So I have a thing for prints and patterns.  The louder the better.  And what louder, more explosive, occasionally ironic (intended or not) and super fun mix than the Hawaiian Aloha shirt?  But here’s the catch.  You’ve got to avoid looking like you’re a waitress at Margaritaville. Or the resort concierge.

While most of you are sitting in cooler climes with your knits and your boots, I thought I’d share some of my favourite looks from my collection of Hawaiian shirts.  Hey, there might just be a beachy vacay coming up ahead, right?  And yes, I do indeed have a collection of Hawaiian shirts.

Big thanks to Botanico, our wonderfully tropical shared workspace for letting us do the shoot, and to Lost N’ Found, one of our favourite places for a carefully curated selection of second-hand pretty things in the Penh.

Look #1: Beach x Office

Shoes, Skirt, Pearls

Look #2: Turning Japanese

Or almost. Two things got in the way with this outfit. With all the holiday tailoring happening, I didn’t get the full detail of the Japan-inspired look that I was going for.  But I did get a decent wrap around top out of it all!

And while shooting it became very apparent, in this rainforest we work in, that I wasn’t going to be putting on a pair of black skinny jeans.

Look #3: Tomboy on the Street

This would have been even better with my old longboard.

Looking for more ways to wear that outlandish floral print men’s shirt you picked up at the local thrift?

Maui takes to the streets of NYC.

For a more refined, too cool for school look, check out this take on a non-thrifted Dries van Noten number.

My obsession first started when I first spotted this onesie from Garance Doré.

And how could I forget about Tomboy’s ode to the Aloha shirt?