How did Casual Friday become a thing?
You can thank Hawaii - and a recession...
Hello friends!
What does your work wardrobe look like these days?
I suppose in our new hybrid work world, many of us are dressing more casually than we used to.
But once upon a time, the only day where business professionals could dress casually was Friday.
But where did that concept of ‘Casual Friday’ come from?
I was curious…
Like so many creative ideas, the concept of dressing casually on a Friday was introduced to solve a problem.
The origins trace back to 1946, when Honolulu was looking to give office workers some relief from the hot temperatures in the Hawaiian summer.
By introducing ‘alohawear’ (including casual, colorful ‘Aloha shirts’ also known as ‘Hawaiian shirts’), office workers could be more comfortable – and embrace part of the Hawaiian culture.
This led to an Aloha Week celebration that promoted Hawaiian culture – and supported the burgeoning Hawaiian garment industry.
But it wasn’t until 1962 when the idea grew – thanks to a creative campaign by the Hawaii Fashion Guild.
The Guild decided to send two Aloha shirts to every member of the Hawaii House of Representatives and the Hawaii Senate – and encouraged them to promote the ‘Aloha shirt’ as business attire in the summer months.
The tactic worked – and a resolution passed recommending that ‘Aloha attire’ be worn throughout the summer months for the “sake of comfort and support of the 50th state’s garment industry.”
And three years later, Bill Foster, Sr., the president of the Hawaii Fashion Guild, took it a step further.
He led a campaign that would introduce ‘Aloha Friday’ – where the state’s employees could wear Aloha shirts every Friday throughout the year.
Within a year, the Hawaiian garment industry reaped the rewards as ‘Aloha Friday’ was celebrated across the Hawaiian islands.
Hawaii’s custom of ‘Aloha Friday’ slowly travelled across the Pacific to California, and then spread across the US (and globe) under the moniker of ‘Casual Friday.’
And the mainstream adoption of Casual Friday in the US in the 1990s was implemented to solve a problem, too.
Instead of relief from the summer heat, companies were looking for a way to help staff morale during a recession.
They wanted a solution that would lift employee morale – without spending money.
Casual Friday was the answer.
BONUS: A clip from Curb Your Enthusiasm about Casual Friday:
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