*This story was originally published on Jan. 15, 2025, and updated in January 2026. The muʻumuʻu has come a long way from its reputation as a gaudy house dress. In fact, it’s very in vogue these days. So much so, January is Muʻumuʻu Month in Hawaiʻi. It started 11 years ago by Kauaʻi designer Shannon […]
Aloha wear has long been a symbol of Hawai‘i’s cultural heritage and the upcoming exhibit “Fashioning Aloha” at the Honolulu Museum of Art (HoMA), opening on April 12, takes viewers on a deep dive through nearly 90 years of aloha wear, showcasing 53 garments including holoku, mu‘umu‘u, holomu‘u and aloha shirts. The exhibit takes the
Aloha shirts never go out of style—but they have gotten an upgrade lately, thanks to innovative local designers who have modernized the Island staple. Read More: Shop These 5 Sophisticated Aloha Shirt Brands 1. Kealopiko The trio behind Kealopiko put a lot of time and effort into its apparel, from screenprinting small batches by hand to
Here in the Islands, semiformal attire involves buttoning up an aloha shirt. It’s the Hawaiʻi businessman’s unofficial uniform and the go-to look for first birthdays, graduations and holiday parties. Basically, there’s no such thing as owning too many aloha shirts. Although traditionally worn by men, women’s aloha shirts are also in style, making them great
Few things declare the laid-back Hawaiʻi lifestyle as boldly as the aloha shirt. Like many pivotal origin stories, (take the heated debate over who invented the loco moco in Hilo, for example) the exact party responsible for the birth of the aloha shirt is hard to pin down. One of the most well-known stories goes
