When an invitation says aloha attire, it is asking you to dress up in island prints rather than a suit or an evening gown. For kāne that usually means an aloha shirt, and for wāhine a dress or another piece in a print. How dressy to go depends on the occasion, the time of day and the place, so read the rest of the invitation, and ask the hosts if you are unsure.

This guide reads aloha attire as three levels, casual, crisp and formal. These labels are our way of reading the code. They are not an official standard, and people in Hawaiʻi use words like crisp loosely, and not always the same way. After the three levels, we walk through the occasions where you will meet the code, from weddings to work and festival week in Hilo.

One print across two dresses and a top and skirt.

What aloha attire means

In Hawaiʻi, weddings, parties, dinners and work events are often marked "aloha attire." For kāne, that usually means an aloha shirt. For wāhine, it usually means a dress or another piece in an island print. An aloha attire invitation does not ask for a tuxedo or a ball gown. It sits in the middle, dressier than beachwear and easier than black tie.

There is no official rulebook, so the host's wording and the setting are your best guide. When an invitation adds a word, such as casual or formal, it is telling you how dressy to go. When it adds nothing, dressing one step up is a safe choice, and crisp is where we would start. If you are still unsure, ask the hosts.

Aloha casual

An aloha shirt worn untucked with shorts: aloha casual for kāne.

Aloha casual is the everyday end of the scale. Think of a backyard party, a beach gathering, a family lūʻau or a relaxed Friday at the office.

For wāhine. A sundress, a romper, or a top and shorts in a print you love. Our jumpsuits and rompers are made for the days you want to get dressed once, and our women's collection pairs tops with skirts, pants and shorts in the same print. Flat sandals suit grass and sand.

For kāne. An aloha shirt worn untucked with shorts or casual pants. The aloha shirt was first made to be worn outside the pants, and untucked is still the easy way to wear one. When the day calls for a collar and a little structure, a polo in an island print works just as well. See our Men's Polos.

For a lūʻau, the venue matters as much as the code. Our guide on what to wear to a lūʻau covers venue rules, footwear for grass and dressing for low seating.

Aloha crisp

Crisp is aloha attire with more polish. It suits daytime weddings, graduations, work events and a dinner out, and it is where we start when an invitation says aloha attire and nothing more.

For wāhine. A midi dress, a jumpsuit, or a top with pants in a matching print. Pressed, not rumpled. Closed-toe flats or a low heel, if the ground allows. Our dresses include midi and maxi lengths, each in an original Kahulaleʻa print.

For kāne. A pressed aloha shirt with slacks and closed shoes. Some people read crisp as a tucked shirt with a belt, so tuck it in if you are unsure.

Aloha formal

Formal aloha attire is for evening weddings, galas and celebrations where the hosts have asked guests to dress up. It keeps the island print and adds length, depth of color and finish.

For wāhine. A long dress in a deeper colorway, or a piece finished with embroidery. Our Black Gold colorways are drawn on a dark ground for evenings and occasions, and our embroidered pieces carry kupukupu, lehua and naupaka in thread. For the most formal nights, some women wear a holokū, a long formal gown that usually has a train. Ours is the Lehua Embroidered Holokū.

For kāne. An aloha shirt in a dark or richly colored print, with dress slacks and dress shoes. A Black Gold print gives a shirt the weight of an evening outfit. Browse Men's Resort Wear for aloha shirts and polos together.

Long dresses in one print, a starting point for aloha formal.

Dressing for the occasion

Weddings. Follow the invitation first, then the place. A sunset ceremony on the lawn and a hotel ballroom ask for different shoes, even under the same words. If your family is attending together, one print across the whole group reads as one family in photographs. Our ʻOhana Matching Sets carry one original print across women's, men's and keiki pieces, and our Keiki collection dresses the youngest guests. For more on what to wear to a wedding in Hawaiʻi, see our wedding guest guide.

Lūʻau. The venues we have read keep their guidance relaxed, and some set firm rules on shoes. Read the venue's page, or our lūʻau guide, before you go.

Aloha Friday. Wearing aloha wear on Fridays began in Hawaiʻi. In 1962 the Hawaiian Fashion Guild, a group of local clothing makers, sent aloha shirts to members of the state legislature in a campaign called Operation Liberation. Aloha Friday followed in the mid-1960s. Accounts date its start to 1965 or 1966, and one account has it running all year by 1967. Many histories credit it as a forerunner of Casual Friday on the mainland.

At work. In Hawaiʻi today, many offices accept aloha wear as business attire on any day of the week, though some still keep it for Fridays. Aim for crisp: a pressed aloha shirt or polo with slacks for kāne, a dress or a top and pants for wāhine. Some workplaces write their own rules. A 2013 Hawaiʻi National Guard memo, for example, allows aloha attire on Fridays and during Aloha Week, with aloha print shirts buttoned up, solid-colored business slacks and closed-toe shoes. If your office has a policy, follow it.

Festivals. Festival days are long, so dress for comfort and for the occasion. Our designer has practiced hula for decades, and we make pieces for Merrie Monarch week in Hilo. Our Merrie Monarch collection gathers them in one place.

One print, two outfits: a simple way to look like one family in photographs.

A print dress that is ready for the office or a dinner out: aloha crisp.

At a glance

For wāhine.

• Casual: a sundress, a romper, or a top and shorts, with flat sandals.
• Crisp: a midi dress, a jumpsuit, or a top and pants in one print, with closed-toe flats or a low heel.
• Formal: a long dress in a deep colorway or with embroidery, or a holokū for the most formal nights.

Shop aloha attire for women.

For kāne.

• Casual: an aloha shirt untucked with shorts, or a print polo.
• Crisp: a pressed aloha shirt, tucked, with slacks and closed shoes.
• Formal: a dark or richly colored print shirt with dress slacks and dress shoes.

Shop aloha attire for men.

Common questions

Is an aloha shirt dressy enough for a wedding? In Hawaiʻi, yes, when the invitation says aloha attire. Choose a pressed shirt, slacks and closed shoes, and a darker print if the ceremony is in the evening.

Can women wear pants to an aloha attire event? Yes. A top and pants in one print, or a jumpsuit, works well at the crisp level. Our pants are cut to pair with the tops in our women's collection, so a print carries from the waist up or down.

What is the difference between aloha casual and aloha crisp? Casual is what you would wear to a backyard party. Crisp is the same idea, pressed and finished, with closed shoes and either slacks or a midi dress.

What if the invitation says formal but not aloha? Ask the hosts whether aloha formal is welcome. The choice is theirs, and a quick question saves a wrong guess.

What holds at every level

Fabric that breathes. Many aloha occasions are warm, and many are outdoors. Our guide to choosing fabrics for warm-weather clothing explains the choices.

Shoes for the ground. Grass, sand and a ballroom floor each ask for something different. Check where you will be standing before you choose.

A print with a story. Every Kahulaleʻa print is our own artwork, drawn from a real place, plant or person in Hawaiʻi. The stories behind them are on our prints page.

Clothing, not costume. Aloha attire is what many people in Hawaiʻi wear to the moments they care about. Wear it as a guest who has been welcomed, and you will be dressed right at any level.

When the next invitation arrives, start with our aloha wear for the whole ʻohana. Shop the collection, or visit us in store at Ala Moana Center or at the Moana Surfrider in Waikīkī.