Jim Sanders was 16 when he first saw a Spooner Aloha shirt while shopping at Franklin’s Men’s Fine Clothing and Shoes in Tucson, Arizona. Though unfamiliar with the brand, he knew immediately that he needed the shirt.
The 100% cotton pullover with a light blue background and red and white flowers was the coolest Aloha shirt he had ever seen and immediately became his favorite shirt. It wasn’t long before he added another Aloha shirt to his closet, and over the last 30 years, his collection has only continued to grow.
What does Reyn Spooner represent to you?
To me, Reyn’s is a brand that has stayed true to style and quality. I still own my first Spooner and wear it from time to time.
What is your favorite thing about a Spooner?
I love that I don’t have to iron them and that it’s a shirt that I can wear untucked. Also, I love that where I live in Southern California, wearing a Spooner is considered appropriate attire for most functions that I attend. I also love how it works for the whole family. Over the years, my kids have grown up in Spooner, and my wife has several items she really likes as well.
You have quite an impressive collection of Spooner items. Can you talk to us about a few of the rarer items you own?
The crown jewel of my collection is a custom Hobie Surfboard that has the Lahaina Sailor Spooner Kloth as an inlay on the top deck of the board. The board is one of a kind and hangs in my living room as art. I have surfed it a few times, and it’s one of my favorite Hobie surfboards, but it’s just too awesome looking, so I have it in my house key for display only.
A few other items include a sport coat from Reyn Spooner and Brooks Brothers that is made with a unique Lahaina Sailor print, light yellow Lahaina print pants, and an early 1950’s Reyn’s Men’s Sportswear shirt that has three-quarter length sleeves and wood buttons that is super “tiki.”
Can you share a special memory you associate with Spooner?
I have a few matching Spooner Shirt/Short/Pants combinations that when worn together are quite the look. I once wore one of my matching Spooner sets to a Tiki Convention in San Diego (which among tiki people is considered normal attire) and on my way home I stopped by one of my kid's sports games, and as I walked the parents on the team looked at me and could not believe my outfit. I wore it with pride, and to this day, years later, those parents still talk about my Spooner suit …. I guess they just don’t get Spooner “fashion,” or they were jealous 😊
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