lines up the material, the breast pocket is almost invisible.
View attachment 175380 View attachment 175381

And here it is, how good it looks with either felt or straw hat.
View attachment 175382 View attachment 175383

Thanks for all the replies. Probably the main feature I would want (aside from pattern, color, etc..) is non-iron. I gave up ironing once I left the Marine Corps and don't desire to experience it any more than absolutely necessary. BTY that shirt with you wearing the felt and straw fedoras is probably my favorite I've ever seen.

 

[GHT]

Thank you for the compliment. I hope that you find something similar, do show us a picture when you find that shirt.

 

[Bill Hughes]

Thank you for the compliment. I hope that you find something similar, do show us a picture when you find that shirt.

Actually I think I’ll just turn it over to the wife and daughter. They complain that it’s hard to buy for me because I get what I want when I want it. So today I told them I would like a couple Hawaiian Shirts. Let’s see what happens.

 

[Tukwila]

I'll add that I either buy cotton or silk Hawaiian shirts. I dislike the Rayon as IME it looks good at first, but then loses it's shape after a washing or two. My silk shirts don't wrinkle like the cotton, but the cotton is easier (cheaper) to launder.

 

[GHT]

Dark blue contrasts with light blue so well. This navy blue & white floral print is perfect with my sky blue & white pinstripe, seersucker blazer. The hat is the work of my favourite Belgian milliner.

 

[GHT]

When my wife made a shirt from fabric called Gatsby, she had a lot of waste due to the pattern of the print. Always resourceful, she utilised that fabric in a novel and unique way. Here you see, the shirt teamed with the Esther made felt fedora, then it's topped off with a straw Biltmore. Finally the utilisation that my missus made, worn under yet another hat that was made by my favourite Belgian milliner.

 

[Short Balding Guy]

When my wife made a shirt from fabric called Gatsby, she had a lot of waste due to the pattern of the print. Always resourceful, she utilised that fabric in a novel and unique way. Here you see, the shirt teamed with the Esther made felt fedora, then it's topped off with a straw Biltmore. Finally the utilisation that my missus made, worn under yet another hat that was made by my favourite Belgian milliner.
View attachment 175692 View attachment 175693
View attachment 175689 View attachment 175690

Shirt and now tie - cool.

It has been some time since I offered comment and that has been remiss. Excellent shirts posted GHT. Thanks for sharing the efforts of your talented wife. You have all reason to be very proud of her sewing skills.

Best, Eric -

 

[GHT]

Actually I think I’ll just turn it over to the wife and daughter. They complain that it’s hard to buy for me because I get what I want when I want it. So today I told them I would like a couple Hawaiian Shirts. Let’s see what happens.

Just a thought Bill. It might be an idea to let your wife and daughter know what your favourite colours are. You could end up wearing a shirt just to show that you are not ungrateful:

I'll add that I either buy cotton or silk Hawaiian shirts. I dislike the Rayon as IME it looks good at first, but then loses it's shape after a washing or two. My silk shirts don't wrinkle like the cotton, but the cotton is easier (cheaper) to launder.

Rayon, whilst helping keep costs down, is a very difficult fabric to work with. The interfacing that you see in the previous photo, wouldn't work with rayon.

Shirt and now tie - cool.
It has been some time since I offered comment and that has been remiss. Excellent shirts posted GHT. Thanks for sharing the efforts of your talented wife. You have all reason to be very proud of her sewing skills.
Best, Eric -

Your comments and compliments are always most welcome Eric, grateful thanks, I shall pass them onto the lady.

 

[scottyrocks]

Ebay is a good place to start. You can usually find something that won't break the bank.

I got all mine on ebay, relatively inexpensively. I wanted 100% cotton, and was able to do so.

 

[scottyrocks]

Bill, as my missus buys most of the fabric for my Aloha shirts direct from Hawaii, I had a look at one or two Hawaiian web sites. You can pick up a shirt from twenty dollars upwards, just Google, original Hawaiian shirts.

At the cheaper end you will find the fabric used is rayon. Rayon is a manufactured fibre made from regenerated cellulose fibre. The many types and grades of rayon can imitate the feel and texture of natural fibres such as silk, wool, cotton, and linen. The types that resemble silk are often called artificial silk.
Since rayon is manufactured from naturally occurring polymers, it is not considered to be synthetic. Technically, the term synthetic fibre is reserved for fully synthetic, like polyester. In manufacturing terms, rayon is classified as "a fibre formed by regenerating natural materials into a usable form." Specific types of rayon include viscose, modal and lyocell, each of which differs in manufacturing process and properties of the finished product.
Rayon is made from purified cellulose, harvested primarily from wood pulp, which is chemically converted into a soluble compound. It is then dissolved and forced through a spinneret to produce filaments which are chemically solidified, resulting in fibres of nearly pure cellulose.
The properties of rayon resemble silk, the disadvantage to that is that the shirt front can have a crumpled look. Remember that I said my missus uses a stiffener? It's actually known as interfacing, that's what gives my shirt fronts a lapel look to them. You have seen the photo before, but it's well worth another look, here's a shirt in progress with the interface being sewn in.
View attachment 175368
After the interface has been sewn in the fabric is now doubled and supports buttons and button holes perfectly.
View attachment 175369

A bespoke shirt also has the advantage of being made to measure, it fits like a glove, and if you go that route at least you won't have a sharp tongued wife. My lady loves to say,"what size are you dear? Maternity?" However I can put up with that, here's a picture of the shirt that I have on today, followed by a close up. Look how she lines up the material, the breast pocket is almost invisible.
View attachment 175380 View attachment 175381

And here it is, how good it looks with either felt or straw hat.
View attachment 175382 View attachment 175383

That purple one is outstanding!

 

[GHT]

I got all mine on ebay, relatively inexpensively. I wanted 100% cotton, and was able to do so.

Alohaland shirts look good value, they have many different topics, pin ups being very popular: https://www.alohaland.com/pinup-girls-guys
A shirt like this will set you back about $65 depending on size and fabric choice.



I couldn't find the cost of shipping, nor the price of variation in fabrics. But for that price you can't expect the quality of finish that I enjoy. No matching of the pattern where the front panels button together, and on mine the breast pocket all but disappears. You can see the finer detail in the second picture. Look closely and you can just make out the join of the front panels, the breast pocket is just about visible, only by a fine line though. Such detail would rack up the price, but then again, the labour charge for my shirt is free.

 

[Wyldkarma]

Help me out guys. What is a good source for Hawaiian shirts?

I've found some great ones at Nordstrom Rack for under $50. Also, Dillards often has great sales on them too. They have 1/2 off this weekend lots of mens clothes.

 

[AbbaDatDeHat]

Help me out guys. What is a good source for Hawaiian shirts?

Hey Bill:
Since you asked.
Can’t beat this fellow Texan’s prices or continual availability. He loves Hawaiian shirts.
His name is Larry. He’s in Houston.
Tell him Bowen said hey.
B

 

[scottyrocks]

Alohaland shirts look good value, they have many different topics, pin ups being very popular: https://www.alohaland.com/pinup-girls-guys
A shirt like this will set you back about $65 depending on size and fabric choice.

View attachment 180198

I couldn't find the cost of shipping, nor the price of variation in fabrics. But for that price you can't expect the quality of finish that I enjoy. No matching of the pattern where the front panels button together, and on mine the breast pocket all but disappears. You can see the finer detail in the second picture. Look closely and you can just make out the join of the front panels, the breast pocket is just about visible, only by a fine line though. Such detail would rack up the price, but then again, the labour charge for my shirt is free.

View attachment 180210 View attachment 180217

That's outstanding. Knowing me, I wouldn't wear it, though. I'd hang it up and look at it.

My Hawaiian shirts are more the traditional large flower style.

 

[GHT]

My Hawaiian shirts are more the traditional large flower style.

Large flower design? I love the large flower design.