[JoeAltmaier]

The Wikipedia article distinguishes between the local 'Aloha shirt' which is a dress shirt with muted floral design or native fabric pattern, and the exported 'Hawaiian shirt' which is informal wear with usually an extravagant floral design.

So that makes a case for naming them differently.

[_13gp]

I was born and raised in Hawaii. Not trying to come off rude but I don't need a Wikipedia article to tell me what something I grew up with actually is.

Hawaiian shirt is a crude marketing term that's only used outside of the original audience of the item.

[JoeAltmaier]

Exactly what I was talking about. You call them Aloha shirts. Folks NOT born and raised in Hawaii have another name for what they're seeing, exported thru WalMart etc. And its 'Hawaiian'.

I'm an Iowan, and I don't need you to tell me what something I grew up with actually is. Not to come off as rude.

[wnissen]

Yes, and your version is a knockoff of a culturally significant item created in an independent country that was conquered militarily and handed over to be annexed for the benefit of a pineapple company. So maybe give those of the originating culture the benefit of the doubt. I'm not Hawaiian but it is a beautiful culture, especially the concept of aloha, and we could learn a thing or two from it.

[Turing_Machine]

> Yes, and your version is a knockoff of a culturally significant item

The Hawaiian/Aloha shirt is a knockoff of a European design.

>So maybe give those of the originating culture the benefit of the doubt.

The originating culture was European. The Hawaiians "culturally appropriated" the European shirt design and made something new and awesome from it, so awesome that it then became popular outside the islands.

That's how it works.

[SerLava]

I don't care about cultural appropriation and stuff - you are right in that aspect - it is a back and forth exchange between Hawaii, the East, and the West.

But it'd be like if you grew up buying "Mexican hats" from Walmart. It's a sombrero - they have other hats in Mexico, including hats they came up with, so your terminology is bad even if it's been working for you.