Creator of the Hawaiian shirt dies

From the International Herald:

Alfred Shaheen, a pioneering textile manufacturer credited with creating the modern Hawaiian garment industry, has died at age 86.

As tourists from the mainland flocked to Hawaii after World War II, many began to bring home colorful but cheesy looking shirts and sundresses that would be cause for much amusement among friends.

The great thing about a Hawaiian shirt is that when you’re wearing one life is good. It’s about the happiest garment there is. You’d never wear a Hawaiian shirt to a boring business meeting or a funeral. (Actually, come to think of it, I think I have wore a Hawaiian shirt to a funeral in Key West.) Still, most of the time life wearing a Hawaiian shirt is peaches ‘n’ cream.

Aloha, Alfred.

(courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons by princessrica)