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  • What to wear?

    Aloha!

    My wife wants to know if she should get rid of her "business attire" before moving to the Islands. She will be working in an office setting on the Big Island and I've been trying to tell her that she wont need as much "business attire".

    Your comments are greatly appreciated.

    Mahalo!

  • #2
    Re: What to wear?

    It would depend on the business where she'll be working. It would be safe to say she'd probably need less business attire, or at least less of the most formal stuff, but believe it or not, you do still see professional wear out here. Law offices, insurance, sometimes even sales... more formal industries with a lot of client contact will have jackets, dressy skirts, for men sometimes even ties!

    The vast majority of white-collar offices probably don't rise to that level, and generally welcome less-than-loud "aloha attire." But she'll have plenty of uses for her work blouses, vests, and the like.

    I wouldn't advise throwing everything out before arriving, in any case. She'll need something to wear while she gauges the fashion sense at her new office, and I wouldn't advise anyone try to build a full "aloha attire" wardrobe from scratch without having lived here a few weeks. Trust me, that could be embarassing.

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    • #3
      Re: What to wear?

      You know, the Liberty House (now Macy's) here didn't even have a men's formal (read: suits, dress shirts, ties) section when I moved to Hilo.
      I am Jack's absent signature.

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      • #4
        Re: What to wear?

        I guess that "dress up stuff" must only be required in Honolulu, then! I don't think Macy's in Kahului has a business clothes section, either, come to think of it.

        Miulang
        "Americans believe in three freedoms. Freedom of speech; freedom of religion; and the freedom to deny the other two to folks they don`t like.” --Mark Twain

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        • #5
          Re: What to wear?

          Originally posted by Garland
          Aloha!

          My wife wants to know if she should get rid of her "business attire" before moving to the Islands.
          Mahalo!

          t'row em away. Business attire, (never referred to as such here...) is prolly different. much different here than mainland.

          even wearing da stuffs at one funeral; still, you goin stick out like one f.o.b. haole.

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          • #6
            Re: What to wear?

            Just wondering what you found out? I think that Hawaiian attire is acceptable. I would check out www.hilohatties.com or www.hawaiianshirtshop.net for hawaiian aloha clothing.

            --Gary

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            • #7
              Re: What to wear?

              When a haole friend of mine was new to the islands, we took him shopping and showed him that "aloha attire" is a very broad category that runs all the way from the ultra-casual day-glo party shirts to the conservative buttoned-down Reyn Spooner nene-goose-and-flag reverse print business shirts. He is grateful to this day that we did this so he wouldn't show up at work in a hand-painted silkie with parrots and hula girls on it.

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              • #8
                Re: What to wear?

                Since I have been here at the Bishop Museum going on for four years now in August, most of the scientist girls here don't really dress up to much they come in mostly with jeans shoes and shirts. Now Developement Offices and Human Resources they dress in formal business attire, or sometimes they don't come dressed up to impress not unless they were meeting someone very important but other than that they come in casual wear except Aloha attire. Mostly the greeters and people working in the stores, and Japanese Interpreters, people hosting party events wear Aloha attire for some strange reason. Security wear the usual blue shirts. I think it best to not throw away the business attire until she come's to the island and see for herself how her coworkers dress up, so she doesn't stand out like a misfit in a crowd business people.
                A Warrior does not give up on what he loves he finds the love in what he does.

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                • #9
                  Re: What to wear?

                  unless you're an attorney, defendant or major honcho at one of the "Big 5," i'd say business attire in HI goes like this:

                  men: Hawaiian monkey suit (aloha shirt, slacks and dress shoes)
                  women: blouse, skirt, jacket...
                  Don't be mean,
                  try to help.

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                  • #10
                    Re: What to wear?

                    I always thought it was unfair that guys NEVER have to wear a tie to work in Hawai'i(unless you're appearing in court) but so many offices have a requirement for women to wear pantyhose or (with pants)those awful knee-high stockings that cut off your circulation below the knees. Even plenty chicken$#1+ $7/hr data entry temp jobs require them, and if you're working that kind of a job you're walking to and waiting for Da Bus in the heat, not riding around in your A/C car. I guess I would compare the torture of wearing pantyhose to wearing a tie. Actually pantyhose are worse, 'coz you gotta wash them by hand all the time(nasty) and they get snagged so easily so you gotta buy new ones all the time. I'm so glad I work at a college and can wear sandals, no hose during the summer!!!

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                    • #11
                      Re: What to wear?

                      Originally posted by AuntieNellieKulolo
                      I always thought it was unfair that guys NEVER have to wear a tie to work in Hawai'i(unless you're appearing in court)
                      Yes, and now whenever I see a guy wearing a tie I think, "whoo, looking good!" whereas (on the mainland) I used to think, "poor sap." Now I love seeing a guy in a decent suit. Occasionally.

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