Sean Tadaki
>> Age: 41
>> Occupation: Co-founder and managing partner, Commercial Asset Advisors
>> Residence: Kahala
The lunchtime crowd in the crosswalk at Bishop and Queen streets in downtown Honolulu is a blur of muted aloha shirts and trim pencil skirts, save for one figure: Sean Tadaki, wearing a navy blue suit, crisp white shirt, paisley-print tie and slicked-back ponytail on his way to his Topa tower office.
“Growing up between Maryland, Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Tokyo, I went through middle school and high school wearing a coat and tie every day,” he said. “At the time I didn’t understand why, but the philosophy of my prep school was if you look good, you feel good and in turn perform at your highest potential. As a child that was a hard pill to swallow, but now I believe in it daily.”
When he’s not striking deals as a commercial property broker, the father of two boys, ages 4 and 2, enjoys traveling with his wife, Aimee, and is passionate about cooking and serving the community. He sits on the boards of several nonprofits including Mental Health Kokua, the Institute of Human Services and the Gift Foundation of Hawaii.
“I also recently dusted off my road bike and have been logging some decent miles,” he said.
>> Dressing for success: “Be yourself but understand that, unfortunately, people will judge you on your appearance.”
>> No aloha: “I was not comfortable wearing an aloha shirt to the office so I continued in mainland attire. I quickly branded myself as the commercial broker with a ponytail and tie and it has stuck with me over the past 16 years. Branding and distinction is important in today’s world of homogenized masses.”
>> Suiting up: “Suit selection is mostly by luck. I am oddly shaped so the ones that fit me the best with the least amount of tailoring needed are my best bets. … I truly believe linen suits should only be worn at a beach resort. Finding a good dry cleaner is an important part of upkeep.”
>> Tying on one: “My shirt selection is usually pretty neutral since I want my tie to be my fashion statement. I am actually fairly reserved when it comes to fashion but enjoy some pretty loud ties with bold colors and patterns.”
>> Weekend wear: “You can find me in a golf shirt and casual shorts on the weekends, especially because I’m hanging out with the boys or working on the house.”
>> Wardrobe MVP: “I have a selection of Brooks Brothers men’s dress shirts because they are wrinkle free and don’t need to be ironed or pressed.”
>> About that ponytail: “Since I have thick hair, cutting it short only made it look crazy and out of control, so I guess it started out of necessity to keep my hair out of my face and less unruly. … Anne at Salon Nanea takes care of my hair but there is only so much magic she can perform since I refuse to get rid of my salt-and-pepper ponytail, which I’ve had since I was 19 years old. To maintain the ponytail is pretty simple: I use Pantene shampoo and conditioner.”
Island Lookbook is a weekly feature that spotlights local trendsetters. Contact features@staradvertiser.com.
