OT: Need Luau outfit

[ceecee]

What does one wear to a luau??? DD's Girl Scout troop is having one and you are supposed to dress in theme...grass skirt? Where can you buy grass skirts? It's in 2 weeks so I doubt I will have time to order from Oriental Trading.

 

[nbodyhome]

A place like Party City often will have them - call around to some party supply places.

 

[AlexWyattMommy]

If it comes down to not being able to find a grass skirt, you can make one out of green & yellow crepe paper ribbons cut to the length you want. Double sided sticky tape will be less messy than glue or you can staple them to the band for the waist. Construction paper would probably work best.

If you are adventurous, you could cut up brown/tan plastic grocery bags into ribbons to use. This is also a way to incorporate recycling.

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

If you can't find a grass skirt maybe you could wear khaki shorts and a "Hawaiian" print shirt.

 

[MiniGirl]

What does one wear to a luau??? DD's Girl Scout troop is having one and you are supposed to dress in theme...grass skirt? Where can you buy grass skirts? It's in 2 weeks so I doubt I will have time to order from Oriental Trading.

I made a grass skirt out of a green rafia table skirt. I just doubled it and cut off the rafia at the appropriate length (a little longer than the waist) and used the extra cord (that the rafia is tied to) as a tie. Then cut to the appropriate length for your child's height. I hope this makes sense.

 

[crjack]

I know that I-Party carries quite a few luau items, pretty reasonably priced. Also, dont rule out Oriental Trading.....even with their regular shipping they are pretty fast. I get the majority of my orders within 5 days from start to finish.

 

[fabshelly]

Ugh, we DON'T WEAR GRASS SKIRTS!!! We wear ti leaf ones, and only if we're dancing, and I mean on stage, not on the dance floor.

Wear an Aloha print dress. That's what we wear. And slippahs to kick off.
I love this one: http://www.lavahut.com/flowertank-sale.htm

But there's also:
http://www.paradiseclothingco.com/ladiesalohahawaiiantropicalunder35.asp
http://www.hilohattie.com
http://www.rainbowhawaii.com/index.html

Walmart in Honolulu has the best prices, but unfortunately I'm not there any more. I am pritnear Hilo Hattie's in Orange.

 

[clh2]

We have a party store near us that carries tons of hawaiin themed items.

Another thing to add is a lei, they'll be right near the grass skirts at the party store.

 

[tink2dw]

You can find "Hawaiian" print shirts at your local thrift shop.

 

[AlexWyattMommy]

Ugh, we DON'T WEAR GRASS SKIRTS!!!

Sorry Shelly. Isn't amazing just how wrong we mainlanders can be? I have no idea where the idea came from, except maybe those cute little hula girls that wiggle on your dashboard.

 

[tink2dw]

Or look at the thrift store for a Sarong. They are used for cover up for swim suits,
like this but with flowers!
http://www.amazon.com/Set-Swim-suit...=sr_1_4/102-6477180-5913708?ie=UTF8&s=apparel

 

[grlpwrd]

Well, technically, the indigenous Hawaiians didn't wear grass skirts like they have today nor did they wear the Hawaiian wear that is so popular because that is due to missionary influence. Yes, ti leaves are usually only for dancing hula. (There's another DIS member here who speaks fluent Hawaiian... where are you? )

As a part Hawaiian person myself, I am all for authenticity, but to a certain extent when we don't have ti leaves here on the "mainland" or the usual get ups. I certainly won't dance the hula or walk around topless which is the traditional way. lol

I just had Thinking Day with our troop. We wore grass/raffia skirts, pareaus/sarongs (Hawaiian print or floral fabric wrapped at our waist or like a coverup) though that is not indigenous, leis (actually, it is na lei) made of fake flowers and some wore shell leis, and muumuus or Hawaiian print shirts (not indigenous either - but what can you do? lol).

Use what you have. I like those ideas of using crepe paper or paper bags because it is using resources wisely and that is the Girl Scout way.

PS I'm also a leader/Recruiter/Age Level Consultant/Leader Support Team member of Girl Scouts... Just a PSA... did you know that Queen Lili`uokalani together with a teacher of my alma mater, Kamehameha Schools, sponsored the first Girl Scout troop in Hawaii in 1917? That's incredible because GS was only 5 years old back then!

 

[swilshire]

I would also go with a nice sarong type dress with a flowered pattern. The larger the flowers, the better. And flowers for the hair and a lei would be nice as well. You could probably make your own from artificial (or real) flowers if you can't find one.

Sheila

 

[Local_Girl]

I agree with grlpwrd--use what you have, but consider her suggestions for the pareau (sarong), Hawaiian print shirts, shell or fake flower leis. And she's right that traditionally--and this is pre-1820's mind you--women were topless in Hawaii. The arrival of the Christian missionaries changed that. As a child growing up there, the only topless folks I ever saw at a luau were the big, sweaty men hoisting the pig out of the imu!

BTW, grlpwrd--that was very interesting about the Queen and a Kamehameha teacher sponsoring a Girl Scout troop in 1917...I didn't know that. And I also didn't know that there is a DISer who speaks fluent Hawaiian--wow! I'm a fellow Kamehameha alumnus, now transplanted to Michigan. It's hard to be so far away from "home".

 

[WeLuvDiznee]

I found a Hawaiian print dress at Bealls. I don't know where you live,but this is a store in Fl. I've also have gotten items from Oriental Trading Co. and Walmart.

 

[ceecee]

DD actually likes the dress idea much better than the grass skirt. She also wants DH's shirt to match (like the above link)!!! There's another expense! Dh has a lot of Hawaiian print skirts already so maybe we can find her a nice dress to wear that is similar.
I am a Leader/Recruiter as well. I had no idea GS was started in Hawaii that long ago.

 

[Nienor]

Right now Party City has tons of Hawaiian themed things.

I know cause I had to make a center piece for the Blue and Gold dinner (Cub Scouts) this weekend. Our theme is a luau also.

 

[fabshelly]

DD actually likes the dress idea much better than the grass skirt. She also wants DH's shirt to match (like the above link)!!! There's another expense! Dh has a lot of Hawaiian print skirts already so maybe we can find her a nice dress to wear that is similar.
I am a Leader/Recruiter as well. I had no idea GS was started in Hawaii that long ago.

And if you pick a tasteful print, and there are many, many ones, you can wear it for other stuff. A lot.