Hawaiian shirts – Cool or not?

WelshPhil1975
WelshPhil1975 Posts: 138 Member
in Chit-Chat
I am going to buy myself a Hawaiian shirt in a week or 2 to celebrate losing weight (and to coincide with the change in weather). Nobody (as in my friends, my children and my wife) seems to think this is a good idea (not that that has put me off in the slightest) as Hawaiian shirts are most definitely NOT seen as cool in the UK.

Like I say, this won’t deter me, I happen to love them (I have even threatened to only wear it when I am around my children and their friends – this threat did not go down well!), but I am curious to know if this negative image is just a British thing or not.

Seeing as this is a multinational board, are Hawaiian shirts seen as cool across the pond? I’d love to tell the naysayers they don’t know what real fashion is.

Replies

  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,740 Member
    Uncool. But hey, so are plenty of things...and if you like it, rock it.

    My friend's husband works in an IT firm where they were given Hawaiian shirts as part of a team building activity and he wears his A LOT and it drives his wife nuts.

    ETA: I'm in the USA
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I think it depends on the shirt...I have several Hawaiian shirts that are really nice and I wear them often...nice material, coconut buttons, etc...I have others that are basically party gag, over the top, flamboyantly stereo-typically loud Hawaiian shirts which probably aren't cool unless you're going to a themed party or Jimmy Buffett concert or something.

    I think like many things, it also depends on the individual...I've been wearing and pulling off Hawaiian shirts for decades so I'm very comfortable in them and most people don't give it a second thought when they see me in one...

    Here's a couple of pics of my a couple years ago at my last Jimmy Buffett concert...which reminds me, I need to get back to one of those...also, almost forgot how fat I was back then...

    IMG_1721.JPG

    IMG_1784.JPG

    IMG_1756.JPG

    IMG_1797.JPG
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,740 Member
    coconut buttons.

    Makes it all ok? haha

    (seriously I'm not being mean I just found that hysterical)
  • therealblackdahlia
    therealblackdahlia Posts: 3,110 Member
    As one who loves vintage and Tiki, I say Hawaiian shirts are great, depending on the exact print.

    I sport my Hawaiian dress often!

    repr0705v7-01.jpg
  • Mahihkan
    Mahihkan Posts: 162
    Hawaiian shirts?!?!?!??!?

    400px-How-about-no.jpg


    Not sexy!
  • digitalbill
    digitalbill Posts: 1,410 Member
    I wear them quite often.
    I own probably 15 of them ranging from older ones from the 40's and 50's up to newer cotton ones.
  • miss_jessiejane
    miss_jessiejane Posts: 2,819 Member
    Some people can pull it off.

    wash-150x200.jpg
  • MagdalenDreams
    MagdalenDreams Posts: 63
    well... if you're in the UK, probably not... but I personally love them.
  • andylowry
    andylowry Posts: 89
    Hawaiians are my warm-weather wear. Here in Arizona, that's April through early November. There are some that aren't exceedingly loud. Go for it!
  • 99clmsntgr
    99clmsntgr Posts: 777 Member
    27675943.jpg
  • BlueButterfly94
    BlueButterfly94 Posts: 303 Member
    I don't know. Hawaiian shirts look good on quite a few people, and then not on others. But it's all up to you really! :)
  • MFAntonio
    MFAntonio Posts: 1
    Totally Cool!
    But then I'm biased because I lived there and married a Local Boy.
    The trick to the Hawaiian Shirt is to find a kick butt pattern.
    Also, they are not meant to be "fitted" or tucked into a pair of pants or jeans.
    They are meant to be loose and relaxed, like the Hawaii.
  • Shropshire1959
    Shropshire1959 Posts: 982 Member
    O.K for a bad taste party or BBQ - otherwise not
  • ScorpionQwean
    ScorpionQwean Posts: 1,013 Member
    My prior boss wore them and he rocked them - which made me like them. Why be like the rest of the population? Go out and do you... do what YOU want and don't care what the next person thinks. I say, go for it. Just sayn.
  • DWBalboa
    DWBalboa Posts: 37,259 Member
    It’s not the clothes that make the man; it’s the man that makes the clothes. Either way a proper Hawaiian shirts rock! They’re almost as kwel as a retro bowling shirt. Besides that wear what the hell you want brother; don’t follow trends, set them!

    Make that shirt your B!TCH!!!
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    My kiddo rocks them too...the blue one is a generic from Babies R Us and the white one I bought for him while I was in Kona.

    IMG_4389.JPG

    IMG_4486.JPG

    My personal favorite for myself is my dark blue linen with big white flower print...and yes, coconut buttons.
  • spirytwynd
    spirytwynd Posts: 141 Member
    I personally like Hawaiian shirts and used to have several. I have thinned out my wardrobe and shared the joy with others. If you can rock it, do it. My kids told me I made them look cool. Be yourself and enjoy them, it may turn out that you can rock them too. That said, if it doesn't work, you can always promise to pick the kids up from school in a Hawaiian shirt if they refuse to follow house or school rules. :-)
  • Rottnme
    Rottnme Posts: 167 Member
    IMO it's a case by case thing that depends on the shirt and it's occupant.
  • lannasster
    lannasster Posts: 49
    I think it depends on the person wearing it. My boyfriend has one and loves to wear it (which embarrasses me,) but all of my female friends say he can pull it off because he has the confidence and "pretty boy looks" to be able to wear it without coming off touristy/ridiculous. I won't let him wear it when we go out anywhere, though.

Categories