Updates and Corrections

Hawai`i Unbuttoned

A Practical Guide to Buying and Selling True-Vintage Hawaiian Shirts

This page keeps readers informed about new information I've learned since publishing the book and corrections to the content.

Page 89 shows an entry "Bai Nani: See Kai Nani." Page 154 shows an entry "Rai Nani: See Kai Nani." Unfortunately, when you look in the K pages for Kai Nani, there is none. OOPS! The idea was to show a Kai Nani label, explain that there is no B or R in the Hawaiian alphabet, and assure you that even though the first letter on the label on that shirt in your hands LOOKS very much like an R or a B, it really is a K. This despite the hundreds of eBay ads that list it with an R or B. How that drop-out got through my review after review until my eyes burned, I'll never know. My bad! Kai Nani's are known to have appeared in the 1970's -- possibly mid-late 60's.

On p. 125, I show a rectangular Kalakaua label and state that this is a rare case where my experts could not be definitive. I'm now confident of this new information about this label:

It's either from an original Kalakaua shirt made from the late 1930's to the 50's, OR it's from a reproduction made since 2003. If the shirt in your hands is a repro and you're lucky, it still has its hang-tags and a care-instruction label (sewn below the name label) that shows a six-digit RN. If the hang-tags are gone and there is no care-instruction label, look to see if there are any loose threads indicating that such a label existed and has been cut off. Then look closely at the shirt itself. Does the pocket perfectly match the material behind it? Are the button holes vertical? If so, the shirt is a repro. Does the pocket Not match the material behind it, and are the button holes horizontal? If so, you have an original from the late 1930's - 50's in your hands.

On p. 169 I show a Surf Line Hawaii label and report that the company began making shirts and swim trunks in 1964. Here are more-specific dating details. The very first label used looked like the one shown with two differences: the top line was in gold thread, and there was no oval around the words. By the mid- to late-70's, green thread was sometimes used for the top line. The company added the oval late in the 70's. If you find a shirt with this label (Surf Line over Hawaii, enclosed in an oval) AND an Original Jams label on the POCKET, you are looking at a shirt from the late 70's or early 80's at the earliest.

On p. 126 I show the rectangular green Kamehameha label with the "Est.1936" notation. I tell you that notation does NOT appear on older Kamehameha labels, thus you should not believe sellers who tell you a shirt with this label was made in the "1950's." I estimated that that label came out as early as the 1970's. Here is new information: this label did not come into use until 1992. All the more reason to avoid sellers who tell you a shirt with this label was produced in the 50's.