| We all love looking at Hawaiian shirts. | | | | displayed in an advertisement in the |
| Looking back at the history of hawaiian | | | | Honolulu Adviser on June 28, 1935 with |
| shirts, also known as the Aloha Shirt, | | | | the words Aloha Shirt as the title. |
| we see that it can be traced to the 19th | | | | Hawaiian shirts were improved in the mid |
| century and to the early western | | | | 1920s with Rayon. This made the Hawaiian |
| missionaries. Those missionaries thought | | | | Print Aloha shirt the ultimate souvenir |
| that covering the recent Christianized | | | | for tourists. |
| natives would be more appropriate than | | | | Hawaiian shirts were well-known in the |
| allowing them to go topless. In the | | | | 1940s and 1950s. Even celebrities wore |
| 1930s Hawaiian shirts started to be | | | | the famous Aloha Shirt. In fact, Elvis |
| produced commercially and continue to | | | | Presley, who was known as the undisputed |
| this day. Some researchers have | | | | king of rock, had a collection of |
| discovered stories about the pioneer of | | | | Hawaiian Shirts that he used in his |
| the Aloha shirt, a Waikiki, Honolulu, | | | | performances. He was often spotted and |
| Chinese merchant named Mr. Ellery Chun. | | | | photographed wearing Hawaiian shirts. |
| Mr. Chun was the owner of the well-known | | | | Harry S. Truman, the 33rd President of |
| King Smith Clothiers and dry goods | | | | the United States, wore Aloha Shirts. As |
| store. He was born in Honolulu in 1909 | | | | a matter of fact, he was featured in a |
| and he died at the age of 91 on June 16, | | | | 1951 issue of Life Magazine wearing a |
| 2000. | | | | Hawaiian shirt. Frank Sinatra and |
| With the help of her sister, Ethel Chun | | | | Montgomery Cliff also wore Hawaiian |
| Lum, they started to shape the history | | | | shirts during the motion picture From |
| of the hawaiian shirt. Ethel Chun Lum | | | | here to Eternity. |
| made the first floral, brightly colored, | | | | There are still a lot of celebrities and |
| short sleeved shirt which is made up of | | | | public figures who continue to wear and |
| kimono fabric. On July 15, 1963, Mr. | | | | endorse Hawaiian shirts. A list of |
| Chun registered his own business with | | | | famous people is enough to prove that |
| Aloha as the trade name and it was then | | | | Hawaiian shirts are loved by many. The |
| that he began generating and advertising | | | | Hawaiian shirt served as the symbol of |
| Hawaiian printed shirts. He placed a | | | | the island paradise. It represents the |
| sign on his window shop that read, Aloha | | | | warm and pleasant greeting to people who |
| Shirt, which ignited the success of the | | | | visit the Hawaiian Islands. However, we |
| sales of his business. | | | | would not have worn the Hawaiian shirts |
| The shirts were enormously popular and | | | | if they were not created at all. Let us |
| sold mainly to the local residents, | | | | pay tribute to the people who shaped the |
| surfers, tourists and boys who loved the | | | | history of the Hawaiian shirt. |
| beach. The Aloha Shirt was first | | | | |