In the 1930s, soft-collar shirts without stiff collars sounded the call for sartorial liberation from stuffy formalwear. Sport shirts like polos and hunting shirts evolved from niche outdoor garments into comfortable daily casual wear. By the 1960s, with more leisure time available, sport shirt production even surpassed work shirts as everyone embraced their casual, breathable style for activities from sports to dancing.
Among the most iconic summer casual shirts are those with Cuban collars, including camp shirts, bowling shirts, and aloha shirts - all inspired by Latin America's guayabera shirt. This traditional workwear featured an open, relaxed collar to combat tropical heat and rain forest humidity. Its unique design included a collar opening at the chest area to avoid sweat stains, along with a boxy, airflow-promoting cut in light, breathable fabrics and colors evoking an island holiday vibe.
1, Camp Shirt
The camp shirt became the most popular Cuban collar variant. Made of cotton or rayon, it has a straight shape with long or short sleeves and the signature loop collar that can optionally button up. Camp shirts were perfect for picnics, camping trips and other summer outdoor pursuits.
2, Bowling shirt
Bowling shirts shared the Cuban collar but added retro flair with boxy fits, shorter sleeves, embroidered names/teams and contrasting colors inspired by the bowling lane. These sporty, stretchy shirts in silk, rayon and polyester blends accommodated the bowling movement.
3, Aloha Shirt
Finally, the aloha shirt brought ample Hawaiian spirit with its colorful, vibrant prints of tropical plants and fruits. Though originally humble workwear for Asian laborers, it was reinvented with affordable printed fabrics into vacation-style icons worn by the likes of Elvis Presley.
Cuban collar shirts became the 20th century's calling card of warm weather leisure and sartorial ease. Their open collars, relaxed cuts and breezy fabrics kept things cool and casual, equally suited for activities or kicking back.
Add some Cuban collar flair to your summer wardrobe! Check out our selection of high-quality, breathable camp shirts, bowling shirts and aloha shirts to beat the heat in style.
