It may seem strange, but ALOHA WEAR is more than that crazy floral-pattered shirt your uncle loves to wear to cookouts. Here in Hawai‘i, you’ll find a wide range of apparel that fall into the “aloha wear” category, or what some people may call “HAWAIIAN SHIRTS.”
There are those shirts, yes, but there are also other shirts that are actually worn and accepted as business attire. These typically are a little more tailored-looking and come in muted prints called “reverse print” aloha shirts.
There’s also something stylish for wahine (women). In place of the stereotypical mu‘umu‘u, kama‘aina (local) ladies may wear a dress with a more modern silhouette that features an “aloha” or “Hawaiian” print. You’ll also find the print on accessories such as handbags, caps, etc.
Some companies even produce entire lines of clothes so that every member of the family can wear the same print—four-legged members included!
HILO HATTIE is a Hawaiian retail institution that has developed a distinct style of doing business since its humble beginnings in 1963. Walk into a Hilo Hattie store and expect to be greeted with free shell lei. Next thing you’ll notice is rack after rack of HAWAIIAN-STYLE APPAREL—a virtual sea of flowered fabrics in sizes ranging from infant to 5XL.
The department store is the world’s largest manufacturer of Hawaiian and casual apparel and produces its own GOURMET FOOD ITEMS—candies, jams and jellies, cookies, syrups and dressings—as well. Hilo Hattie also carries a line of gift items.
Hilo Hattie stores can be found in the LAHAINA CENTER and at PI‘ILANI VILLAGE SHOPPING CENTER in Kihei. FREE SHOPPING SHUTTLES from most hotels run 365 days a year.
Hilo Hattie (808) 667-7911 Lahaina or (808) 875-4545 Kihei
