Island Business Attire - Business Dress in Hawaii and the South Pacific

Business Dress in Hawaii & South Pacific Islands

Dressing for a business meeting that is being held on one of the islands of the south Pacific is something that a lot of Western businessmen don’t expect to have to do. The fact is, the need to embrace this code of dress is larger than many people realize, as attending meetings in the south Pacific isn’t exactly a rarity for businessmen who travel on a regular basis. South Pacific business dress doesn’t have to be difficult to implement into your look, and learning more about it can help you to look your best on a regular basis. So long as you consider the following tips and information regarding south Pacific business dress, you’ll be well on your way towards fitting in when it finally comes time to travel there. Because so-called "Island" Business dress is so different from conventional business attire, we decided to include it in our series titled: Mens Business Dress Around the Globe

Take Business Casual to Heart
In many parts of the world, business casual dress is simply unacceptable. This couldn’t be further from the truth when it comes to the south Pacific islands, however, as business casual is a way of life in this part of the world. Given the extreme heat that is so characteristic of islands such as Hawaii, the full suit often takes a backseat to a more casual set of attire. Those who are used to wearing a full business suit to meetings can rest easy knowing that attending a truly important business exchange (think court appearance) almost always includes wearing a Western business suit; it’s the more day-to-day doings that are best approached by wearing business casual attire. The more comfortable you can get with this concept, the better you’ll fit in when attending business meetings in the south Pacific islands. Our tip: Leave your suit at home and use the extra room in your luggage for snorkel, swim shorts, and sandals.

Aloha Shirts
Whether you love them or hate them, there’s no getting around the fact that Aloha shirts are extremely popular in the south Pacific islands. Wearing an aloha shirt to a meeting is not always in poor taste, especially if the meeting is casual in nature. Just be sure that you wear these shirts with the right pieces, khaki chinos are almost always the preferred style of pants to pair with aloha shirts, although there are plenty of other options to choose from as well. If the office you are arranging your meeting in is exceptionally casual, you may even be able to go with a nice pair of dark-washed designer jeans. When choosing aloha shirts, go with those which feature fairly subtle patterns, as there’s truly no need to overdo your look.

Prefer a Suit?
While chinos, shorts, and Hawaii shirt make up the typical business wardrobe, those that like to wear a suit still have some options. Instead of the formal charcoal suit, we suggest a warm weather business get-up. Excellent choices are linen suits as well as suits made from cotton - both slightly more casual fabrics that are, thanks to their breath-ability, perfect for warm weather.

Formal Business Dress in Hawaii
While business casual is exceptionally popular in this part of the world, there are some occasions where business-formal will be a necessity. In such a case, you’ll do best by wearing a well-fitted suit with flat-fronted dress pants, Oxfords and a crisp, white dress shirt. Aloha shirts and other casual pieces have no place in this type of ensemble, and should be avoided at all costs. For best results, you should work with a tailor in order to put together a suit that will perfectly fit your figure. During the day time light colored suits (tan and light gray) are acceptable and offer cool comfort.

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