Aloha Wear Release to the Wild at Tiki Oasis

I buy too much aloha wear.

Sometimes I buy items with the intent of altering them, and then I later decide it's just not possible. Sometimes I find pieces that won't fit me, but are too cool to leave behind at the store, so I buy them to give to someone else.

I've decided to bring a bunch of this excess aloha wear to Tiki Oasis, to send these pieces to good homes. They will be given away, for free.

I've got a few wee rules to keep things fair:

1. You must be someone I have met before.

2. The item must fit you AS IS -- no alterations. These poor things have already been sitting neglected for too long, and the item may fit someone else at Oasis perfectly.

3. You must try the item on to confirm it fits you.

4. You cannot take an item with the intent of giving it to someone else, it must be for your own use.

5. Don't resell these items for at least one year. After that, you can do what you wish with them.

Here are the items that I'll be bringing with me:

Hookano dress
36 bust, 37 waist, 38 hips
This is a simple shapeless dress with a pocket on the front, made out of a beautiful lightweight cotton fabric with gold details. In a couple of the pictures, I've taken the dress in with some pins to show how it could be altered -- I'm exempting this dress from my no-alterations rule because I think it would look better altered, but it's very cute as is, too.

Front:

Front with pins:

Side with pins:

Close-up of the fabric:

Nani of Hawaii swimsuit:
36-40 bust, 28-31 waist, 44 hips (suit has stretch panels in the back; this was difficult to measure, so those numbers are probably a bit off)
OH BOY do I wish I could find one of these that would fit me. This suit is darling, and it's in pretty darned good shape, too. It looks a little goofy pinned to the front of my dressmaking dummy, but it's going to make someone look fabulous poolside at the Caliente Tropics.

Front:

VA VA VOOM!

Close-up view of fabric:

Royal Hawaiian dress
42 bust, free waist & hips
I love the tapa cloth print fabric and draped back on this one.

Front:

Back:

Close-up view of fabric:

Maier Specialty dress
34 bust, 30 waist, 40 hips
I like the cut of this dress quite a bit, and the colors are really lovely, but it's just too big for me.

Front:

Back:

Sears Hawaiian Fashions dress:
42 bust, 32 waist, 50 hips
I LOVE LOVE LOVE this dress! That fabric is amazing -- check out those graphic pineapples!

Front:

Back:

Close-up view of the pineapples:

Paradise Hawaii men's shirt
44 chest
I rarely venture into the aloha shirt sections -- there's just too much to sift through, and it's rare to find something really special. I thought this one was worth picking up, though.

Front:

Back:

Homemade (not by me) dress
34 bust, 27 waist, free hips
This one absolutely kills me. I have held onto this one for so long. I even spent a whole lot of time pinning it up in about 10 different spots to alter it, before I realized that I would pretty much have to take the dress apart entirely to make it fit me (and even then, it wouldn't look quite right). I really, really wish I could have made this one work, and I'll be very happy to see someone wearing it.

Front:

Back:

Close-up view of fabric:

If you're interested in trying one of these babies on, just find me at Oasis!

---

I had it all backwards -- the best bed is the one that's stumbling distance from Tiki-Ti, or the Mai Kai, or the Lagoon Room, or the Alibi, or the Kon Tiki, or...
Critiki

[ Edited by: Humuhumu on 2004-04-18 19:07 ]

You got to squeeze Big Al into the Sears dress!! That would be classic!!

Humuhumu~
That Paradise men's shirt is cool!

I like it! Can you list the shoulder to shoulder measurment, and the shoulder to hemline measurement. I'm one of the guys that are in that weird sizing area. Some things can either be just right in the shoulders, but too long, or just the right length but too tight in the shoulder areas.

Also, since some vintage items "list" a size, one can't tell either how much it has shrunk since purchased or if it's been tailored somewhere along the line.

Thanks.

Yeah, I completely disregard the sizes on labels for vintage clothes. I took that chest measurement, the shoulder-to-shoulder measurement is 19, and the shoulder-to-hemline is 28. My measurements on all the items are probably a bit off, but it should give people a general idea if it might fit them.

Humu, I'll trade you a couple too small for me things for that one shouldered number. I love one shouldered stuff (if you could tell from the dress I wore to the Magic Castle) The waist may be to big but I could belt it. I have a few things I've been saving for you that are too tight for me (and everyone else, I'm sure). See you at the Oasis!

laney, I bet that one-shouldered number would look GREAT on you! It was so so close for me, and I suspect it'll be just right for you, can't wait to see at Oasis. It would make me very happy to see a proper bombshell in that dress!

Glad to see you're still keeping the crazy pantsuit I sold you!

I'd love one of those dresses, but I will not be at the oasis... sigh!

WOW!! - we just spent a day crawling vintage and thrift shops in search of tropical wear, for the, errr, full figured gal (&guy) and didn't find much. NOW I KNOW WHO HAS IT ALL :)

I always find stuff that would fit you, humu2!

I'd love that swim suit, in my tinier days, I had a bunch of them. NOTHING better than hitting the pool at a Motel 6 in Mississippi in a vintage suit, with an armful of tattoos :)

we'll come by your room on Thursday night for a perusal! (we'll bring some cocktails too...)
xoxox
mrs. pineapple

HumuX2,
You might look great in a few little numbers I have hanging around here. I'll bring them along for you to try. Laney, I've got a one shoulder by Waltah Clarke that you might really like. It is a bit snug on me. We will be arriving on Friday afternoon. Save one of those hot numbers for me!!
Mahalo,
Shell in the Pacific

Humuhumu wrote:
...the shoulder-to-shoulder measurement is 19, and the shoulder-to-hemline is 28...

It's close, but I would like first try of it if you still have it. I will be at Oasis on Wednesday. See you there. Thanks.

Tikifish -- No way! I couldn't possibly sell my clowning outfit!

Mrs. Pineapple -- Naturally, I thought of you when I saw that pineapple dress. It would be wonderful if it fit you.

Shelley -- thanks so much for thinking of me with your smaller dresses! I hope you find something here that works for you.

A reminder to everyone -- I'm giving these away; I won't accept trades or money for them. I don't want commerce to enter into it, they're gifts to my friends because I love my 'ohana. If you find that one of these fits you fabulously and you want it, take it with no guilt, just spread the aloha!

A few more dresses:

Penney's Hawaii dress
38 bust, 40 waist, 46 hips
Very pretty colors on this one, and it has a pocket.

Front:

Back:

Unknown dress
36 bust, 36 waist, 40 hips
The care tag is still inside, but the manufacturer's tag is missing. This is a great, unusual dress and probably quite comfortable -- it wraps around somewhat like a sarong, secured at the shoulders, so the measurements are very loosey-goosey and will probably work for anyone close to those sizes.

Front:

Back:

Pikake Fashions dress
34 bust, 28 waist, 38 hips
Never has the color of baby poop looked so stunning! The orange is every bit that bright in person, if not more so. A very cool dress, I wish it fit me.

Front:

Back:

Humuhumu, those are definitely some beauts you're sharing. Love the tapa dress! I'm sure they'll go to good homes.

Hey Humuhumu!!!! I really like your dresses they are FABULOUS!!!!! Too bad we will not be at Oasis ---- if you have any left . . . . which I doubt . .. bring them to the Hukilau.

Which by the way . . . a lady from St. Louis sold a lot of 18 vintage Hawaiian dresses a few months ago on E-Bay. No one but myself bidded on them --- so I got them for about $2.00 a dress. They are really spectacular. Two of the dresses have trains. I'll unveil them at the Hukilau.

Have FUN!!!

Neptune Wahine

Hey there Neptune Wahine! When I'm travelling, I travel light, light, light. (It's almost an obsession for me -- I continuously challenge myself to travel lighter than even I think is possible; my dream is to one day fly somewhere with nothing but my ID and a debit card.) Oasis is only a couple hours' drive for me, so I'm breaking all my rules and hauling a bunch of crap with me. The only dresses I'll be bringing to Hukilau will be the ones I'll be wearing, I'm afraid.

Good score on those dresses. Can't wait to see them, and you & Neptune Tiki, at Hukilau!

I think I will tell Cherry about the Pineapple dress - maybe she'll wear it when she sings Pineapple Princess!

And I think I might try on the nani of Hawaii swimsuit!

Fabby to see you 2night humuhumu!

This is the last batch of aloha wear that I'm bringing to Oasis:

Hawaiian Togs dress
40 bust, 28-?? waist, free hips
This is an unusual waterfall dress on a few different counts: the bust construction is rather nice, the fabric is really lovely, but mostly it's unusual because it appears to have been shortened. This is the first time I've seen a cocktail-length waterfall dress, and I would guess that it was once full-length. The shortness gives the waterfal a somewhat cape-like appearance -- Floratina & I have dubbed this the Super Tiki Dress, and she who dons it shall wield an awesome power, to be sure. It has an inner tie to define the waist that is adjustable, or can not be tied at all, so the waist & hips measurements are extremely flexible.

Front:

Side:

Back:

Homemade dress (not by me)
34 bust, 30 waist, 38 hips
This homemade dress has 3/4 sleeves and a high neckline, perfect for those who get cold easily or prefer to be covered up a bit. I really love the hibiscuses on this one!

Front:

Back:

Waltah Clarke Hapa Jac
35 chest, 42 shoulders, 23 length
It's more than a shirt, but not quite a jacket, it's a Hapa Jac!

Front:

Back:

Ui-Maikai dress
40 bust, 36 waist, 50 hips
Nice simple straightforward dress with lovely sleeves, looks a bit like an unfinished coloring book to me.

Front:

Back:

Chumley Charles F. Berg dress
36 bust, 28 waist, 40 hips
Another one-shouldered dress. Frankly this one could use a little TLC, but they're hard to find, and with the right body in it, it will look amazing.

Front:

Back:

sh*t.

I'm ready to screw my job and spend the $400 airfare (well, by now $800-1000) just to get the shortened waterfall and the new blue one-shouldered sarong!! Both would fit me like a dream!

Hold onto 'em, Humu2, if nobody present rightfully claims them as perfect on their bod; I'll get them this summer when I'm out in Cali in July!

Have a ball this weekend and do everything I would do if I were out there (wait, that's not all that much). OK, do MORE!! :wink:

Actually, I just checked Orbitz, and you could get a flight on American out Friday back Sunday for $325. :wink:

I looked it up (so tempted was I by that price!), but it's Houston-Dallas-Ontario, THEN rent/catch a ride to Palm Springs. Home is leave Ontario at 10:45 AM Sunday AM (then Dallas, then Houston), which is too much travel hell for not enough fun hours for my $.

One-stop is $900something. not today.....

(But the dresses are FAB! And that was sweet of you to check flights!)

On 2004-05-04 00:11, Humuhumu wrote:
Waltah Clarke Hapa Jac
35 chest, 42 shoulders, 23 length
It's more than a shirt, but not quite a jacket, it's a Hapa Jac!

Front:

Back:

Oooooooh.... that jacket's dope YO! Hey Humu, I'm not sure of my size in actual measurements so I'm just going to have to try it on. I am making an effort to start wearing more stuff with a collar on it. This shirt/jacket (shacket?) might just be the catalyst to do it more often!

Heya Pop -- I've got the measurements wrong there, I think I doubled the shoulder measurement without thinking, it should probably be 21". That chest measurement sounds too small, too -- I'm going to redo all the measurements on that one. I fear it may be to small for you, but you're more than welcome to come give it a try!