Whether he’s taking his twin girls out for breakfast, holding meetings downtown or maintaining buildings for the family janitorial business, Joshua Tokars likes to put his best foot forward — and that means a focus on footwear.
Joshua Tokars
>> Age: 40
>> Residence: Manoa
>> Occupation: General manager, Armstrong Building Maintenance
“I feel a man’s shoes tell a lot about himself. I get my shoes from Leather Soul downtown, which offers a great selection of shoes for every occasion,” he said. “I always make sure to give my shoes a quick polish before heading out the door.”
Tokars describes his style as “traditional aloha with a modern twist.” He aims for a look that comes across as put-together, professional and approachable.
He also doesn’t believe in “fast fashion,” opting to pay a little more for quality items that will last a long time with proper care.
>> Dress aloha: “On a normal workday I’m always comfortable in a Reyn Spooner long-sleeve aloha shirt tucked into dress slacks and dress shoes. I only wear Spooner Kloth shirts, which is a special combination of polyester and cotton blend that gives the shirt a stiffer feel and keeps it from wrinkling. The wash-and-hang-dry convenience makes my life easier.
“On weekends you can find me in a short-sleeve aloha shirt and golf shorts. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve embraced my dress casual aloha apparel, even on weekends. It’s just what I’m comfortable in nowadays.”
>> A Reyn’s obsession: “I started wearing Reyn Spooner long-sleeve shirts about eight years ago and love them because they set me apart from what most men in the business world downtown are wearing. Most choose the short-sleeved shirts. My collection of 20 or so long-sleeve shirts continues to grow. I even enjoy the Christmas-themed shirts that I bring out the day after Thanksgiving until New Year’s Day.
“My favorite Reyn’s long-sleeve is the 50th-anniversary (Christmas) print that came out in 2006.”
>> Sole comfort: “Comfortable and appropriate dress shoes … . In my current rotation I use blue Tricker’s wingtip dress shoes, tan Wildsmith loafers and a pair of black Aldens as my go-to.”
>> Wardrobe mandate: “Keep your shoes right. Make sure they are fully laced and looking good, with multiple pairs for different occasions.”
>> Favorite grooming product: “My favorite man-care product is Layrite Supershine Pomade. You can get it at Mojo Barbershop.”
>> A cut above: “I get my haircuts at McCully Barber Shop. Go see Cathy Le; it will be the best move you made all year. Not to mention the best $14 you spent.”
By Lacy Matsumoto, special to the Star-Advertiser. Island Lookbook is a weekly feature that spotlights local trendsetters. Contact features@staradvertiser.com.