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Title:	Art of the Aloha Shirt: Keoni of Hawaii, 1938–1951
Date:	7/1/2022 - 9/11/2022
Address:	Washington State Historical Society, 1911 Pacific Avenue, Tacoma, WA 98402,
Location:	Tacoma, WA
Hours:	Tuesday-Sunday: 10:00 AM-5:00 PM, Third Thursday of the month: 10:00 AM-8:00 PM
Cost/Cover:	free - $14
Web Page:	https://www.washingtonhistory.org/exhibit/aloha/
Contact Info:	888-238-4373

Details:

Explore the history, artistry, and production of Hawaii’s enduring fashion statement, the Aloha Shirt. This exhibition of sixty objects, including original textile artwork, production sketches and swatches, advertisements, and vintage shirts tells the story of an early innovator, John “Keoni” Meigs, in an industry that has left an indelible mark on fashion in the United States and the world. Although many claim authorship, the exact origin of the Aloha Shirt remains uncertain. The patterns of Polynesian tapa cloth, the colorful and bold floral designs of Tahitian pareau, and the sheer Japanese fabric used for making kimonos are often cited as some of the early stylistic influences of the shirt. Sometime in the late 1920s to the early 1930s, when Hawaii’s economy began to shift from an agricultural to a service-oriented economy and tourists started flying to Hawaii in ever-increasing numbers, the emphasis of the island clothing industry shifted from the production of work clothes to sports and casualwear. Combining the young islander’s love for colorful clothing with the tourist’s desire to bring home keepsakes of their holidays on the islands, the Aloha Shirt enjoyed massive popularity, particularly after the conclusion of World War II.