weekendplus@tucsoncitizen.com
There is something irresistibly magical about the days of old Hawaii.
Hula girls swaying with the rhythm of palm trees, a soft ukulele strumming near a clear blue ocean. Even those who have never been can agree that it's paradise.
Perhaps that's why Tucsonans have begun to invoke those images via fashionable Hawaiian attire.
From 1930s men's aloha shirts with pictures of tiny surfers to 1960s floral print dresses, Hawaiian vintage has become a hot commodity in our desert.
Born and raised in Hawaii, Robert Hayes decided to turn his island love into an entrepreneurial adventure after he relocated to Tucson 12 years ago.
"I have always had a passion for old Hawaiian shirts," Hayes says. "I collected them for years on my own, and one day as I was searching online I noticed that a lot of people sell limited amounts, but no one could offer a wide selection from 1930s to 1970s."
From this discovery, The Hana Shirt Co. was born in 2002.
Named after Hayes' 7-year-old daughter, Hana, the local Web-based company now boasts that it offers "the largest selection of vintage Aloha shirts found anywhere in the online world."
"A lot of people love Hawaii," Hayes says. "By wearing a vintage Hawaiian shirt, it just puts their spirit in a tropical paradise setting."
Whether you are craving bright purple floral prints to stand out in the crowd or an appropriate shirt to have a mai tai in, The Hana Shirt Co. has more than 800 items from which to choose.
"Hawaiian vintage just has such unique patterns and colors that are not found anywhere else," Hayes says. "I think that's part of the reason people love it so much."
Since vintage clothing is typically sized smaller than modern wear, Hayes gives measurements from armpit to armpit in the description of his online clothing, which range in price from $30 to nearly $500 for the most collectible items.
Although the company has currently only men's attire, Hayes says he is considering expansion into women's wear as well.
Kathleen Lauth, owner of Desert Vintage and Costume at 636 N. Fourth Ave, says that Hawaiian vintage items have been popular items at her store since it opened 33 years ago.
"Especially in the summer months, people just love Hawaiian vintage," Lauth says. "Most items are cotton and are great in the heat, and they look good over a bathing suit."
Although it is mostly college students who buy Hawaiian wear from Desert Vintage, Lauth says the genre is popular among vintage collectors and those who have ties to Hawaii.
"We have had some people from Hawaii come in and grab it all," she says, laughing.
Desert Vintage carries both men's and women's Hawaiian vintage wear, typically ranging in price from $12 for a men's shirt to $75 or more for an ultracollectible (and ultra-adorable) '40s dress.
Both Desert Vintage and The Hana Shirt Co. are actively buying Hawaiian vintage from the public to increase their supply of outfits that make you want to hang ten.
"Nothing screams summer more than perky, fun, Hawaiian prints," Lauth says while holding a green Hawaiian minidress. "They just get everyone in the spirit."
OTHER HAWAIIAN VINTAGE HOT SPOTS
Tucson Thrift, 319 N. Fourth Ave.
men's: $3-$15; women's: $3-$25
623-8736
How Sweet it Was, 419 N. Fourth Ave.
men's: from the '80s - $14.95; from '40s or '50s - $34-$45; women's: $15 to $65 for more collectible items
623-9854
Buffalo Exchange, 2001 E. Speedway Blvd.
men's: $10-$30; women's: $10-$35
795-0508
Razzle Dazzle, 1918 E. Prince Road
men's and women's: $35-$85
323-4544
Desert Vintage and Costume, 636 N. Fourth Ave.
men's: $12-$15; women's: $20-$75
620-1570
The Hana Shirt Co.; online
men's only: $35 to nearly $500
907-7308
www.thehanashirtco.com | 
No comments:
Post a Comment