If you love Hawaiian shirts like we do, then you probably want to spend as much time doing as much fun stuff as possible while wearing them. We like them because they are colorful and different from most other shirts. And that makes us feel happy with a streak of independence. In fact, it’s hard not to be happy in a Hawaiian shirt! But anyway, here are our top five favorite things to do in a Hawaiian shirt.
#5 Happy Hour
After a hard day at work, who doesn’t like a good happy hour? Happy Hours are awesome, especially on an Aloha Friday when you can start the weekend off with a few cocktails with your friends. On a happy hour day, we’ll pick out a shirt that matches the occasion. So that means one of the more playful looking shirts rather than the subdued conservative ones. That way, when we get to the bar or restaurant, we will look like we’re ready to relax, have fun and engage in great stories and conversation about things we’d like to do, places we’d like to see, and ventures we’d like to pursue.
#4 Go to a Party
We love a good party. Whether it’s a Hawaiian theme party, an 80s party, a Super Bowl party, or just a regular old-fashioned house party, we’re probably going wear a Hawaiian shirt. And the reason for this is that a proper Aloha shirt basically tells everyone that we are there to have fun. We’re not there to whine or be a downer but rather we’re there to have fun and exude joy and positivity. If we’re going to a beach house party or some daytime event, we might wear a bright colorful shirt. If we’re going to a wine tasting party at night, maybe we’ll wear a black Aloha shirt with some color in it.
#3 Work Remotely
We’re big fans of telecommuting or just working from wherever, whenever. Sometimes, when the work is super serious and deadlines are tight, it’s okay to wear appropriately serious clothing. But when we need to do some creative writing, strategic thinking, or basic work stuff on a laptop or smartphone, we like to do it in a Hawaiian shirt. It doesn’t matter if we’re in the office, working at home, or working in the tailgate of an SUV at the beach. Wearing the right Hawaiian shirt puts us in a positive state of mind which is important for the kind of work we do. It makes us feel independent, entrepreneurial and happy at the same time.
#2 Go for a Drive
(Orignal Magnum PI shirt and a 1967 Corvette Stingray Convertible)
Some people enjoy merely riding in a car. Others like to DRIVE. It doesn’t matter what kind of car you have. You can have a $100K Porsche or you can have a bucket of bolts with “personality”. There is nothing like the feeling of driving with miles of open road ahead. We love the tactile feel of the road in the steering wheel, the rush of wind through our hair, and the sights and sounds of things as we pass by. Driving (especially in a convertible) with a Hawaiian shirt is both calming and liberating. Since putting on a Hawaiian shirt already puts us in mental “vacation mode”, going on a relaxing drive to someplace…anyplace…just feels like freedom. So whether it’s a full on road trip, a drive to a weekend getaway, or just a Sunday drive, we love doing it in a Hawaiian shirt.
#1 Travel / Vacation
(Matching Magnum PI black outfits at Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keāhole is on the Island of Hawaiʻi)
Traveling is freedom. You’re letting go of the status quo of everyday life and seeking out new and different experiences. The irony is that travel is as much about learning about yourself as it is about new places. When we board the airplane in a Hawaiian shirt, we are mentally and symbolically committed to going somewhere,…anywhere that’s not “here”. It puts us in “vacation mode” right away and helps the vacation start now rather than waiting until we get to wherever we are going, which can be many hours away. And sometimes in life, our actions lead the way for our mood and emotions. When you wear a shirt that looks like you’re in vacation mode, it’s hard not to let some of that rub off on your state of mind.