The Best Hawaiian Shirts for Men
Style
Hawaiian shirts for men are the killer items that show no sign of dating - put some Dick Dale on and go loud and proud...
What makes a shirt a Hawaiian shirt? Well, palm trees, florals and fruit are all safe, or anything we can imagine Elvis wearing/doing in Blue Hawaii (1961). Once the staple of the cool loner (Christian Slater in True Romance) or the slightly weird (Nicolas Cage in Raising Arizona) it’s fair to say they’ve gone mainstream, or maybe there’s just more cool, slightly weird, loners about. Aloha!
Superday Vintage Hawaiian Shirt, £27.99
Striking. Red. Striking. Red. This is striking and red, what more do you need? Note the turned up sleeves – you must do that, especially if you have tattoos…
Gucci printed cotton bowling shirt, £640
This is sensational, and it would have to be at that price. Combined with a t-shirt or vest and smart trousers, this is something else.
Levi’s Sunset Camp Shirt, £35
This softer more pastel Hawaiian shirt looks every inch the real deal with its vintage vibe. An excellent mid-range price point too.
Urban Outfitters Monet Still Life Shirt, £34
Isn’t this what Monet ultimately wanted to achieve with his art? To have it printed on shirts that get covered in small batch lager by post-punk fans? Course it is.
Gant Relaxed Ft Pure Prep Floral Shirt, £120
Beautiful florals on this rangey number, effortlessly cool without trying too hard. One to throw over t-shirts and under a long coat.
Idaho Paisley Shirt, £71
Paisley pays off with this subtly eye-catching little number. For men so attractive their clothes are mere background decoration.
Prada Re-Nylon printed short sleeve shirt, £1500
Well, I mean this may be the best of them all – it looks like a still from Apocalypse Now. The whole thing looks radioactive. If you buy it you’d probably just stay in and stare at yourself in the mirror all day – probably better that way, who’d have time for all the sex people would want from you if you went outside?
Kenzo Akae Dragon cotton-poplin shirt, £199.50
Come on, 1000% yes to this one. It’s got a frickin’ dragon on it. Buy it, quit your job and disappear into the Tokyo underworld.
Call us horribly wealthy but this is such an excellent price for such a banging shirt. This Parisian label has nailed florals for men in this stunning collection. AMI £170
It’s no co-incidence this shirt has been dubbed ‘Magnum Hawaiian shirt’. The world’s first and foremost TV detective was famous for 3 things; his red car, his moustache and his vast collection of Hawaiian shirts. I think Thomas Magnum would sell his faithful sidekick Higgins for this shirt. SSC £252
If Don Johnson in his Miama Vice days were crossed with a Frank Millar comic it would look something like this. We want this shirt hard. SSS WORLD CORP £125
This is a seriously cool shirt, not just because the gorgeous muted browns make us think of Graham Greene original book covers, but because it could easily work all year round without any raised eyebrows or feeling like a clown. All Saints £88
“The SS18 menswear collection celebrates the spirit of the season with escapism, positivity, romance and freedom. Tropical prints embrace the spirit of summer featuring scenes of volcanoes, palm trees, hibiscus flowers and birds of paradise…”
Feel all those spirits in this handsome, classy, double-pocketed shirt. Stella McCartney £310
Alfred Shaheen was the man credited with popularising the Hawaiian shirt. After the war he set up a textiles business on Hawaii, picking up junk from Honolulu and using it to create his fabrics under his Surf ‘n Sand Hand Prints business. After making the very shirt Elvis wore in Blue Hawaii Shaheen became an internationally acclaimed designer and was featuring in everything from Vogue to Harper’s. You can pick up originals on Etsy or Ebay or try some good old fashioned foraging in charity shops and car boots.
This poplin short sleeved shirt from GAP combines a gorgeous dark blue backdrop with bright aqua blue palm trees. GAP £29.95
Beachwear specialists Onia have made the world a better, more stylish place with this first class palm and tropical flwoer print. Not too busy, just the right amount of chic. Mr Porter, £95.
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