Each summer, countless guys reach for a short-sleeve Hawaiian-style shirt. One of the few super-loud fashion items that men embrace en masse, the colorful floral designs read as shorthand for warm ...

In the years leading up to 1959, when Hawaii became the 50th state and pineapples seemed exotic, American tourists returned to the mainland wearing newly purchased Hawaiian shirts with pride.

Also known as Aloha shirts, Hawaiian shirts capture the laid-back spirit of the US state, but it was a Chinese-American who first stamped his mark on the garments.