40s hawaiian shirts
The Hawaiian shirt is was a fashion staple in the 40s. The shirts were born when Japanese immigrants in Hawaii started making shirts out of colorful Japanese prints, kimono silks, and wood-block printed native Hawaiian textiles. In the 30s, they became popular souvenirs that everyone who could afford a vacation in Hawaii would buy. The popularity heightened in the 40s and 50s when male Hollywood celebrities tended to pose in these colorful shirts.
A lot of mid-century Hawaiian shirts were not made in Hawaii. Brands like Catalina, Brent Sportswear, and Domain are brands that operated in the mainland. Some standout, collectible Hawaiian brands to look for are ChinaBlossom, Holo Holo, and K. Isoshima Co.
Read more about the complicated history of Hawaiian shirts.