I ordered a copy of the gallery guide for the Alfred Shaheen exhibit at the San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles, which ran in 2010. Unfortunately the guide does not have photos of the exhibit items, but there are text descriptions of the items that include dates and fabrics.
This guide should be a great help in dating fabrics. Many of the reference books I've seen seem rather subjective on the topic of dating. Since this is guide is for a museum exhibit, I'll consider it authoritatively vetted over other references. :)
You can order a copy from the museum's online store
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Friday, January 25, 2013
Cotton vs. Polyester
I suppose polyester is the pariah of fabrics. This synthetic may never get away from its image of 1970s double-knit, leisure suit fashion. But polyester has a place in the history of Aloha shirts, whether we like it or not. Starting in at least the 1970s, clothing designers began to use either 100% polyester or a polyester blend in some of their fabrics. It seems the pure polyester fabrics were more prevalent in the 70s, as what I encounter for later-era shirts are mostly poly/cotton blends.
I suspect most purists will reject any shirt as vintage if it has any polyester in it. So if you are trying to create some criteria of what "vintage" means, then it may be fair to say any shirt with this synthetic fabric is excluded from this coveted criteria. But do note that rayon, while completely accepted as a vintage fabric, is also a synthetic.
So what if you encounter a shirt without a fabric label that might be polyester? Is there a definitive test? I had such an encounter with this shirt.
I found this shirt at a thrift store. I suspected it was at least part polyester, but there were some attributes to it that had me think it might be from the 1960s. The label was missing, but it appeared to be a full-sewn in one, that is indicative of a vintage shirt. The metal buttons also had a vintage patina to them.
The fabric of the shirt was very light weight. All of the 1970s polyester shirts I've seen tended to be heavier weight. The weight of the fabric felt like a woman's summer scarf - very light and airy. Upon closer inspection, there seemed to be surface imperfections to the fabric, which are indicative this was not polyester. The shirt, while soft, didn't didn't seem to have a richness that you find in silk or rayon. But the shirt appeared to have been starched, which might account for the coarseness.
My rule is if I have doubts on the vintage of a shirt, then pass on it. But I was intrigued by this shirt for some reason although I had my doubts. There were a few other clues as well. I tightly squeezed the fabric to see if it would hold wrinkles. Silk and rayon will hold wrinkles while polyesters won't (or so I've been told). Sure enough it did hold some wrinkles, but not a lot. So this test was inconclusive.
So I opted to pony up the four dollars and get it and find out more about this item. After bringing it home, I hand-washed the shirt to see of the coarseness (that I attributed to a possible starching) would go away. No dice. Upon further inspection of the loose threads on the inside seam, I saw some unraveling that looked more like fuzziness than stringiness. Ok, this really suggested polyester. But there was one definite test left.
I snipped off some loose threads from the seams and but them in a fireproof container (in this case, the bottom of an empty soda can). I then applied a flame in the definitive "fire test". If a fabric is silk, then it will burn to ashes and smell like burning hair. But if the fabric is polyester, then it will melt and smell like burning plastic.
I think my sample was too small to detect a smell, but the thread burned down to a tiny ball of hardened plastic. This was definitely polyester. In retrospect, the fuzziness of the unraveled fabric was likely a solid clue that the shirt was indeed polyester. So a lesson learned as to the value of carefully examining the seams.
I suspect most purists will reject any shirt as vintage if it has any polyester in it. So if you are trying to create some criteria of what "vintage" means, then it may be fair to say any shirt with this synthetic fabric is excluded from this coveted criteria. But do note that rayon, while completely accepted as a vintage fabric, is also a synthetic.
So what if you encounter a shirt without a fabric label that might be polyester? Is there a definitive test? I had such an encounter with this shirt.
I found this shirt at a thrift store. I suspected it was at least part polyester, but there were some attributes to it that had me think it might be from the 1960s. The label was missing, but it appeared to be a full-sewn in one, that is indicative of a vintage shirt. The metal buttons also had a vintage patina to them.
The fabric of the shirt was very light weight. All of the 1970s polyester shirts I've seen tended to be heavier weight. The weight of the fabric felt like a woman's summer scarf - very light and airy. Upon closer inspection, there seemed to be surface imperfections to the fabric, which are indicative this was not polyester. The shirt, while soft, didn't didn't seem to have a richness that you find in silk or rayon. But the shirt appeared to have been starched, which might account for the coarseness.
 | |
| The fabric had a wavy look that suggested this might be imperfections. |
My rule is if I have doubts on the vintage of a shirt, then pass on it. But I was intrigued by this shirt for some reason although I had my doubts. There were a few other clues as well. I tightly squeezed the fabric to see if it would hold wrinkles. Silk and rayon will hold wrinkles while polyesters won't (or so I've been told). Sure enough it did hold some wrinkles, but not a lot. So this test was inconclusive.
So I opted to pony up the four dollars and get it and find out more about this item. After bringing it home, I hand-washed the shirt to see of the coarseness (that I attributed to a possible starching) would go away. No dice. Upon further inspection of the loose threads on the inside seam, I saw some unraveling that looked more like fuzziness than stringiness. Ok, this really suggested polyester. But there was one definite test left.
I snipped off some loose threads from the seams and but them in a fireproof container (in this case, the bottom of an empty soda can). I then applied a flame in the definitive "fire test". If a fabric is silk, then it will burn to ashes and smell like burning hair. But if the fabric is polyester, then it will melt and smell like burning plastic.
 |
| The flame test. |
Thursday, January 24, 2013
The Aloha Shirt book
As it turned out, I already had Dale Hope's book The Aloha Shirt sitting on my bookshelf when I started collecting vintage Aloha shirts. I don't recall when I bought it or how long it sat there collecting dust. But this book turned out to be a great reference to learn about the history and evolution of Hawaiian shirts.
The bulk of the book is to relate the chronology of Aloha shirts, from its roots in early Polynesian culture to the present day. Hope discusses the somewhat murky origins of the shirts, going from the palaka, to the early tailors in Chinatown that were the source of the first recognizable Aloha shirts. He goes on to discuss the evolution of the shirts from a largely island phenomena to an internationally recognized fashion style.
For the collector, there are numerous photos of vintage shirts from the early days, some labels, and perhaps in some sort of meta-reference, a discussion of collectors. If you are looking for a reference book on collecting shirts, this probably won't be for you. But I do think this book is a must for anybody interested learning about the history and nature of the Hawaiian shirt. Highly recommended to have on your bookshelf.
The bulk of the book is to relate the chronology of Aloha shirts, from its roots in early Polynesian culture to the present day. Hope discusses the somewhat murky origins of the shirts, going from the palaka, to the early tailors in Chinatown that were the source of the first recognizable Aloha shirts. He goes on to discuss the evolution of the shirts from a largely island phenomena to an internationally recognized fashion style.
For the collector, there are numerous photos of vintage shirts from the early days, some labels, and perhaps in some sort of meta-reference, a discussion of collectors. If you are looking for a reference book on collecting shirts, this probably won't be for you. But I do think this book is a must for anybody interested learning about the history and nature of the Hawaiian shirt. Highly recommended to have on your bookshelf.
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Liberty House and assorted labels
I made a run today to see what I could unearth. I found a few items from the 1970s but nothing worth picking up.
My first find was a Tori Richard for Liberty House shirt. Liberty House is one of the venerable vintage Aloha shirt labels, but the were still around at least until the early 1990s. And Liberty House opened Mainland stores in the 1970s, although all were closed by the end of the decade. I checked out this co-branded label and have found a pretty wide range of guesses. One Ebay seller had a shirt with the label and dated it early 1960s, which I think is waaaay off. The Museum of Hawaiian Shirts has a non co-branded version of the label as 1967, and another version (without the trademark symbol and with "Honolulu") as from the 1970s. My guess, based on the label configuration and patina of the shirt, I would agree with the 1970s date.
I found a second co-branded shirt for Liberty House. I couldn't discern the name of the manufacture: Mark Raynton, Mark Rayiton, or Mark Rayrton. I suspect the first, but I couldn't find anything about this guy. The shirt felt like it was 100% polyester, which would date it to the 1970s. The shirt also had four buttons, suggesting it is older than the 1980s.
The fabric label was missing and I'm a bit wary about trying to discern polyester by touch. I picked up a Lauhala shirt that I first thought was polyester. The fabric had a shine to it and it felt rather slippery to the touch. But the fabric label did say 100% cotton and I suspect it is some kind of high-quality weave. From what I can tell, the polyester of the Liberty House shirt has a lighter weight to it than the cotton Lauhala.
This last shirt is new, but it highlights a potential risk to new collectors. The label has a retro look to it, but this shirt is not only vintage, it wasn't even made in Hawaii. Upon closer look, you can see this shirt was made in Pakistan. Labels can be tricky to master, so beware in relying on just the design of the label.
I wonder if the crescent moon on the label has anything to do with the fact this shirt was made in a Muslim country.
My first find was a Tori Richard for Liberty House shirt. Liberty House is one of the venerable vintage Aloha shirt labels, but the were still around at least until the early 1990s. And Liberty House opened Mainland stores in the 1970s, although all were closed by the end of the decade. I checked out this co-branded label and have found a pretty wide range of guesses. One Ebay seller had a shirt with the label and dated it early 1960s, which I think is waaaay off. The Museum of Hawaiian Shirts has a non co-branded version of the label as 1967, and another version (without the trademark symbol and with "Honolulu") as from the 1970s. My guess, based on the label configuration and patina of the shirt, I would agree with the 1970s date.
I found a second co-branded shirt for Liberty House. I couldn't discern the name of the manufacture: Mark Raynton, Mark Rayiton, or Mark Rayrton. I suspect the first, but I couldn't find anything about this guy. The shirt felt like it was 100% polyester, which would date it to the 1970s. The shirt also had four buttons, suggesting it is older than the 1980s.
The fabric label was missing and I'm a bit wary about trying to discern polyester by touch. I picked up a Lauhala shirt that I first thought was polyester. The fabric had a shine to it and it felt rather slippery to the touch. But the fabric label did say 100% cotton and I suspect it is some kind of high-quality weave. From what I can tell, the polyester of the Liberty House shirt has a lighter weight to it than the cotton Lauhala.
This last shirt is new, but it highlights a potential risk to new collectors. The label has a retro look to it, but this shirt is not only vintage, it wasn't even made in Hawaii. Upon closer look, you can see this shirt was made in Pakistan. Labels can be tricky to master, so beware in relying on just the design of the label.
I wonder if the crescent moon on the label has anything to do with the fact this shirt was made in a Muslim country.
Saturday, January 19, 2013
Hawaii Togs Muumuu
Ok, so I made my first foray into vintage Aloha dresses. I picked up a lovely barkcloth muumuu for a mere $5.00. A really, really big muumuu at that. At first look it seems to be 1960s. But if you make a closer examination, there is much more here than first meets the eye.
The dress has the manufacturer tag as well as a cardboard product tag that has fabric, style, size, and RN number information. But the cardboard tag is not a fabric care label. And interestingly, there is a price tag still attached to the back! The tags have the following information:
Manufacturer tag
An Original
Hawaiian Togs
Made in Hawaii
Size 18
Product tag
100% Acrylic
Illegible printed text
Style: C (in pencil)
Size: 18
RN 23746
Ok, so we have some information to start with. Hawaiian Togs was the manufacturer and I've seen this label come up on eBay and some vintage clothing retailer sites. The RN number tells us the company, once located at 1528 Makaloa Street in Honolulu, had their RN number issued sometime around 1962.
The dress is clearly old. The muslin lining has a patina of age and has darkened. At first look I would say this dress was early 1960s. But there are a couple of things about the dress that might indicate otherwise. First, the Product tag says the material is acrylic. Now the rule-of-thumb I use with Aloha shirts is if the shirt has polyester, then it was most likely 1970s or later. However, I don't know much about acrylic. According to this article, arcrylic was created by DuPont in 1944 and was first made commercially in 1950.
The second odd thing is the zipper. The rule-of-thumb I've used is if the zipper is metal, then it dated from the 1960s or earlier. But this dress has a nylon zipper. Ok, so does this mean the dress is later vintage, was the zipper replaced, or is the use of nylon zippers actually older than I first thought?
Answering the second question is probably the easiest. I looked very closely at the stitching holding the zipper to the dress. At the top of the zipper is a eye-hook closure. This closure has a patina and that discolored the fabric, so it is clear the eye-hook is original to the dress. The stitching between the eye-hook and zipper does not appear to have been disrupted, so it seems the zipper has not been replaced since the dress was first made.
Answering the third question is also fairly easy. Were nylon zippers used in the 1960s? A search of several vintage clothing sites shows that nylon zippers were used in clothing as early as the late 1950s, although they were not very common. This website says nylon zippers began to displace metal zippers after 1963. I looked at the zipper to see if I could identify the manufacturer. I first thought I saw a symbol of a crown, and there is a zipper company called Crown. But upon closer look, it wasn't a crown but rather a shield-shaped symbol with USA stamped within. There is a Flikr site here that has photos of vintage zippers. Some of the zippers are of the nylon type. I'm certainly no expert on either zippers or zipper packaging, so I'll have to accept from multiple sources that nylon zippers were indeed used in the 1960s.
So that leaves the first question. Is the dress of later vintage than the 1960s? There is one more clue to examine. The seams are pinked. According to this website, pinked seams were common in 1950s era clothes, but were displaced by serged seams in the 1960s. It is impossible to tell if Hawaii Togs still pinked the seams of their clothing in the 1960s, but this information suggests serged seams became increasingly common as time progressed. I can only surmise that the later the dress, the less likely it would have pinked seams.
So looking at the totality of the evidence: the nylon zipper, the acrylic fabric, the shape of the manufacturer tag, the RN number, and the seams, I would venture this dress is mid to late-1960s. And as I first mentioned, this dress still has the original price tag and it sold for $29.95. So if the dress was sold for this price in 1967, adjusted for inflation, this dress would sell for $205.88 today! So is this a further clue? Two-hundred dollars for a muumuu seems really high. But I can't tell if the price tag is original to the dress, so I'm going to stick with the original estimate.
Manufacturer tag
An Original
Hawaiian Togs
Made in Hawaii
Size 18
Product tag
100% Acrylic
Illegible printed text
Style: C (in pencil)
Size: 18
RN 23746
Ok, so we have some information to start with. Hawaiian Togs was the manufacturer and I've seen this label come up on eBay and some vintage clothing retailer sites. The RN number tells us the company, once located at 1528 Makaloa Street in Honolulu, had their RN number issued sometime around 1962.
The dress is clearly old. The muslin lining has a patina of age and has darkened. At first look I would say this dress was early 1960s. But there are a couple of things about the dress that might indicate otherwise. First, the Product tag says the material is acrylic. Now the rule-of-thumb I use with Aloha shirts is if the shirt has polyester, then it was most likely 1970s or later. However, I don't know much about acrylic. According to this article, arcrylic was created by DuPont in 1944 and was first made commercially in 1950.
The second odd thing is the zipper. The rule-of-thumb I've used is if the zipper is metal, then it dated from the 1960s or earlier. But this dress has a nylon zipper. Ok, so does this mean the dress is later vintage, was the zipper replaced, or is the use of nylon zippers actually older than I first thought?
Answering the second question is probably the easiest. I looked very closely at the stitching holding the zipper to the dress. At the top of the zipper is a eye-hook closure. This closure has a patina and that discolored the fabric, so it is clear the eye-hook is original to the dress. The stitching between the eye-hook and zipper does not appear to have been disrupted, so it seems the zipper has not been replaced since the dress was first made.
Answering the third question is also fairly easy. Were nylon zippers used in the 1960s? A search of several vintage clothing sites shows that nylon zippers were used in clothing as early as the late 1950s, although they were not very common. This website says nylon zippers began to displace metal zippers after 1963. I looked at the zipper to see if I could identify the manufacturer. I first thought I saw a symbol of a crown, and there is a zipper company called Crown. But upon closer look, it wasn't a crown but rather a shield-shaped symbol with USA stamped within. There is a Flikr site here that has photos of vintage zippers. Some of the zippers are of the nylon type. I'm certainly no expert on either zippers or zipper packaging, so I'll have to accept from multiple sources that nylon zippers were indeed used in the 1960s.
So that leaves the first question. Is the dress of later vintage than the 1960s? There is one more clue to examine. The seams are pinked. According to this website, pinked seams were common in 1950s era clothes, but were displaced by serged seams in the 1960s. It is impossible to tell if Hawaii Togs still pinked the seams of their clothing in the 1960s, but this information suggests serged seams became increasingly common as time progressed. I can only surmise that the later the dress, the less likely it would have pinked seams.
So looking at the totality of the evidence: the nylon zipper, the acrylic fabric, the shape of the manufacturer tag, the RN number, and the seams, I would venture this dress is mid to late-1960s. And as I first mentioned, this dress still has the original price tag and it sold for $29.95. So if the dress was sold for this price in 1967, adjusted for inflation, this dress would sell for $205.88 today! So is this a further clue? Two-hundred dollars for a muumuu seems really high. But I can't tell if the price tag is original to the dress, so I'm going to stick with the original estimate.
Friday, January 18, 2013
Basic Aloha Shirt Identification
Ok, so I made the first step to understanding how to identify vintage Aloha shirts. I conducted a Google search to learn the basics of how to discern the identify of an Aloha shirt. I've aggregated the knowledge and assembled it into a graphic. Sorry, I need to scrub the graphic a bit, it looks a tad sloppy.
I'll fully admit that this is my initial investigation into the topic, so some of the information may be erroneous or incomplete. I will revise this graphic as I learn more.
I've already developed sort of a technique to weed out interesting and desirable shirts from the rest. If you've checked the clothing rack at your local thrift store, you will no doubt have run into numerous Cooke Street shirts and the like. They aren't bad shirts if you want something to wear (I believe the Cooke Street brand is sold through Costco). But they aren't quite what I'm looking for. Some things to look for include:
Manufacturer's label
I'll fully admit that this is my initial investigation into the topic, so some of the information may be erroneous or incomplete. I will revise this graphic as I learn more.
Manufacturer's label
- Well known manufacturers (Kramer's, Liberty House, etc.).
- Place of manufacture. Vintage shirts were made mostly in Hawaii, but to an extent in Japan and the Mainland. Shirts made in China, Indonesia, Russia, etc. are likely to be contemporary (note: there are always exceptions!).
- How is the label attached? Fully-sewn in labels tend to be common up to the 1970s. Shirts with the label sewn in on one side (so it is kind of flappy) dates from the 1970s to the present.
- Is there a label or not? If there is a label, does it have text or symbols? Fabric care labels came into use in the early 1960s. Symbols on fabric care labels came into use around the early 1970s.
- Where is the fabric care label located? If the label is attached to the manufacturer's label, it might be from the 1960s to 1970s. Later shirts had the label placed on the inside side seam.
- Number of buttons. Shirts from the 1930s to the early 1950s commonly used three to four. But shirts from the 1930s through the 1970s often used up to five. Contemporary shirts often use six buttons.
- Horizontal button holes are likely before the mid-1960s although they were still used into the 1970s. Vertical button holes are most common today, but have been used since the early days.
- Aloha shirts traditionally have long pointy collars. It was common to see narrow collars on shirts from the 1950s and 60s (similar I suppose to narrow ties and lapels found on men's suits). I've seen smaller collars on shirts from the 1980s as well.
- A number of sites say vintage or at least the best quality shirts have matching pockets (i.e. the pattern of the shirt matches the pattern on the shirt). This doesn't appear to be conclusive one way or another. A web search of photos of vintage Aloha shirts shows there is no consistency. Some shirts do have internal pockets.
- Vintage shirts were made out of silk, rayon, and cotton. Polyester and poly/cotton blends appear to have come into use in the 1970s. The weight and feel of the fabric is important, as some vintage shirts 'feel' old while others don't. Learning more about fabric tactility is a skill I wish to develop further.
Alfred Shaheen Monograph
The San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles had a show that showcased shirts and dresses from Alfred Shaheen in 2010. Jo Anne C. Stabb, a scholar of fashion and textiles, wrote a very interesting analysis of the exhibit. This monograph is definitely worth a read.
Hawaii's Alfred Shaheen: Fabric to Fashion (an Exhibition Review).
Hawaii's Alfred Shaheen: Fabric to Fashion (an Exhibition Review).
Thursday, January 17, 2013
HI Fashion - The Legacy of Alfred Shaheen
The Bishop Museum has an exhibit on the legendary Aloha shirt manufacturer Alfred Shaheen. The exhibit runs until 25 February 2013 and has over 200 shirts, dresses (including "the famous Hawaiian Bombshell Dress"), photos, and a lot more.
It doesn't appear that the Bishop Museum created an exhibition guide for this, which is too bad. So check it out if you can.
Here are some links for more info:
Bishop Museum
Honolulu Star-Advertiser
Hawaii Public Radio
AlfredShaheen.com
It doesn't appear that the Bishop Museum created an exhibition guide for this, which is too bad. So check it out if you can.
Here are some links for more info:
Bishop Museum
Honolulu Star-Advertiser
Hawaii Public Radio
AlfredShaheen.com
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
That first Aloha shirt
Ok, so I've decided
to make the plunge into collecting vintage Aloha shirts. I am sort of
new to the game but my other hobby of collecting Tiki mugs helps to some
extent. Yes, I know Tiki is Polynesian Pop while Aloha Shirts are true Hawaiian culture. But being able to find and identify Midcentury items is a nice skill to have when looking for shirts.
I decided to collect Aloha shirts about four months ago after being inspired by a trip to Hawaii. I did buy a couple of old Aloha shirts some years ago while hunting for Tiki. One is a polyester Sears shirt from the 1970s. Yeah, I know, polyester. But I liked the old label so I grabbed it for a couple of bucks. The other shirt is a barkcloth one but it got stored away somewhere and I haven't been able to find it. I also have some newer shirts that I've purchased for wear while on trips to the islands.
So my first 'official' shirt is this baby. I went to a thrift store the first day I decided to collect and found a vintage Kramer's. What are the odds? The first thrift store on the first day I started looking and found this. A beautiful barkcloth piece that I'm guessing is from the 1950s. Two of the original metal buttons have been replaced with plain brown ones, but the shirt is otherwise in impeccable condition.
The purpose of this blog is to document my learning experience to find and identify vintage Aloha shirts. The term 'vintage' is so overused that it is really meaningless anymore. But I'm looking for shirts that pre-date the 1970s (although there are always exceptions). I expect to make a lot of mistakes and to make some great finds. This should be quite and interesting adventure.
I decided to collect Aloha shirts about four months ago after being inspired by a trip to Hawaii. I did buy a couple of old Aloha shirts some years ago while hunting for Tiki. One is a polyester Sears shirt from the 1970s. Yeah, I know, polyester. But I liked the old label so I grabbed it for a couple of bucks. The other shirt is a barkcloth one but it got stored away somewhere and I haven't been able to find it. I also have some newer shirts that I've purchased for wear while on trips to the islands.
So my first 'official' shirt is this baby. I went to a thrift store the first day I decided to collect and found a vintage Kramer's. What are the odds? The first thrift store on the first day I started looking and found this. A beautiful barkcloth piece that I'm guessing is from the 1950s. Two of the original metal buttons have been replaced with plain brown ones, but the shirt is otherwise in impeccable condition.
The purpose of this blog is to document my learning experience to find and identify vintage Aloha shirts. The term 'vintage' is so overused that it is really meaningless anymore. But I'm looking for shirts that pre-date the 1970s (although there are always exceptions). I expect to make a lot of mistakes and to make some great finds. This should be quite and interesting adventure.
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