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Hawaiian shirts are no longer reserved for embarrassing dads on vacation. Rather, they’re notonlyfor dads on vacation. In recent years, these stylish shirts have become one of the most popular men’s summer style trends, and as the Spring/Summer 2022 fashion season approaches, these tropical shirts are still very much in fashion. This style is part of the larger dad-core fashion movement, which has also given us dad shoes and fanny packs. This summer, we expect the best Hawaiian shirts for men to stay in heavy rotation.
This trend is also evolving, and camp collar shirts have also become one of the most popular menswear trends of the last two years. Because we always want SPY readers to be ahead of the fashion curve, here are some common trends we’re seeing among Hawaiian shirts so far this year:
- Retro and dessert motifs
- Large landscape scenes
- Watercolor-inspired prints
- Black-and-white color choices
Ready to start sporting this laid-back style? Fashion-forward dudes no longer need to metaphorically (or literally) raid their old man’s wardrobe for these summer shirts. If you’re looking to upgrade your warm-weather look with a great Hawaiian shirt, we’ve got you covered.
1. Scotch & Soda Printed Men’s Hawaiian Shirts
BEST OVERALL
It doesn’t seem to matter what fashion item we’re shopping for these days — Scotch & Soda has us covered. This season, you can buyallof your men’s Hawaiian shirts from this fashion brand, which has colorful and on-trend prints for summer fun. This particular printed shirt comes in three colorways, and we’re obsessed with all three of them.
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2. Bonobos Stretch Riviera Short-Sleeve Shirt
RUNNER UP
Thanks to the textured chambray fabric, it will be easy to match this shirt with everything from white jeans to tan chinos, and the flowers offer a printed pop that’s eye-catching but not overly wild. You could even tone down this shirt with a navy cotton blazer, white jeans and brown suede loafers at the office, but why do that when it’s best worn with breezy linen trousers, umbrella drink in hand?
ON SALE
3. Reyn Spooner Sea Safari Short-Sleeve Shirt
BEST CLASSIC HAWAIIAN SHIRT
Plenty of brands made waves with Hawaiian shirts as the style has regained popularity, but none more so than Reyn Spooner, one of the most famous Hawaiian shirt brands. The company doesn’t cut corners when it comes to quality or style, using its archives as inspiration and nodding to its rich heritage with retro-inspired designs. This breezy, textured fabric uses signature Spooner Kloth (a cotton-polyester blend) to drive home the easygoing wearability, complete with a laidback straight hem and a wide range of sizing options.
4. Topman Floral Stripe Short Sleeve Button-Up Camp Shirt
BEST OPEN-CHEST
Do you prefer to wear your Hawaiian shirts over a tee, tank top or bare chest? Then we love the way this floral print shirt from TOPMAN looks when it’s left unbuttoned. The lighter colors will pair perfectly with most swim trunks and light blue jeans or shorts. Plus, the price is just right.
5. Todd Snyder Aloha Shirt
BEST STYLE SPLURGE
Todd Snyder uses three words to describe its new Aloha shirt — stylish, comfortable and laid back. We agree on all three fronts, and we also love the vintage palm motif. Unlike most Aloha shirts, you can tuck this short in without losing the casual vibes.
6. Scotch & Soda Printed Men’s Hawaiian Shirt
RETRO VIBES
Another Scotch & Soda shirt? Yup. Not only is Scotch & Soda one of the best menswear designers in the world right now, but the Dutch fashion brand undeniably has some of the coolest Hawaiian shirts of the season, full stop. This printed shirt features a retro scene, one of the biggest trends in this product category at the moment.
SELLING FAST!
7. Chubbies Resort Wear Men’s Hawaiian Shirts
BEST STRETCH
If you haven’t gathered by now, most Hawaiian shirts are made of classic materials like rayon, the kind that are soft to the touch but more old-school in nature. Chubbies, makers of infamous short shorts, has taken a different approach with one of the best-looking shirts with stretch. Here, they’ve used their own blend of Soft Stretch cotton with 2% spandex for good measure. When you want laidback-yet-polished comfort, go with this stretchy number from Chubbies (shorts sold separately).
8. Original Use Lemon Print Camp Collar Shirt
BUDGET-FRIENDLY
Target is one of our go-to retailers for affordable menswear that you won’t be embarrassed to be seen wearing. And for Summer 2022, Target brand Original Use has a few stylish Hawaiian shirts that are perfect for lazy Sundays and hanging out by the pool. Personally, we love the citrus-themed shirt pictured below, but there are other options available at the retailer’s online store.
9. Tommy Bahama Coast JungleBay Island Zone Shirt
MOST LIGHTWEIGHT
Do you have a love-hate relationship with Tommy Bahama shirts? Yeah, us too, but there’s no denying that Tommy Bahama is one of the top men’s Hawaiian shirt brands in the world. In fact, this company built its brand on these laid-back shirts as a style move and a lifestyle in and of itself (just visit one of the brand’s famed stores or restaurants for a breezy co*cktail). That legacy carries on today, yet with some new, lightweight and weather-ready tech top of mind.
Here, they started with recycled polyester for a modern touch, and then add spandex for even more breathability and stretch.
10. Goodthreads Short-Sleeve Printed Poplin Shirt
BUDGET BUY
Goodthreads, an affordable Amazon brand, is a great place to find men’s basics. Goodthreads just has a knack for affordable style moves you can seamlessly incorporate into your current wardrobe. That’s certainly the case with this vibrant shirt, which blends a green floral print with a black fabric base for a surprising amount of versatility. Team this shirt with off-white jeans to let the floral print pop, or take your pick from any number of stylish printed options from Goodthreads.
11. ASOS DESIGN Relaxed Revere Shirt with Tequila Print
MOST BOOZY
We’ve said it once and we’ll say it again: Hawaiian shirts are the perfect party shirt, so why not add a little booze to the mix? This shirt from ASOS has a casual tequila print that matches a pair of swim trunks sold separately. It’s one of the most iconic shirts you can wear all summer and will really set you apart from the pack.
12. Shinesty “The Brass Monkey” Hawaiian Shirt
Shinesty originally came on our radar when we were researching men’s underwear subscriptions, but the brand also makes tops, including a line of zany Hawaiian shirts. In the same way that the brand’s boxers have a signature pouch for your privates, these button-up shirts have a special side pocket for your beer. For summer BBQs, this is a shirt that’s ready to party. This shirt sports a unique monkey-esque print that’s having us go bananas.
13. Orelbar Brown Linen Blend Striped Camp Shirt
RESORT WEAR PICK
We recently included Orelbar Brown in our guide to the best resort wear of the season, and this casual shirt is perfect for enjoying an early dinner at the resort restaurant. If you prefer stripes and solid colors to gaudy floral prints, then this is a camp collar shirt that’s made for you. The cotton-linen fabric blend will also keep you cool and comfortable no matter the weather.
14. Volcom Star Shields Short Sleeve Button-Up Shirt
BEST SURF BRAND
If you love the laid-back stylings of brands like Billabong and Volcom, then you’ll be pleased to discover that the latter has one of our favorite Hawaiian shirts of the year. This white odd-patterned floral shirt features a funky look, which is typical of the styles we’re seeing from other brands.
15. Polo Ralph Lauren Poplin Floral Camp Shirt
BEST POPLIN SHIRT
Ralph Lauren has been making a bit of a comeback of late, and they’ve got some great men’s Hawaiian shirts for Spring 2022. This particular button-up features a fun floral print and coconut buttons for an added tropical detail.
16. Levi’s Sunset Camp Shirt
BEST USE OF COLOR
This season, a lot of Hawaiian shirts for men use either retro motifs or full-on landscape scenes, but Levi’s has struck out in a completely different direction with it’s new Sunset Camp Shirt. This expressive shirt features an abstract asymmetrical print, and we absolutely love it. Wear it with blue jeans and shorts or throw it on over your solid-color swim trunks and you have the perfect warm-weather outfit.
17. Tommy Bahama Big & Tall Coconut Point Harbor Fronds Shirt
BEST BIG & TALL
Some styles of Hawaiian shirts are more difficult to pull off than others, but Tommy Bahama — yes, another Tommy Bahama option — has made it easier than ever for those who fall into the Big & Tall part of the style spectrum. Here, you’re still getting a distinctive print from the masters of the Hawaiian shirt, not to mention a bold yet not overly loud pattern. Best of all, it’s done up in the brand’s timeless, lightweight and breezy fabric.
18. ASOS DESIGN Boxy Oversized Shirt in Blue Daisy Print
BEST FOR GEN Z’ERS
This modernized take on the classic Hawaiian shirt feels like every Gen Z’ers dream. It’s got an oversized look with a muted floral design that’ll look great rocking at the next music festival. It also has a little vintage look to it, giving somewhat of a 60s flower child vibe which will surely have you looking cooler than cool. Plus, there are tons of sizes available for consideration, so this is a shirt for just about anyone.
19. J.Crew New York Hawaiian Shirt
MOST UNEXPECTED PRINT
We’re seeing a lot of designers experiment with new types of prints on Hawaiian shirts this year, and the end result has been a lot of extremely loud and ugly shirts. When you go big, the final product is often hit or miss. However, this is definitely a win. The J.Crew New York features a New York City-inspired print that offers a fun twist on the classic tropical theme.
20. Banana Republic Navy Floral Slim-Fit Shirt
BEST DRESSY SHIRT
Banana Republic means business — just check out the classic retailer’s array of tailored chinos, sharp dress pants and office-ready sweaters. And to nobody’s surprise, that carries over to this sharp take on the Hawaiian shirt. This is the kind of shirt you can wear with a khaki suit or blazer to really mix things up; simply ditch the blazer when you head out for a Friday night date after work (or keep the blazer on!). It’s grounded thanks to the navy color and the tailored cut, plus the stylish pattern that pops nicely without going overboard. It’s also even more affordable than you might expect (especially on sale), so that way, you can put those extra funds towards a nice happy hour co*cktail or two.
21. Chubbies Rayon Sunday Shirt
This year, we’re seeing more pale-colored and white-and-black Hawaiian shirts than we did in 2021, and we like the cool island vibes of this Chubbies shirt. The swim brand has earned a reputation for its supremely comfortable and stretchy clothes, and their button-up shirts are no exception. This shirt is perfect for hanging out by the pool or beach, and it will pair perfectly with pink or blue swim trunks.
22. Amazon Essentials Regular-Fit Print Shirt
ONE MORE THING
Every Hawaiian shirt, by its nature, is bold and eye-catching, but things are turned up ever so slightly with yet another affordable option from Amazon’s in-house design team. The pattern here is grounded by a blue background amped up with a leafy print, and it’s all the better that it comes in a nice range of sizes. The tumbled poplin fabric is soft to the touch, with the overall lived-in feel of this shirt makes it a winner you’ll want to wear all summer long.
What Are Hawaiian Shirts?
The loose definition of a Hawaiian shirt (sometimes called a vacation shirt, aloha shirt, camp shirt or resort shirt) is a short-sleeve button-up with a colorful print and a camp collar (meaning the collar folds down to lay flat on the chest). Obviously, this criterion is interpreted quite loosely by fashion labels, especially when it comes to the print. Traditionally, these shirts have some type of floral, tropical or marine theme. The particular motifs and colors may change over time, but the core idea of these shirts always remain the same: a super comfortable button-up that can be worn while lounging by the pool or drinking at the bar.
Hawaiian shirts, originally called aloha shirts, most likely originated from Honolulu-based dry goods store Musa-Shiya the Shirtmaker in the 1920s. “Aloha shirt” wasn’t coined until 1936 when Hawaiian shirts started to take root. As with many popular styles, the trend caught on thanks to U.S. military service members. Troops started wearing the shirts while stationed in Hawaii during WWII and subsequently brought them home, introducing mainlanders to the ultra-comfy button-ups. In addition, stars like Elvis could be seen sporting Hawaiian shirts on movie posters and magazine covers at the time.
Over the years, Hawaiian shirts have gone in and out of fashion. No doubt your own children will think your super-stylish Hawaiian shirts look incredibly cringe one day. Although these shirts are now back in style, they’ve undergone some changes to fit modern tastes. Hawaiian shirts used to be long and flowy, verging on dress-like cuts. Not any more. Most modern brands that offer Hawaiian shirts have altered the classic in a few ways. While we still prefer slightly oversized shirts with a looser fit, brands are now making more slim-fit Hawaiian shirts, too.
How to Style a Hawaiian Shirt
The second best thing about Hawaiian shirts (after comfort, of course) is versatility. You can rock them with everything from swim trunks at the beach to jeans on the weekend to a blazer at a work barbecue. The only loose rule that we follow is pairing these shirts with other low-key pieces. Vacation shirt prints are typically quite loud, so something more minimal will balance the outfit. Think, slim-fit blue jeans and white sneakers, black slacks or chinos. And if you’re itching to wear your Hawaiian shirt when the temperature dips, a white tee under the shirt looks fine, too.
Below, you can see two different ways to style a Hawaiian shirt. First, you can see Todd Snyder’s new Aloha Shirt, which is worn tucked in with black slacks and brown loafers.
Next, we have a more common outfit. In this case, a worn over a plain t-shirt and paired with blue jeans and sneakers. If you’re heading to the pool, trade in the jeans and sneakers for water shorts and comfy sandals.
Of course, you don’t need to overthink it. Hawaiian shirts are supposed to be a little tacky, any laid-back outfit will do. Plus, you can always lean into the dad-on-vacation aesthetic.
Don’t you wish you were having this much fun?
Updates: This article was last updated on Tuesday, June 28, 2022, at which time we added a new Hawaiian shirt from Target as a new “Budget-Friendly” pick. This article was previously updated on Friday, June 3, at which time we replaced the Todd Snyder Stamp Print Collared Shirt with the designer’s new Aloha Shirt. We also added new information and photographs showing how to properly style Hawaiian shirts.
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