Man, that will teach me to start a thread and then not check it for a couple of days (I was cataloging my shoe collection).

Of course I was kidding (well, maybe "kidding on the square" as Al Franken says). I personally think Tevas are very ugly, however, I will agree that they are "special use" shoes. Tidepooling is a great example. But you know, tikibars are not tidepools! I have some charming steel toed cop boots which I think look lovely with the correct ensemble at the correct event. However, I wore gold and rhinestone mules to the Hulilau, as is proper.

I'm a fashion bitch! To me, wearing something that shows you don't care what you look like is disrespectful, to yourself and to those around you. I have to look at you, after all!

It's really like using Bacardi in your drinks - some people care enough about the flavor, others don't notice.

I am going to be so self conscious at my next Tiki Event. What will I wear? My God... the pressure! I need a drink!

I wore gold and rhinestone mules to the Hulilau, as is proper.

I'm a fashion bitch! To me, wearing something that shows you don't care what you look like is disrespectful, to yourself and to those around you. I have to look at you, after all!

Well, like I mentioned, photos please and then maybe some would want to chime in on fashion diva yes/no.

On 2006-10-15 18:00, Rattiki wrote:

What amazes me is that the Mai Kai doesn't enforce such a dress code! :o

What I glean from that statement is that they probably don't care that much. The thing I don't understand is why anyone else does.
We've a local restaurant near the beach here, kind of a fancy one. Not a supper club. A nice restaurant. But people from the beach inevitably show up, wearing bathing suits and God only knows what else. The times I've gone there I've been wearing a suit, or a shirt and tie at the very least. But the management doesn't see fit to enforce any type of dress code, and I don't worry myself over it. It doesn't matter to me who's wearing what. Everyone comes to this particular restuarant cause the food's damn good. It doesn't ruin my night just because the missus and I are having a nice dinner and there's people wearing flip-flops and shorts. I mean, I've enough things to worry about without getting worked up over a non-existent dress code. :)

On 2006-10-15 18:13, TikiMama wrote:

Of course I was kidding (well, maybe "kidding on the square" as Al Franken says). I personally think Tevas are very ugly, however, I will agree that they are "special use" shoes. Tidepooling is a great example. But you know, tikibars are not tidepools! I have some charming steel toed cop boots which I think look lovely with the correct ensemble at the correct event. However, I wore gold and rhinestone mules to the Hulilau, as is proper.

A tiki bar might not be a tidepool, but you wouldn't wear steel-toed cop boots to the beach. Well, you might, but that's like wearing golfing shoes to run a marathon. You're talking about wearing the correct shoes to the correct event, right? :) Anyway, my point is, the "tiki-scene" is a celebration not just of tikis :tiki: and midcentury American lounge culture :drink:. It's also a celebration of beach culture, and all the associated things that go with it. Sandals of all types go with beach culture. Tevas are great because they're not just "special use"-- I can wear them to the beach just for walking, or for schlepping dive gear, or for tidepooling. They're also good enough for wearing to casual restaurants. Whether the Mai Kai is a casual restaurant or not is up to the management. Which brings me back to what I said at the beginning. If a restaurant has a dress code, that's fine. You do what they say, or they don't let you in. It seems silly at best to get upset about a non-enforced dress code.
I'm not saying that dressing up is silly, or that one should never do it. I just don't see why one would criticize others for not doing it. If it's all in good fun then that's fine, but at least remember to drop a few smilies in so that people know you're having a little fun with them. :)
And I'm not so sure that my wife would let me go out for a night on the town wearing gold and rhinestone mules. I think she'd rather I wear the Tevas. :)

On 2006-10-15 09:59, ikitnrev wrote:
I was impressed that all of the people deemed the event worthy to attend, and many used valuable vacation time and money for airfare/hotels/other trip expenses. They made the choice to attend this event, and that is what should be deemed most important.

Even Rattiki agreed with that last.

Smilies are for pussies! :)

Wouldn't those pussy smiles be sideways Tiki mama?

Well I am certainly no hippie and I like to dress sharp and see people dressed sharp [especially the ladies !] but, jesus christ, some folks should lighten up a bit. Nothing ruins a great look more than having your head up your ass. It obscures your new perfect hairdo.

WOW! With all there was to see at the Mai Kai you looked at peoples feet!
And speaking of Jesus Christ, He would not have got in.
No shirt, no shoes, no service Mr. Christ!

On 2006-10-16 16:38, tikiskip wrote:
WOW! With all there was to see at the Mai Kai you looked at peoples feet!
And speaking of Jesus Christ, He would not have got in.
No shirt, no shoes, no service Mr. Christ!

He'd a got in! He was wearing leather sandals. Pretty sure he coulda wiggle his tiki to make water into mai tais.

On 2006-10-16 16:38, tikiskip wrote:
No shirt, no shoes, no service Mr. Christ!

NO SOUP FOR YOU! :lol:

I don't want to look at everyone's ugly feet. WEAR SHOES!

On 2006-10-14 09:54, ookoo lady wrote:
Dressing appropriately is also a way of showing respect and appreciation for the other people around you. Many people who come to an elegant or themed event want to immerse themselves in that atmosphere. When you dress for the occasion you are making a contribution, not only for yourself, but for the other participants.

So concisely and eloquently said, Ookoo! While not everyone can afford Shaheen originals from the 50s, SOME effort can still be taken for special occasions because if we don't, eventually there will be no sense of occasion in our culture and society anywhere. And how boring would that be? And while this may seem like snobbery to some, ceremonial dress has existed in every culture—yes, even Tiki culture. So why should it seem strange or snobbish to put a little extra effort into one's presentation for an event that supposedly means a lot to us such as the Mai Kai's 50th? Even if there are those that are usually laid back with their dress, I have still seen many of those same go the extra mile with an extra special shirt or dress or even something more unusual like when Bamboo Ben literally wore a suit of bamboo to Tiki Farm's first Tiki Bash years ago. That was definitely extra special!

For those that refuse to look any different than when they rolled out of bed, suppose we all looked like that for something like the Mai Kai? While the music and the food would still be there, the atmosphere would definitely be duller. If our predecessors of the post-war era didn't dress for occasion, then there would be no Tiki "scene" to emulate ourselves after in the first place.

And regarding footwear, I'm not a big fan of viewing people's flip-flop and Tevas adorned feet in a restaurant either, but perhaps a more congruous choice can be made for such occasions. And save the casual footwear for the beach or the poolside. In fact, for those with foot problems, flip-flops will only exacerbate them as they give no support to the feet and can cause other alignment problems in the knees, hips and back.

And for those that require photos to illustrate what I consider appropriate "special occasion" dress...(I did not attend Hukilau this year, but these are a few of the possibilities if I had—sorry, I'm just a little indecisive when it comes to what to wear):

Perhaps this:

Or this:

Or this. (Note: even my diminutive dance partner had a "special occasion" dress on.)

[ Edited by: vintagegirl 2006-10-17 11:13 ]

Vintagegirl your coifs are so kewl! :)

[ Edited by: Rattiki 2006-10-17 13:29 ]

Timeout ~ BEEP!
Vintagegirl was not in attendance at the event where horrors of sandals and shorts took place. And no one, no one, could come close to her fashion divaness.
Vintagegirl ~ Fashion Diva yes/no = Yes (with a bunch of stars to boot.)
No fair. Disqualified for unfair outfitness.
xxxoooIvy

NICE KNOBS!

Just contributing...

Wow! I do not have any of the right clothing... I was planning on the Tikikon in Portland, but I really think my wardrobe would not fit in. Well, there is always next year.

I rock the black/white wingtips, nice crisp clean chinos, and either a "modern" bowling or traditional hawaiian shirt, with a nice flat-top goin on, typically.

And, I don't much care if others like it. :)

It's what I'm comfortable in.

Just be glad I don't wear the Utilikilt. Heheheh.

I get enough farby button-pissing crap in the medieval recreation group I'm in.
I'm shootin for "comfy" in this one. If they had em in the 50's, I'm wearin em.

[ Edited by: ootwoods 2007-07-18 09:57 ]

Croc haters, rejoice:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/15/AR2009071503672.html?g=0

PRAISE THE LAWD!!

I have loathed the Croc from the beginning. I would see people wear them around town, and cringe. The only place I thought they maybe made some sense was in the medical field. But to see people out everyday with those things, just brutal. Have we learned nothing from parachute pants?!?

On 2006-10-13 19:23, Rattiki wrote:

On 2006-10-13 16:55, Humuhumu wrote:
Shoes have got to be the trickiest part of dressing for Tiki soirees. The styles (especially the colors) have changed so much, and vintage footwear tends to be a little, well, gross. I've been lucky to find a few pairs of colorful heels over the years that pair with my dresses pretty well, but I still find myself scrambling and fudging it quite a bit.

"vintage footwear tends to be a little, well, gross"

I'm kind of surprised by this statement coming from you as from the party pix I've seen here of you here on TC, you tend to be quite stylishly dressed. Maybe clompy 1940's heels are a bit gross, but IMHO Rat-Pack era classic pumps are boss, maybe tortously uncomfortable for the wearer, but they look AWESOME! :D

THIS SHOE RULES! :wink:

I think these go with any Tiki ensemble!

On 2006-10-21 16:30, Hau 'oli Tiki wrote:
Just contributing...

Whoa - this is completely off-topic, but I never thought I'd see a photo of Buckethead on TikiCentral!!

Nice!

SOooo random! But I had to add it--I used to work as a manager for a music venue in NorCal and just had to get this taken--I think this was 2002-or 2003 (notice the flower in my hair-it was actually covering up my cauliflower ear from getting in a drunken brawl the night before--:0
I had to add -i did not start a fight-I was trying to break it up and got punched in the side of the head!

And my 2 pennies--- crocs & tevas=bad!
And for me-these are the quintessential tiki gal shoes!

[ Edited by: tropicali*honey 2009-07-16 23:10 ]

[ Edited by: tropicali*honey 2009-07-17 09:13 ]

On 2009-07-16 16:50, Rum Balls wrote:
Croc haters, rejoice:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/15/AR2009071503672.html?g=0

Unfortunately there are many croc-offs being made. True Croc's may be going away... but we will likely never be rid of them entirely.

[

And my 2 pennies--- crocs & tevas=bad!
And for me-these are the quintessential tiki gal shoes!

Perfect! Do you have a source?

Retro Modern Wahine......Kiki von Tiki on etsy

[ Edited by: Kiki von Tiki 2009-07-17 00:49 ]

heres my pair. I bought them in Cannon Beach years ago. These are kinda high for me and when I wear them I'm well over 6 ft. Consequently I have fallen off of them when drunk! ( see chip in toe )