Hawaiian Clothes

[Mary Louise]

Hello,

 

My husband and I will be traveling to HI in June. Do the natives wear the hawaiian shirts and dresses or is it just the tourists. If everyone wears them, could someone please recommend the best place to buy hawaiian clothes.

 

Thank you so much.

 

ML

[Molokai-Chuck]

For price and selection ..... Hilo-Hatties. Even the Hawaiian K-Mart and Wal-Mart stores have a great selection at good prices.

And yes, the locals wear the Aloha attire .....even the folks at work on "Aloha Friday".

 

Chuck

[kapoho2]

You Betcha!!! We wear them all the time. I agree that Hilo Hattie's, WalMart and K-Mart have great selections and prices. Also, Sears and Macy's are filled with the Aloha prints.

 

Rarely do you see stripes and plaids over here!

 

One word of caution, when we see a couple in "matching" Aloha prints, we know that they are tourists!! But, wearing matching prints for a dinner or a formal portrait on a cruise would be just fine.

 

Go for it, and have fun!!!!!

[beachchick]

We've bought some of our favorite aloha shirts at Sears. Hilo Hattie's is a must do, whether you buy there or not. There are usually some lovely pareos (long and short), short wraps with ties, and dresses (muumuus, which come in all lengths and styles from the long and loose to the short and fitted). As a woman, I think pareos are must have clothing items for Hawaii. I've now got 2 long and 2 short--but I want to get at least 4 more on our next trip.

 

And don't forget to check your local department stores on the mainland before your trip. We've also found some really good deals there as well. The whole "matching" thing is really true--great way to say, "Aloha, we're tourists," but if it's what you want to do, then go for it anyway.

 

beachchick

[spleen93]

Also, louder is NOT better ... :)

 

Spleen

[Ka Honu]

... and if you're only gonna wear it once or twice, you could go to the swap meet/flea market at Aloha Stadium on Saturday, Sunday, or Wednesday. If you want to be more "upscale," Tommy Bahama is appropriate. Another place to check out is Nordstrom's Rack (behind the Ward 16 theater complex) - good buys on Tori Richard and Kahala. eBay has some good deals if you're careful (I buy a lot of Tommy Bahama and Nat Nast shirts there for less than half retail - they also sell a lot of Kahala, Tori Richard, Reyn's, etc.).

 

Guys can go pretty much anywhere in shorts or slacks and an aloha shirt. Ladies have better sense than we do and tend to dress about one or two levels classier than the guy they're with. "Resort wear" is appropriate for the ladies anywhere they want to go. The only caveat is that there are one or two high end restaurants (e.g., Le Mer) that require long sleeves (for guys).

 

As Speen says, loud is not necessarily better but as long as you stay away from neon you should be okay. A little louder (more fun) is okay for leisure where it wouldn't be for business wear.

 

Oh yeah, guys PLEASE don't wear socks and "cop shoes" with shorts and remember not to wear plaid shorts with aloha shirts. Our "fashion police" are already overworked.

[Mary Louise]

Thank you for letting me know about proper attire on the islands. My husband and I will not to be wearing matching prints. I have visited Hilo hatties website. They certainly do have some nice prints.

 

My husband and I don't wear stipes and plaids, so I don't have to worry about the fashion police. I did have a good chuckle with some of your replies. You will not see us with socks and cop shoes. I would hate to pay a fine to the fashion police.

 

Now for fabric, what is worn more cotton, rayon, or silk?

 

 

Thank you again.

[gracecarmo]

This may be a dumb question re "bargain" shopping: are there any Goodwill type stores near the port? Once when we were in Oahu (0n a business trip), friends there took me to a Goodwill store. It was the best place for a bargain and such fun to look around. I did buy a nice mumu there too!

 

Grace

[Suebee]

 

Oh yeah, guys PLEASE don't wear socks and "cop shoes" with shorts and remember not to wear plaid shorts with aloha shirts. Our "fashion police" are already overworked.

 

 

And please do not wear knee high socks with any short...women too...or socks with sandals. For heaven sakes its like a neon sign that youre tourists...and youre mother didnt teach you better.

 

One hour at the beach will cure those white ankles so help us all out here! I am as white as the snow and still wont do the sock thing here!

[suziehmkr]

I live near a tourist beach town and we see this all the time! Even ON the beach! Lose the socks!! I told DH I would NOT let him do that in Mexico we went on our last cruise! He is a jeans guy and never wears shorts, so he just did what I said! :)

[RvrCrzr]

One hour at the beach will cure those white ankles so help us all out here!

 

:) Yea...they'll turn RED! :eek:

[Suebee]

Well, my whole body will be red to match. My friends cannot understand how I can be the same color as I was before I moved here....its easy my dear. I COMPLETELY avoid the sun! LOL

[Lando]

I know everyone says not to wear socks with sandals but I often do when not on the beach. I simply find it more comfortable and really don't care what anyone else thinks! Even my other half says I look like a dork .. but oh well. :D

[Ka Honu]

Even my other half says I look like a dork .. but oh well. :D

 

Well, Lando, you are, after all, Canadian, so a certain amount of dorkiness is expected (but not necessarily ignored).

Grace - There's a Salvation Army store a few blocks from the cruise pier right next to WalMart. There's also a large Goodwill store in town just west of the corner of Beretania and Pensacola. I don't know about the S.A., but Goodwill has lots of aloha attire (for men, women, & children) and sometimes some exceptional deals on pretty good quality stuff.

[suziehmkr]

In Alberta, don't you NEED to wear socks all year round? ;) Just kidding... I know that the area is generalized as very cold... but you do get sun! :)

 

Not to worry, my father does the same thing and he doesn't care what people say either. :)

[Suebee]

My mother in law does the socks with sandals. My feet sweat so much here, I simply cant do a sock or a heavy shoe. But boy do I go through sandals here!

Its the Japanese tourists that you'll see with knee high nylons in an off color from whatever they are wearing. They are not accustomed to shorts at all so it must be culture shock for them!

[spleen93]

The only caveat is that there are one or two high end restaurants (e.g., Le Mer) that require long sleeves (for guys).

 

Actually, La Mer requires a jacket - one of the few restaurants on the island that require more than resort wear. :) I knew that there was a Goodwiil store near Aloha Tower somewhere but couldn't remember where.

 

Spleen

[gracecarmo]

Ka and Spleen: thanks so much for the thrift store info. My friend and I will be in hog heaven. Now all I need is the map I sent away for, as we plan to do a lot on foot, as well as the Waikiki Trolley.

 

Grace

[beachchick]

As for fabrics, my personal preference is good quality, washable, smooth rayon. It's light and breathable. I like cotton/rayon blends too. Cotton is fine, but again it has to be soft and smooth. DH and I both have some items in silk, mostly woven, for evening. I find silk too hot for the daytime in Hawaii. For some reason, it doesn't seem to breathe as much as rayon. Bottom line is to wear the fabrics that are comfortable to you. I won't wear anything, I don't care how fashionable or how attractive it is, if the fabric isn't comfortable on my skin.

 

beachchick

[Samstress]

As a fashion conscious Canadian, I thought that I should inform you that the socks with sandals is a definite Western Canada (particularly Alberta) fashion statement. And, it's a year round thing (even in the coldest of weather, I've seen people in sandals & socks). Now, in Eastern Canada (particularly Ontario) we wouldn't have been caught dead making such a fashion faux pas;)

So, you'll know hubby & I if you see us on the streets of Hawaii. He'll be the one in the sandals & socks and I'll be the one pretending I'm not with him:D

Sandy.

[Ka Honu]

Actually, La Mer requires a jacket

They've changed the rules again - long sleeves and trousers now permitted (as of earlier this month when I was there for my birthday).

 

He'll be the one in the sandals & socks and I'll be the one pretending I'm not with him

You won't be all that instantly recognizable - we get a lot of ladies with far better taste (and far more sensitivity/sensibility) than their spouses.

[bdoster]

Lando, do not feel alone as my DH loves the socks & sandals says it is very "artsy"

 

I am not a fan of silk in hot weather as well, does not breath & I especially do not l like the smell!

[SunPacific]

You are all too funny! My brother-in-law is Canadian, though they live in Vermont - sox and sandals a big thing there - my sister does it too!:eek: However, I, a hip Californian, would never make such a faux pas!:cool: (she said, very tongue in cheek)

 

Grace, what map did you send away for and how do I get one? We're looking for a good street map for Waikiki.

 

Thanks!

Carol

[gracecarmo]

Carol: I sent away for maps and info for 4 of the islands, and I believe I went to http://www.gohawaii.com. I will also check on another web site. That was 3 weeks ago, and I still have not received them.

In looking up some of my previous Hawaii info (have to really dig, as we moved since then) I think I may have a map.

 

Grace

[NAHA]

I checked out Hilo Hattie's on line, can anyone tell me, do their sizes run pretty true?

 

Saw some nice things.

 

 

Mary