Gimme Stitches

Ever wondered what two architecture students from UC Berkeley might do creatively when it's not buildings? They might come up with a t-shirt company called Facade, and their philosophy will be that you are what you wear.

I like T-shirts that leaves it up to people to decipher its meaning. It's like a wearable Rosarch test, you get to look pretty and help someone through their mental issues. For instance, for the Stitches t-shirt, some might be ardent baseball fans and instead of wearing their heart on their sleeves, they would have it plastered over their torso.

Me, on the other hand, would look at it and think, "that's an awesome looking chest wound," because the only sport I like is extreme chest sewing.

Quixotic Clothing review

Hey kids! It's time for another installment where I pass harsh and cruel judgment on t-shirts I received! Yaaay! Today's entry was brought to you by... Quixotic Clothing.

I wanted to get something for a friend's birthday and he mentioned something along the lines of "I would really like a Quixotic t-shirt." So I placed an order on February 17, Saturday and received the package yesterday, February 26. This gives about 8 days of delivery. To be fair, they did state, "While we try to get your order shipped out the next business day, we are only human. Sometimes we can't do it that fast. This is why we ask that you give us two to three business days before we get your order shipped out."

But it kinda bugs me that the postage is dated on February 23, Friday. You do the math.

No, seriously. You do it. I may be dumb at numbers but I'm pretty sure, it's over the maximum of three business days. Now you might say, "aren't you a little anal about this?" Well, my sexual predilection aside, I'm more concern about customer relations. I like Quixotic Clothing and who knows, maybe this was a one-time-thing-never-to-be-repeated-ever but an e-mail with the following, "sorry, your package will be delivered late" would be nice. I'm just saying.

Note the package. It's like a "I-packaged-this-with-my-hands-and-sealed-it-with-my-moist-tongue" approach, which I really like. It feels personal. I like personal. The package contains the aforementioned t-shirt and a receipt. As I write this, my funny friend is wearing it. For three days straight. That's how much he loves the tee.

Oh and excuse the ugly couch.

Northbound

Brian Wood, who designed for Rockstar Games and created Demo and DMZ, has two new t-shirts for sale. These are beautifully designed and I have a few of them in my ever-growing collection.

On of them is a Northern Boy "Rampant" for men and the other is, if I'm right, a re-issue of I [heart] Vermont. The design is much better than the original, especially the little touches like the substitution of the "I" with the state of Vermont.

Monies: US$14

Laugh My What Off?

Think of it as a fusion of the yesteryear of Mao fashion and the now of Internet talk. Dirty Microbe printed ROFLMAO to show the Communist Leader has a sense of humor.

It might not be a Little Red Book but at least you can still spread the message of hilarity on a Little Red Shirt.

Monies: US$15

Tommyknockers

I came upon this gem by way of I Love Your T-Shirt. I know it's been a while since we heard from Science Christ, which makes this tee a little dated... I mean, with all that's happening, I'm half-expecting to see t-shirts of Anna Nicole Smith's mug on it with the words, "I'm The Baby's Daddy!"*

I'm not endorsing this t-shirt but I just want to make it known. You know, to stick it to celebrity.

Monies: US$20 (pre-release sale)

*I just trademarked that phrase.

Update: Joe from Fantastic Bonanza (please us protection) confirmed that T-Shirt Hell has already printed t-shirts to that effect.

Toi Creative Review

Today's entry... Toi Creative. I posted about them before. They have some very interesting designs and they seem like a fun sort. Today, I received my t-shirt in my mail.

Let's see what we have in here.

Now I'm easily pleased as a pig in mud when I get a t-shirt in the mail but I get even more excited when there are extras that comes with the tee. Toi Creative makes me excited. I got a button, five stickers and this card:

"Now what about the t-shirt?" you ask. I'm getting to it, Mr. Pushy.

The material itself is a thicker than what I'm normally used to. The heavyweight 100% cotton stock doesn't hug as well as an AA but that's just me because I have a parasitic twin that sticks out of my abdomen.

Bottom line? I recommend Toi Creative.

Suburbia's Burning

The koi is often seen as lucky and expensive. How about purchasing luck at a much cheaper price?

This inaugural t-shirt from Burn Suburbia was designed by Gislene Mayumi Matsui, who does this really cute manga-like drawings.

Monies: US$18

Po(r)ker

What better manner to greet the Year of the Pig by introducing a t-shirt... nay, a t-shirt company that's pig-related.

American Pig Brand is all about undercutting America's culture of excess by printing t-shirts displaying said culture of excess. My favorite is the pig version of Dogs Playing Poker.

APB also provides a US$10 coupon code when you sign up for their newsletter. That's almost like pooping free money!

Monies: US$27.99

Update: according to T Junction, you can also get another 30% off... even with the $10 coupon code. Just type the 30% off coupon code: crazy. I'm not sure if the info is on the money but it's a worth-while tip.

Means and Ways

Travis Pitts (who does awesome designs like this and this) answers the age-old question, "how many uses can one find for a t-shirt?"

I use mine as a make-shift diaper when I engage in my weekly infantilism session.

... don't dare judge me.

Monies: US$17

Out West

It's common knowledge that I love my Westerns so consider me head over heels when I first saw this t-shirt from an indie band website, There For Tomorrow. I haven't heard their music but if their design got me this moist, their music must be awesome, right?

Here are the cool facts about There For Tomorrow:

1) They're under the umbrella of Downtown Rivals online store, where they have this nifty easy-to-see stock chart next to the t-shirts.

2) The Old West t-shirt is only US$11.

Monies: US$11 (!!)

Love and Peace, Man

Death Hippie, although isn't a "child of the sixties snuff site," it takes the tie-dye t-shirts of the Greatful Dead and turn it on its head.

T-shirts are hand treated so like a snowflake, no two tees are alike just like the Clawfoot tee. It can also be seen as a wearable Rosarch test. It's pretty pricey but that's the price of individualism.

I'm not sure if it's still applicable but enjoy 20% off orders "from now through the holidays."

Monies: US$59

Urine Therapy

It's so easy to make a heart related pun on Valentine's Week so I'm gonna veer off and take the high road and introduce you to something more sophisticated: a t-shirt of a pair o'kidneys that reads "when urine love."

This Valentine's Week, I Heart Guts gives you something special that's better than boring teddy bears and S&M gear. Also available for the dudes.

Monies: US$24

LANDSHARK!

I absolutely love me some Matt Cipov. His work sorta reminds me of those Greek drawings on pottery, and when his subjects are wearing animal masks, it just added that extra layer of surreality.

I tried looking for Cipov's art on apparel but all I could come up with were prints and other assortments. Then I came upon Lava Bat, which carried Shock Shock (only one tee? For shame!)

How awesome is it to play the pantomime shark?

Monies: US$15

Boy Toi

I like TOI Creative. They have this feel of (warning: oxymoron up ahead!) youthful maturity about them. Take for instance their TOI Logo t-shirt for men, only about eighty left and selling at a very affordable price, the design of a child squatting over a toy space saucer. That image just triggers something in my memory closet, past the skeletons and shame in the corner, invoking a sudden burst of nostalgia.

That and I'm a sucker for limited runs.

Monies: Show some love for TOI at US$7

Sly Rockets in Flight

Remember that Kanye West's rant at the MTV Europe Music Awards when his video, "Touch the Sky" didn't win best video? I think I would be mad too, if I pumped a million dollars into the shoot, wrangled Pam Anderson and jumped over a freakin' canyon and not win anything for it.

I love the man's music but throwing a hissy fit about not winning only makes him look like a bitch. Well, Mr West, your achievement in Touch the Sky will live long in a t-shirt from The Royal Teez.

Note that this tee is currently only available through email order. Drop them an email to place an order via check, money order or PayPal.

Monies: US$20

Mr. Roboto

Switched Clothing came out with this tee about a robot doing the Robot. Now stay with my train of thought. So a human does the Robot, the robot does the Robot... can there ever be a dance called the Human?

And if so, what does it look like?

These are the sort of crap that runs through my mind when I can't sleep.

Monies: US$17

ATHF... It Continues...

Last post I did was about the whole ATHF marketing snafu that led to the city of Boston to come to a standstill. Cotton Factory came up with this beauty that will probably infuriate a Boston cop.

I wonder who's gonna print up the next ATHF-bomb-scare-theme?

Monies: US$10