So Many Shirts and Only One Body

In Absentia

2009-12-01T00:05:00.000-08:00

You might have notice tumbleweeds blowing through this ghost town of a blog. I've been busy but I'm back, this time at a new blog with a new name (Second Skin). So much cooler than So Many Shirts and Only One Body. Even if you acronymize it you get SMSOOB. What the hell is that? It's like a portmanteau of Short Messaging System and boobs.

Anyway.

Here be the new blog, http://secondskin.vox.com. There are kinks to be worked out but it'll do for now. Also, I'm taking the old e-mail address off for the time being.

See you lot on the other side.

Turkey Coma Day

2008-11-29T00:10:00.000-08:00

So, Thanksgiving is one of the days when you get together with people you're related to and realize in between helpings of turkey and racist rants from your cancer-mouth uncle, you cannot stand these people.

If that's not enough, there's Black Friday. Have you heard the latest news? A Wal-Mart employee was crushed to death by the savings-hungry mob. That is unfortunate - dying in Wal-Mart.

So, to avoid going out and getting crushed, here's an online alternative. Jonathan Kruse from Mediocore Clothing has a 20% discount of his shirts. Just type in AWESOME at checkout.

Scary Tales

2008-10-31T10:10:00.000-07:00

I'm never one to believe in ghosts. I'm a scientific man and not one to be easily swayed by superstitions and trick of the mind but I'm very fascinated by séances. You know the whole spewing of ectoplasm from their facial orifices? What's the deal with that? It looks like ghost spunk. Is that what a séance boils down to? Having the dearly departed return and rape you in the face?

These are the kind of things I tell children around a campfire.

Oh, and Dance Party Massacre has a Halloween sale.

Shirt Ads

2008-08-24T22:57:00.000-07:00

I plan to move to Hollywood to jumpstart my career in inane reality shows and ass kissing but Brian Hedden from You Are So Famous is killing my buzz.

Life On Mars

2008-08-14T22:20:00.000-07:00

I cannot explain how much I love David Bowie even though, back in the seventies, he looked like your average androgynous anime male, he still has a special place in my heart. I could stare into his mismatch eyes all the time and see the stars therein.

RikkiB (her dingo ate her baby) designed the shirt for Myke D, who runs In the Dryer, has this amalgamation of Ziggy Stardust and Marilyn Monroe. RikkiB also has another spankin' shirt for sale on Tee Fury. This has been a good week for her.

Monies: US$21 (In the Dryer), US$9 (Tee Fury)

Shark Week!

2008-08-04T12:01:00.000-07:00

That is all.

coupon code: SHIRTONME

I Love the 80s.

2008-07-30T23:22:00.000-07:00

VH1 used to have some dignity... until they started broadcasting waste matter like I Love New York or I Love Money or I Love Being a Media Whore or something like that.

But I tolerate VH1 for Michael Ian Black whenever he appears on Best Week Ever.

Anyway, since this is summer, it's always ripe for a summer sale. Mediocore Clothing has a sale starting this Friday (08/01/08) and ends next Friday (08/08/08).

I should be getting a coupon code that gets you 20% off as well, so stay tune for that.

Edit: Kids... the coupon code is "shirtonme."

Bad Dog?

2008-07-29T22:33:00.000-07:00

There's so many ways to interpret this (okay, for the more savvy readers, only one) but I'm gonna go with the scenario that Bukkake is the name for a untrained dog.

Let's just leave it at that.

Monies: £26 or US$40.50

Where is The Jaunty Scamp?

2008-07-28T20:40:00.000-07:00

"Seriously. Where the fuck is he?"

I was occupied. My bad. I apologize profusely to the two readers that read this regularly.

Meanwhile, may I introduce you to Bad As Hell Clothing that has this shirt of Mack the Knife, who has such teeth dear, and it shows them pearly white...

Monies: US$17

Like Lightning

2008-07-11T01:18:00.000-07:00

Slow Loris creator, Jessica Lynch, was filming from her house when she was apparently struck by lightning.

She's fine... but now she has occasional glimpses into the Dead Zone!

McKinnon's T-Shirt Giveaway

2008-07-10T01:00:00.000-07:00

If you do not know who Casey McKinnon is already, it is possible that your safety features on your Interweb set to filter out good tastes.

McKinnon (seen here with a new haircut) has t-shirts to give away. I'm a little late on this but hey, there might be some shirts still available. Her shirts are XS and S, so please ask for the shirts because you will wear it and not because you just want a piece of fabric laced with McKinnon's musk.

Hush Hush, Don't Tell

2008-07-09T11:33:00.000-07:00

I got this by way of secret courier but Ten Bills has a secret coupon code. Just type in SUMMER

Offer ends July 14. at the checkout to get 30% off their ten-dollah priced tee.

What I Got - Mess

2008-07-01T19:34:00.000-07:00

From the totalitarian lands from whence my ancestors hail from, I received a special package
from MESS Beijing.

DHL. Wow, I feel like royalty when a company has to send it by courier.

This is interesting. This is the first time someone sent me a carrier bag. And inside the carrier...

... it's an envelope. This is all turning out very chic. There's a certain sense of sophistication if I may say so.

But the creme de la creme is the shirt. It's an iron-on image on a heavy shirt. I could be wrong but it seems that many shirts from China are made thicker. It's a tongue-firmly-in-cheek take on communism. I don't usually wear shirts of these sort (I'm looking at you Che Guevara shirt) but they won me over with the design.

This is printed on the back of the shirt.

This is at sewn at the hem. This makes me feel special.

This is the tag. I assume the number two in Chinese means a size medium and not that I'm second-place or as Seinfeld refer to affectionately, "the first loser." Though wearing it makes me feel anything but.

Head Crusher

2008-06-30T00:20:00.000-07:00

Remember that skit from Kids in the Hall, where Head Crusher faces off with Face Pincer? That was an awesome absurdist sketch. Monsieur Poulet (that's Mister Chicken to you Anglophile) also sell t-shirts of the same absurdist fare and this particular shirt of the KITH variety as well.

Monies: 23€ or US$36

"Nice thinkin', Ray."

2008-06-26T22:51:00.000-07:00

If you don't buy this shirt, I don't think we can see each other anymore.

Monies: US$20

Laser Wolves

2008-06-23T21:48:00.000-07:00

Common Threadz's mission is that for every t-shirt sold, they will provide one school uniform for the impoverished kids in Africa.

This strikes me strange. Why not just give the kids the t-shirt? It's fast, simple. Unless, the school wants uniformity in the attire in school.

But buy it, so you can clothe a kid who wants to go to school. Also, wolves shooting lasers out of their eyes are cool.

"Put A Shrimp On the Barbie!"

2008-06-15T23:41:00.000-07:00

I always thought of Australia as some sort of strange land where winter occurs in the middle of the calendar year and the water spirals differently and it used to initially house criminals and weird creatures like a mammal that actually lay eggs. Oh, wait... it actually is the case. Australia is a dandy place. You get to see Ayer's rock and scoff like an unwanted tourists, "wot? Is that it, then? Well, I'm gonna get me a can of Foster's."

The Land Down Under also hosts artists like Torso, which I'm pretty sure we posted before. The mates at Torso has a better navigation layout but still not enough t-shirts. So buy shirts from them and they'll print more new ones. That's the circle of life, see?

You might also remember People Like Us (again, pretty sure we posted about them before). now they are in the business much longer than Torso, thus their large and eclectic line of shirts. Their summer lineup for 2008 is up. Buy a shirt, save on suntan lotion (though, beware of a farmer's tan).

But you know what I'm waiting for? Pardon My Hindi's new lineup. Their last announcement was "New Shirts Coming Very Soon." This was August 2007. How soon is PMH's soon? Are they living in another dimension where time flows differently?

T-Shirts That Will Get You Punch In the Face #5

2008-06-11T01:45:00.000-07:00

... or anally raped by the gloved hands of immigration.

The Queen is Dead

2008-06-10T22:23:00.000-07:00

I love me some Morrissey.

Monies: US$15

PS: Does anybody still know what his sexual orientation is? They guy changes like a chameleon stuck in a rainbow.

What I Got - You're So Famous

2008-06-06T01:05:00.000-07:00

If you ask me (and you should because I'm a know-it-all), being famous isn't what it's cracked up to be. I read an article about how today's Hollywood stars would dressed and you see images of Leo in a frumpy sweater and baseball cap or Elijah looking like an old lesbian.

I used to remember Cary Grant always looking debonair in a suit or Edie Sedgewick looking mod and smoking a cigarette... OMG, the woman makes cancer sexy.

It used to be that being fashion meant working for it but thanks to the Internet and super-rich people without proper parenting skills, you get your Hiltons and Dohertys parading the red carpet.

Their fifteen minutes has dragged on for infinitum.

While many tries to fight against the tsunami of famedom, You Are So Famous seeks to join them. While taking the piss out of them at the same time.

This incognito-looking package I got from them held my key to being famous.

What? No blackberry?

Anyway, I like to show you their promotional items. This is their promo card.

This is the back of it, where you suddenly lose the power of speech, you can still depend on your dexterous fingers to send texts to your peeps on how cool the shirt is.

Now here's what I didn't understand. Famous is a new site that sells t-shirt so, obviously the key to bringing in sales is getting the word out. One of the true-and-tried method are stickers. You get them when you receive your shirt from the company, you know, so you can spread the word by becoming an informal street teammate and deface government property with the stickers. This kind of advertising is almost free and most of the work is done for you.

The sticker above is the only one I got. And they chose to affix it to a plastic bag that used to house my t-shirt?

I appreciate that Famous prints on Alternative Apparel. The material is soft as though the secret ingredient for the softness are flayed baby angels' skins. I think people should print on more materials like Alternative Apparel.

I also love the slogan. It's witty without being too smug about it. It's one of them "nudge-nudge-wink-wink" situations that you're either in on the joke or not. Instead of an outright rant against La-La-Land superficiality, Famous undermines it by further exposing it to such points of incredulity. And therein lies the joke.

The only concern is a backlash if certain phrases are repeated too often. (I swear I'll bite into the jugular of the next person who quotes "it's niiiice.") As long as Famous continues infusing their own spin to celebrities' sound bites, their fifteen minutes will go a long way.

Easy Rider

2008-06-04T21:53:00.000-07:00

I don't own a bike but hot damn wearing this will get me the ladies.

Monies: US$25

Temptation

2008-06-03T22:26:00.000-07:00

The title for this shirt is "time waits for no man" but it kind of reminds of the old-timey magic poster, where the prevalent theme is the devil whispering secrets into the conjurer's ear.

Monies: US$24.64

What I Got - Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction

2008-06-02T21:44:00.000-07:00

Let's rap about Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction (AAMR).

The Philadelphia store takes its namesake from German cultural critic Walter Benjamin's essay title. If you happen to be forced to take art criticism as a minor (like me), you'll know that Benjamin is concern with how mass reproduction could affect the "aura" of the art.

For example, is seeing a picture of the Mona Lisa the same as seeing the real McCoy in the Lourve? Do you still get the same experience? Does copying art change its "artfulness?"

So this was what I got, which I gathered, someone else out there already has.

They probably have the same press kits that I have...

... which contained the same CD of their catalogs or the same press releases or the same artists portfolio of Alex Lukas or Thom Lessner, whose shirt that I'll get into in a minute.

The only thing that was individualized was this lovely card addressed to me though someone did point out to me that the letters of GyroWorldWide (the marketing geniuses behind AAMR) logo is an anagram for ORGY. Sure I could have come up with ROY G. but that wouldn't be funny.

Where was I? Oh, yeah. The shirt.

This is it.

Some of you might be wondering what's the deal with the Rod Stewart tranny? Well, ignoramus, prepare to be schooled. This is an amalgamation of Patrick Nagel and Diamond Dave. It's Lessner's tribute to the 80's. Sure, I might get puzzled stares from the public eye and some might wrongly attribute the person to Axel Rose or a fat [insert any hair metal musician] but that doesn't take away the specialness of the shirt.

What I found weird was the tags of the shirt. You have the AAMR tag sewn onto an American Apparel shirt with the tag still attached... it doesn't seem to mesh. One of them needs to go.

In conclusion, I love the shirt design. Lessner makes pretty cool shit. And you can see from the rest of AAMR's lineup, that the artistic creativity is being pushed to new boundaries. I mean, have you not seen this and not want to punch a hole into space and time and just retrieve the shirt for your ownself?

Not only is AAMR prudent in who they get to design the shirts, they're also professional in terms of getting their name out. The press kit that I got from them tells me that they know what they're doing, it tells you that they're cool to do business with.

And in a time where t-shirt sites are a dime and a dozen, Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction is one of the few sites that manages to retain its "aura."

Son of A Warm, Stiff Upper Lip

2008-05-30T23:15:00.000-07:00

"Sonouvabitch, another mustache-themed shirt site again?" you bemoan. "Is he retarded? Does he have some sort of facial hair fetish?"

Look. My sexual predilection aside, chalk this one up to mere serendipity. After the e-mail from Mustache and Friends, an e-mail from Fuzzy Ink settled into my in-box and their designs were too good to pass up like a Rhett Butler lookalike shaving.

They even have a coupon code that you have to answer a mustache-related trivia question on to get a discount. That's right, schoozners. You gotta work for your money.

Monies: US$17.95

A Warm, Stiff Upper-Lip

2008-05-29T00:29:00.000-07:00

I want to abstain from cracking wise about mustaches and free rides (snigger) so, instead, I'll post about Mustache and Friends doing the unthinkable by verving from their mustache-themed lineup by having 80s Eddie, designed by Derek Deal, for a presale.

Man, was the eighties as horrible as I imagined it to be?

Monies: US$20 (pre-sale) US$25 (normal sale)

Go, Team Venture!

2008-05-28T00:38:00.000-07:00

I'm pretty psyched that season 3 of The Venture Bros. returns June 1 but I'm even more psyched that there's even an official shirt club, which has a new episode-specific shirt for each of the 13 weeks of the third season. So once that week is gone, so is that week's shirt.

Shirts cost US$22 per pop (domestic shipping is included) but if you subscribe for the long haul (13 shirts for US$250, you do the math), you also get a free Brock Samson Kodokan Blood Judo t-shirt.

Subscription offer lasts until June 7, 11:59PM (EST). Shirts are printed on AA.

How Much?

2008-05-27T01:30:00.000-07:00

Welcome back from you Memorial Day Long Weekend. I spent mine listening to Old Man Willard telling me tales from his days in the Korean War.

Then I found out that he was actually fighting with the Koreans against the Yanks.

It was an awkward family dinner ever.

In other news, Wooshka has a one dollar sale on their items. Catch is, you need to sign up to be a member in order to qualify for the sale. Still, it's a small price to pay for a small price.

Monies: US$1!!!

Update: actually, you're only allowed one $1 purchase per individual order.

Plausible

2008-05-22T00:11:00.000-07:00

Man, you know what I would geek out over for? Mythbusters. That show is the shit. I would murder a small person just so I can intern for them and test out urban legends and blow stuff up. Alas, that is not to be.

For now, this shirt will have to do.

But the killing will continue.

Monies: US$20

14 Letters, Artists Whose Art is Inspired by the Crosswords

2008-05-21T09:57:00.000-07:00

I may not look like it but I dabble in the NYT crosswords whenever I can. I can only finish the puzzles for Monday and Tuesdays. Wednesday is an impasse for me. Thursday beats my brains to the ground. Friday... I give up on Friday.

Not only is Emily Jo Cureton a crossword freak or that she attended this year's American Crossword Puzzle Tournament, she also has a blog that chronicles her art inspired by the daily NYT puzzles by incorporating answers for her art. For example, last Sunday's puzzle begets this...

And this being a t-shirt blog, I would be remiss if I didn't report that you can get some of the designs on shirts Cureton has for sale (see below).

Monies: US$20

What I Got - Artcotic

2008-05-20T20:44:00.000-07:00

And now another installment of a review.

I like art and whenever I see a piece, I like to know the artist's identity. This allows me to keep track of more work coming from the artist. So along came a package from Artcotic, a t-shirt website that gathered well-known artists like Frank Kozik and Todd Slater, you know you'll be getting some primo shirt design.

But first, I like to thank the delivery man, who thought it best to toss my package onto my balcony that I never venture out into because it's covered with leaves and a copious amount of bird crap. Not only did I not immediately find the package (is it that much of an effort not to leave it with the leasing office?) but when I finally did find it, it's already two weeks!

Behold the package.

Behold the contents.

One of these now graces my Macbook.

This is the promo card for Steve Niles' comic book The Sinner. He's also designed a t-shirt on Artcotic. Yeah. I didn't know he draws too.

Bill Sienkiewicz illustrates it and all is right with the world.

Here's the crux of the review - the shirt. I guess, I got this shirt because I lived in Austin and the designer, Christian Helms of The Decoder Ring is situated in Austin.

What Made Milwaukee Famous, the band, is also from Austin. Here's videographic proof.

I like the design, which is really reminiscent of what The Decoder Ring usually do. I'm not entirely sure if the words surrounding the inkwell are lyrics to a What Made Milwaukee Famous song.

Another thing about this shirt is the material of it and how Artcotic choose to make it.

Artcotic shirts tend to run slightly larger than your average AA, so make sure you look at sizing chart. There are also prominent stitchings on the shirt...

... running down the sides...

... around the armpit, at the end of the sleeves...

... near the bottom of the hem. You get the idea. This is an interesting aesthetic choice of the shirt. Too often, I see shirts that are just shirts but Artcotic chose to add some zest in their material. It's not much but it does work.

And Artcotic has a menagerie of artists that does their designs. I've mentioned Christian Helms, Kozik, Niles but that's just scratching the surface. You have David Slade, director of Hard Candy and Liz McGrath and others... these people are no slouches.

There are comments from people, who signed up with Artcotic about the artists' work (though I wish the artists would also comment back) and it goes to show how committed Artcotic is in the "making art for art's sake" mentality.

Woot!

2008-05-19T01:07:00.001-07:00

In case, if some of you are interested, this is what a Woot! shirt package look like.

T-Shirts That Will Get You Punch In the Face #4

2008-05-18T15:17:00.000-07:00

I was flipping through the telly when I came across this news piece about a bar owner selling a t-shirt with the image of Curious George and the words "Obama '08." While the protesters said the shirt is racist, the bar owner retorted that it's not racist but likens the similarity of the democratic candidate's features to that of the cartoon monkey.

While I see the point of the bar owner, there's also the glaring side of the protesters. Gentle readers, what do you make of this brouhaha? Is this racists or just an unfortunate coincidence?

Colonel Mustard Frowns Upon This

2008-05-13T21:09:00.000-07:00

Our good friend over at Fantastic Bonanza have new shirts for pre-sale and this batch looks better than the last. I like the new direction their art is going - communism and condiments.

Take this gem of a shirt. Mustard is a inherent evil, the scourge of humanity, the blight on the revolution.

If you're not convince, let Rake Yohn of Bam Magera's posse tell you.

Shirts will shipped on 20 June.

Monies: US$20

Half-Shelled Heroes

2008-05-12T10:22:00.000-07:00

With a name like Mediocore Clothing, you think you already have a handle on the lineup but you be surprised.

Jon Kruse, designer and creator of Mediocore (he's also a Lothario that steals your hearts in the night) came up with the missing turtle shirt, which I think is being witty without being pretentious. In fact, the rest of this shirts, Shark Week and Complimentary Colors, are starting to read like Gary Larson's Far Side, which is great, because who doesn't like one-paneled witticism? Nazis, that's who.

Type the coupon code SHIRTONME at the checkout counter for a 10% discount. Currently, all items are pre-ordered but wait on it while Kruse chokes the printing guy for the delay.

Monies: US$19.99

It's the Shizznit

2008-05-08T00:56:00.000-07:00

Kate Beaton is famous. Internet famous. She's known for her historic comics and she's funny. Canadian funny. Like John Candy.

You can check out her work on her livejournal page and finally, sweet finality, she has t-shirts to grace your supple bodies.

Monies: US$18

PS: The Ryde has chosen their winner for their breast cancer charitee competition. Go buy one so you can make like a Wonderbra and support breasts cancer research.

PSS: On the topic of cancer, this dude Eric Smith was diagnosed with it. He decided to concentrate his efforts to create a line of posters for sale. Proceeds will be given to the Live Strong Foundation. These are not shirts but The Jaunty Scamp likes to support a good cause. Like a Wonderbra.

Where is the Jaunty Scamp?

2008-05-05T01:34:00.001-07:00

I've been busy. I originally planned to have a whole week of one word type t-shirts but that has been scuttled. I apologize for people trying to get in touch with me but I've been busy of late. Juggling world domination and chlamydia is never easy (ladies, I kid about the chlamydia).

For now, sate yourself with James Anthony's work. Apparently, Augusten Burroughs, the writer of Running With Scissors can't get enough of him.

Monies: US$17

Today's Word of the Day 3

2008-04-30T01:07:00.000-07:00

Paranoid.

Monies: ₤22.95 or US$45

Today's Word of the Day 2

2008-04-29T01:48:00.000-07:00

Hobo.

Monies: US$25

Today's Word of the Day 1

2008-04-28T22:42:00.000-07:00

Jerk.

Monies: US$20

Stabby McStab Stab

2008-04-25T01:58:00.000-07:00

It's called The Hans and Fras Store and it sounds eerily like that skit by Dana Carvey and Kevin Nealon.

But instead of pumping iron, Hans and Fras are printing shirts by hand and they look good, especially Backstabbed, which I've never seen printed on a t-shirt before.

Monies: US$22

Funkosaur Wear

2008-04-23T01:39:00.000-07:00

Someone had this brilliant idea for a t-shirt line, where you educate people about the Tuojianwhathellisthishitosaurus. Just pick a design and the apparel you want it to be printed on.

Also, didja know there are people out there who fantasize about sexing a dinosaur? Boy, the Internet is a cuh-razy place!

Monies: US$16.99 (Fruit of the Loom) US$18.99 (AA) US$29.99 (hoodie)

Tetsuwan Atomu

2008-04-22T08:22:00.000-07:00

Chloë Sevigny (of Big Love; Boys Don't Cry) and Tandanobu Asano (Ichi the Killer; Mongol) are spokespeople of Japan's UNIQLO UT (they also have an American outlet as well). They model the latest lineup of Tezuka Osamu-inspired shirts.

Also, I think for something of this quality, they are pretty affordable.

Monies: US$15.50

Whatever Happened to... Shirt Stain?

2008-04-18T09:22:00.000-07:00

Does anybody know what happened to Shirt Stain? I thought that was an impressive line up, especially Ole Ivar Rudi's Corleone's Oranges.

Shirts in a Line Up

2008-04-18T00:32:00.000-07:00

For your weekend, I like to introduce top 10 shirts to get arrested in.

This is number 6.

Via FunZombie.com

A Girl With a Point

2008-04-17T00:04:00.000-07:00

Tasty Tees has a new shirt (kinda reminds me of Imogene's Antlers) from Liza Corbett. I'm excited about this one because Corbett tends to draw these beautiful pieces. The closest I could describe Corbett's work is it's a little like Audrey Kawasaki's work but darker and intense.

Monies: US$20

The Hell?

2008-04-16T00:16:00.000-07:00

This looks cool but what the hell is that?

I almost soiled my panties when I first saw it.

Monies: US$30

This is the Post Where I Relent

2008-04-15T10:19:00.000-07:00

Hell and damnation. I already told you if you want to send me something of interest, please let it not be Cafepress in nature. I don't like Cafepress of their clause that if after a period of using their service, should you drop them, they still have the right to use your items without credit for their own marketing. This is just one bugaboo among others.

Then, comes someone like Detour Designs that have some killer art and execution that I had to give in.

But just this once.

Now, some of the designs are by no means original. I've see them before. Example:

This is Detour Designs.

This is Threadless.

And so on.

The upside to this is the quality of the art from Detour Designs. I'm a little discombobulated that artwork of this level is selling through Cafepress.

Genghis Khan Has a Horde

2008-04-14T00:26:00.000-07:00

Here's something from Psycho Reindeer. You might know the designer from some of his work on shirt.woot!

I think it would be a near idea to see Genghis' horde go up against Andre's posse. It would be like the Crips versus the Bloods. Or the Jets versus the Sharks with less show tunes and choreographed dancing and more stabbing.

Monies: US$14

Artifex Comes Back

2008-04-11T23:26:00.000-07:00

Artifex released two new designs, one of which, is Wind Power.

On top of that, they have an Earth Day Sale until April 26. Within that period, shirts will be marked down 25%, and everything else 50%. Shipping is also free on orders over $40.

Monies: US$15

God is in the Details

2008-04-09T00:23:00.000-07:00

I like to introduce you to GodSend Clothiers. The idea behind the site is to promote good fashion and above all else, the message of charity toward your fellow brethren. 25% of their net proceeds goes toward various charitable organizations.

This t-shirt is inspired by Indonesian block prints. The intricate pattern is a feast for the eyes. It may look busy but there's order in the chaos.

Monies: US$35.95

"Of Shoes--And Ships--And Sealing-Wax..."

2008-04-08T09:38:00.000-07:00

One of our favorite designers, Alex Dakoulas of Dance Party Massacre, has a new shirt for pre-order. The release of the shirt is in collaboration with H.E.L.L. (Helping Everyone Live Longer).

What is H.E.L.L., you ask? It's a non-profit group that provides a helmet for cyclists, who could not afford one. This organization came about when two fellow cyclists and friends, of H.E.L.L. creator Zack Smith, were killed on the streets while riding their bikes.

Any purchase of Dakoulas' new shirt, 10% of the profits will be donated to H.E.L.L. so they can give out free helmets and help save lives. If you wish to preorder this design at a discounted price of $24, we will ship the shirts first thing Monday, April 21st—a week before all the new designs are released.

Monies: US$24

Another piece of sombre announcement - with the war in Iraq going into its fifth year, for every purchased LIERAQ shirt through April 30, Progresswear will give a portion of their profits to Veterans for Peace.

For a 5-year anniversary, it's a much better gift than wood.

Monies: US$14.99

A Good Start to the Week

2008-04-07T10:07:00.000-07:00

Let's start this Monday off with a bang shall we?

Grace, who handles promotion from Eio Clothing, likes to taunt me with their cool sexy parties (see above) knowing full well that I can never set foot on England soil because of my unfathomable hatred for the Spice Girls.

Oh, yeah and Eio Clothing also have their new Spring / Summer lineup like the sexy number above that's good to wear at cool sexy parties.

Monies: £29.95 or US$60

The dudes at The Ryde are organizing a design t-shirt competition to raise money and awareness for breast cancer prevention. If you hate cancer but absolutely love the breasts, this will be perfect for you.

Daryll from Indivisual Clothing gives a heads up about a new polo shirt designed by Daniel Vigil. Geometric shapes, mysterious letterings... there's a lot going on on the shirt.

Monies: US$58

You've seen them before but they're worth mentioning again. Amanda, from Reverie, likes "dressing the dreamers," so how does she know this is what I dreamt of last week?

Monies: US$19

Bang Bang T-Shirts released three new t-shirts and I like this shirt because I think today's cinema is poorer without the rich stereotypical kung-fu revenge flick.

Not to nit-pick but Bang Bang call this their Ninja T-Shirt, which is disparate from Shaolin kung fu. I'm just saying.

Monies: £13.99 or US$28

If you mofos have anything you want to make known, feel free to shoot us an e-mail.

Except, you, Carl. Please stop stuffing our inbox with pictures of your wiener. It wasn't funny during the first seven times.

Loco Motive

2008-04-04T01:19:00.000-07:00

I never did like Thomas the Tank Engine. I mean, the train has a face! And not any ordinary face. It's a face of... pure Satanic evil.

GlennzTees (in association with Austin-based Despair, Inc) showcased a perfect example of Thomas in the throes of his bloodlust.

And no, my hatred for Thomas the Tank Engine has nothing to do with the accidental death of my great-great-granduncle who was killed building the tracks.

Monies: US$19.95

The Rule of the Best

2008-04-03T00:17:00.000-07:00

What I like about Thriving Ink is the collaboration with other artists. I especially like this one called The Aristocrat not only because of it's stunning commentary about the horrors of war but also because it reminds me of a dirty joke.

And a dirty joke is always welcomed in times of bullets and bloodshed.

Monies: US$19.95

What I Got - Off the Ledge Tees

2008-03-31T22:17:00.000-07:00

I received a package from Off the Ledge Tees. Let's see what we have.

It seem like a trend for t-shirt companies to send their shirts in a ziplock. I know it's not to keep the freshness in. I'm just bemused by this method of packaging.

It says "FREE YOUR INNER MONKEY." This can be taken wrongly. Yes, that's the monkey from Monkeys in a Barrel. The shirt is printed on an AA ringer.

Now this is pretty clever. It took me a while to actually discern this. Probably best if you weren't drinking yourself when you're looking at it.

I like Weezer. I thought the Blue Album was the best thing since bread was sliced. I wasn't crazy about their second album. Did. Not. Like Pinkerton. When I first listened to it, I thought my ears were being raped by demon noises.

But on later repeats, it grew on me. I like Pinkerton. This is the same with Off the Ledge Tees.

The folks behind Off the Ledge Tees never claim they were doing it for critical acclaim. They designed these shirts because it just struck them. They won't win any major award for their art and some might not even make a lick of sense but they are interesting to wear. Take Chainsaws...

It's off-beat and it works in tandem with the image.

They said on their site, "you may not like most of what we have, but there might just be that one shirt that strikes a chord with you."

Indeed.

Synchronicty

2008-03-27T13:14:00.000-07:00

Print Liberation is a design studio in Philadelphia. With regards to their glow-in-the-dark vampire teeth t-shirt, the Obama t-shirts and the Positive Tess, the ABE/JFK connection hoodie appeals to the conspiracy nut in me.

Monies: US$48

What I Got - Bite Mark Clothing

2008-03-26T00:06:00.000-07:00

Elaine Blakely from Bite Mark Clothing, which specializes in zombie chic wear, sent over her work for scrutiny. Let's see how it holds up.

First off, you know you're in for a treat when the package it comes in looks like this.

Blakely calls it a "body bag" - a black envelope and honest-to-gosh stamps of the Queen. A quick flip over...

... and you get a sense of the effort gone into designing the exterior (how did this ever got through customs, I would never know.)

Notice the blood smears? Those are Blakely's own fingers.

Every Bite Mark Clothing package is unique, a snowflake.

I should delve into Blakely's working habit and environment.

This is where she works the size of the room. It's a one-woman operation. She does the designs, the packaging, the postage, the marketing...

She even does her own screenprinting, something which she had to learn from scratch. She details her process from designing to screenprinting and just reading it made me tired. It's laborious.

Back to the package.

Here are the contents: an ominous red packet and a nice letter from Blakely telling me to produce a prompt review or she'll stretch out my foreskin and make me wear it like a little hat. While I file the letter away for my lawyers, let's take a look at the red packet.

Here's a closeup.

As I peeled open the packet. The inside spilled forth like a ritualistic disemboweling. This is a very rare instance where I thoroughly enjoy the process of unwrapping something. It's very amusing to me.

Here's a closeup of the promo card (very catchy slogan)...

... and the back of it.

I think this is a sticker.

I was expecting a t-shirt with a zombie muttering "braaains" or something but this is is a nice surprise. No undead. It's just the city under a sinister full moon.

A city scene in the night should invoke a sense of midnight tranquility...

... yet Blakely manages to instill a certain dread in it. Well-done! Gives a whole new turn to the term, "moon-face."

Just as you think that this is as good as it gets, there's one more surprise. At the back of the t-shirt...

... holy jumping Moses! What is that? It's a shirt tag! On the outside! There are even instructions on how to wash and care for your t-shirt. The kick-ass part of this is that...

... the tag is sewn on by hand. That's right, good readers, Elaine Blakely sews the tags at the back of each and every damn t-shirts by hand!

Which would explain the pic of the bloody fingers.

I love shit like this! The whole, D-I-Y operation in making a t-shirt, you can really see the work Blakely put into her lineup and package. Judging by the current design, Blakely knows what she's doing and she's always honing her skills.

Designs aside, remember, she does everything herself and that alone should count for something. I'm a big proponent for small companies that offer that personal touch big companies seem to lack. If Blakely continues her current work ethic, I envisioned we'll be seeing more of her stuff in the long run.

What I Got - Artifex

2008-03-24T09:13:00.000-07:00

I know I'm behind on this so enough bellyaching! Let's get down to the reviews!

Artifex Shirts (not to be confused with Artifex Clothing) is all about ecology preservation. Formed by Tim and Chris Reagan, brothers, who want to change the world through their t-shirts. It might sound cheesy but when I wore the t-shirt around school, I got a myriad of responses from "that's cool" to "what's biodiesel?"

And that's how you start a dialogue.

Anyway, I got the package and inside...

... I got a t-shirt and two stickers.

This is one of Artifex's more interesting designs. Great color combination (it looks like it glows in the dark but it doesn't). It's simple and gets to the point, the word, "biodiesel" helps also.

I would like it better if the type was either all small fonts or large fonts. It just feels disjointed if I see a word with a capitalized first letter, which makes me expect it to end in a punctuation.

It's printed on econscious, a 100% organic cotton apparel. This is different from conventionally grown cotton which includes toxic contamination in the water and air. I'm not sure if it's knowing what I'm wearing is toxic-free but it does feel good on my skin.

If you purchase from Artifex, each shirt sold and the Reagan brothers will donate US$3 to Native Energy, which offsets CO2 emissions by building wind turbines.

What I Got - Plastered

2008-03-20T09:20:00.000-07:00

There's a cultural shift in China. In the past you have dissenting citizens, tacked under the imperial thumb of the Chinese government. Now with the Internet, boom! You have an explosion of information and creativity.

Since this is China, I'll be remiss if I didn't mention that there is also a big t-shirt boom. Of course, the bulk of it are communist-themed t-shirts but recently, the trend seems to be shifting away from that.

Plastered T-shirts is a store in Beijing that sell t-shirts about China culture with a kitschy twist. Operated by a British-Canadian couple, you find items ranging from buttons to apparel displaying designs of everyday visuals like a train ticket or a beer bottle. Last year, they had a fashion show to kick off new Olympic-inspired designs.

I received two t-shirts from Plastered and as you can see are...

... a three-wheel motorcycle...

... and a flask. I assume, it's Chinese for "flask."

The apparel is thick. And check out the stitching around the arm...

... and around the collar.

The designs are not screen printed. They looked like iron-ons.

I can't attest to how long the designs can last (disclaimer: I've gotten several other t-shirts from China and they also utilized the same method of printing) but they have very pretty designs.

Supersize Me

2008-03-18T05:36:00.000-07:00

Kenyon Bajus, who co-created the now defunct Future Relic, still continues his quest in graphic satire. Taking the recognizable golden arches, he turns it on its head.

I hope to see pictorial accounts of some of you wearing this and order something from Mickey D's.

Monies: US$26 (includes shipping if in U.S.)

[2 one 5] Spring / Summer Line Up Sneak

2008-03-11T17:56:00.000-07:00

Sneak peek courtesy of [2 one 5].

SXSW Free Schwag...

2008-03-10T00:01:00.000-07:00

... and that was just my first day. More detailed post to come.

At SXSW 2008...

2008-03-07T14:43:00.000-08:00

... more updates, specifically about t-shirts to follow.

Fried Monkey Brains

2008-03-05T21:43:00.000-08:00

Still bogged down with school but ponder this for a moment...

Take this lovely t-shirt from MonkeyFist. Do you think this is an execution or a more sanitized way of cooking monkey brains?

But more importantly, why is there only an option for long-sleeved? I kinda hoped that there would be other options. I mean, we're up to our knees in spring and summer appears in the distance like an irate giant. I would like to wear something that would give me a farmer's tan.

Monies: US$25

Never Say Die

2008-03-04T08:18:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the radio silence but school has been kicking my ass all week. In fact, school is pinning me down and sodomizing my ass. Yeah... I welcome your thanks for the imagery.

Quick post. Me Against The World is selling a limited edition t-shirt, 50 in quantities for the (wait for it) price of... ten dollars. Lovely skull and type are printed on a Gildan tee. Once they're gone, they're gone.

So, why are you still reading this? Go get one.

Monies: US$10

6 Degrees

2008-02-26T01:26:00.000-08:00

We haven't posted anything from No Star because there are other sites, which featured them rather tastefully but when I saw this...

... I just had to post this.

This is rather witty, no?

Monies: US$24

Tough for a Lady

2008-02-25T01:10:00.000-08:00

Gregg Gordon design rock posters and he also designed this for the ladies.

Too bad fellas.

Monies: US$16

J-Horror

2008-02-24T12:06:00.000-08:00

AkumuInk came up with this horrific image of my parasitic twin in my chest, gasping in horror at the outside world she's been missing out.

And this t-shirt where I always see my phallus as a three-headed hydra.

It's like they are seeing into my brain!

Monies: US$21

Note: Is the guy above posing in a men's room? That's gotta be a first.

"Sic Semper Tyrannis!"

2008-02-20T19:10:00.000-08:00

It's Latin for "thus ever to tyrants" and is also the state motto for Virginia, which kinda sucks for them because it would be linked to Lincoln's assassination.

Gorilla Riot Apparel has this zero cool t-shirt of Lincoln under History 101.

Here's the front.

And here's the weapon of choice at the back.

There are other presidents like JFK and Reagan, though the latter narrowly escaped with his life, printed on the same apparel, which, in my own opinion, is strange as from afar, all the designs almost look similar.

Monies: Only 4 Lincolns.

Thrill Her

2008-02-18T01:01:00.000-08:00

You don't hear from Michael and then all of a sudden his Thriller album returns for a 25th anniversary hoorah.

Listening to the re-mastered album, I kinda miss the good old days of Michael back when he had a tan and was able to breathe out through a nose.

Even Zombie Michael from the Thriller music video looks better than Michael-of-now.

Monies: US$22

Something For the Weekend

2008-02-16T22:53:00.000-08:00

Just in time for President's Day.

Post-VD

2008-02-15T01:00:00.000-08:00

It's the day after VD. Here's more dissent from the lovelorn.

Monies: US$18

NSAD

2008-02-14T01:19:00.000-08:00

Today's for lovers but what about the loners?

If you're single, why not proclaim your status with this t-shirt from Storyville. That's right, you can tell Hallmark to shove their overly-priced VD cards up their buttocks!

Also, if you study at UT, you can easily pick up the t-shirt from their store at 2001 Guadalupe.

Monies: US$20

Rainbow Connection

2008-02-13T22:13:00.000-08:00

I looked at this design from Never in Wonderland Clothing and I'm still not sure what it means but I'm certain it will be a conversation starter.

Monies: US$10

Wassaaaaaa... Biiii

2008-02-12T18:48:00.001-08:00

Diego sent this design from Wasabi. I like the design, especially on the girl but that piece is not sold on the site. Still, you can get the guy's from here.

As it's powered by Spreadshirt, you can try the retro shirt apparel they have.

Monies: 25€ - 30€ or US$36 - US$44

Ooh... Fusion

2008-02-11T00:44:00.000-08:00

Our latest e-mail comes from Acropolis Apparel and they described their t-shirt designs as, "ancient historical ideology with contemporary society."

I took a gander at their website and saw this.

I like.

The aesthetics sure but I like it mainly for the boom. I'm such a man...

Monies: US$32

What I Got - Scribtees

2008-02-10T22:03:00.000-08:00

Here's something from Germany.

Via FedEx, no less.

It's from Robert Goldbach and he's part of Shirt City that is a do-it-yourself and a t-shirt design competition (Scribtee). Like the offspring of Zazzle and Threadless. And also European.

This is what I got - a t-shirt, two coupon cards and this...

... a handy instructional guide to washing your t-shirt. Okay, show of hands, how many of you actually pay attention to the tags on your t-shirts? Not many people do but Shirt City, they keep the faith. They had it printed out for you t-shirt benefit. Every year a t-shirt looses its luster because you DID NOT TURN IT INSIDE OUT when you wash it! Oh, the humanity!

Coupon cards are useful. If you're a cheap bastard like me.

Now the t-shirt... excuse the crappy lighting but it's actually much prettier than that. This is not AA apparel or any that I'm familiar with. It's soft and it fits by steroid-filled frame very well. Could this be... a new wave of European fabric?

The design I got... well, maybe it's just me and I'm missing out on some in-joke but what the hell is a "psychogorilla"? I know it's a portmanteau of "psycho" and "gorilla" but the gorilla doesn't look psychotic? It looks docile, like it would munch on a banana and forgo tossing barrels at you.

The logo on the back of the t-shirt is a visually attractive. It's simple and it accentuates the "scrib" part out.

Shirt City is doing a bang up job. I'm not too wild with some of their simplified vector designs and cliché illustrations but with a little more variety and artistic expression, Shirt City shouldn't have anything to fear.

[edit: after the post, Robert came back with a reply. Shirt City prints on Continental Clothing, which is eco-friendly and soft. Robert also stated that Shirt City was the first to come up with the "make-your-own-t-shirt" concept, waaay before Zazzle or Spreadshirt.

There's also the vector issue. There are limitations to what they can print, which I understand.]

Got Glaucoma?

2008-02-08T22:53:00.000-08:00

This t-shirt from Turn Nocturnal is for you.

They only have two t-shirts for sale. Here's hoping for more.

Monies: US$15

VD for the Weekend

2008-02-08T14:05:00.000-08:00

The good folks at [2 one 5] have a Valentne's Day Sale. Three tees of their choosing for US$30. Should be a better alternative than a boxful of chocolates.

The Bomb-Digitty

2008-02-07T00:02:00.000-08:00

I used to be in the army and I was taught the basics of bomb making and bomb diffusing. It's not as fun as you might think. It's just plenty of nervous synergy of det cords and C-4s, finalized by the nervous striking of the primer...

Actually, it's kinda fun.... though, we do not advocate senseless warring, it's pretty awesome to blow shit up.

T-shirt from Icon go boom!

Monies: US$25

SOLD!

2008-02-06T22:40:00.000-08:00

The Jaunty Scamp is all about the cause. So when Roman Apparel said that they are selling specially-designed t-shirts, where half of the proceeds go to support the SOLD Project education fund, I'm on board.

The SOLD project spreads awareness of the plague that is child prostitution.

Monies: US$32

Lightning Beatman!

2008-02-03T21:09:00.000-08:00

I have no idea how the musician Lightning Beatman sounds but making snap judgments on the t-shirt alone, I beat they rock so hard, they make your ears feel good and dirty.

Monies: €24,90 US$37

Building Better T-Shirts

2008-01-31T21:49:00.000-08:00

I just watched Aliens Vs. Predator: Requiem or as the very lazy would say, "AVP R" and I remembered this t-shirt from Last Exit To Nowhere. Their M.O. is a little similar to Found Item Clothing but this British shop specializes in making t-shirts inspired by the movies (see: Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Shaun of the Dead).

Some of your Sci-Fi geeks might remember Weyland-Yutani Corp from the Alien series and it's a little cool to see this and others on Last Exit.

Monies: £17.50 or US$35

FYI: A Wikipedia post about Weyland-Yutani and the origins of the name.

Button Up

2008-01-30T01:01:00.000-08:00

I like my t-shirts and I like my buttons but I have issues when it comes to affixing my buttons on my favorite apparel. Sometimes the buttons leave unslightly holes, which cause some people to think pint-sized moths are on the attack.

Lucky Threadz combines my two favorite things to make one highly favored item.

Monies: US$16

ALLLLVIN!!!

2008-01-29T22:16:00.000-08:00

I know it's part of Jenky Productions' ABC Alphabet Series but if you get the largest sized t-shirt and you'll be almost the spitting image of Alvin from the Chipmunks.

Heavens, no! Not those abominations.

That's more like it.

Monies: US$16

Rebus on a T-Shirt

2008-01-28T21:36:00.000-08:00

T-Shirts can be puzzles too! Take this little neat rebus from ohno clothing in Sweden. Do you know what catchy tune it's displaying?

Monies: €23 or US$34

Sale, Bitches!

2008-01-27T22:30:00.001-08:00

Monsiuer T is four years old and they want to celebrate it with a sale. 30-50% off on items for four days of debauched partying!

What I Got - Retro Campaigns

2008-01-24T22:32:00.000-08:00

Ever wish for the good old days where (most) politicians do not lie through their smiles? Those were simpler times when a handshake is a handshake and not the discreet palming of payola.

Retro Campaigns hook is political campaigns of yore. Sounds interesting but how does it look, you ask?

The package.

I immediately fell head over heels when I first set eyes on it. I got a George McGovern tee. Obviously, the t-shirt is supposed to look vintage and it does but it also felt vintage, especially with the printing.

Okay, you know sometimes, you get t-shirts with designs that popped. Literally. Because the printer applied too much ink to the tee. For Retro Campaigns, the printing is consummate. Just the right amount is used so when you run your fingers over the t-shirt, you won't know where the ink start or end.

It's a printing miracle!

The designs are ~~not based on any~~ based on actual campaigns. I'll let Christine Lusey from Retro Campaigns explain.

"For instance, Eugene McCarthy's unofficial 1968 campaign slogan during the New Hampshire Primary was 'Get clean for Gene,' but there was never a button (at last none I found) with that slogan or image based on that, so my designer and I made one up. Some others are based on actual buttons. McGovern and his supporters used buttons with rainbows, doves, the peace sign, etc., for example, so we made shirts incorporating those images. I like to think of it as 're-imagining past campaigns.'"

And besides the swell t-shirt, there were information about George McGovern attached to it.

It's a nice idea - to understand what we are wearing. I didn't know who McGovern was. I just like the design but after reading about him, I have a better appreciation of the guy and his ideals.

I like, nay, love Retro Campaigns. If the upcoming election were to go straight to hell in a hand basket, at least I still have my t-shirt that will remind me of what once was.

And hopefully, what will be in the future.

edit: thanks to my shoddy journalism, apparently designs were based on actual campaigns. Also, designs were based on existing buttons while other campaigns without art sources were invented based on imagery and slogans used by said campaigns.

What I Got - Tasty Tees' Radiohead

2008-01-23T00:31:00.000-08:00

Did I mention that I got this in the mail from Tasty Tees?

Did I also mention Tasty Tee have an offer where you mail them your own t-shirt and choose any of their designs to be printed on said t-shirt for only US$7, which includes shipping and handling?

Didn't think so.

It's Always Sunny

2008-01-17T22:01:00.000-08:00

Three reasons why should you patronize Sub Urban Riot? One - They have an offer - guy a hoodie at full price and get any t-shirt for free.

Two - They are BFF with some of the guys at It's Always Sunny Philadelphia, which means they have good tastes in friends and judging by some of you guys, you need to change your social circle.

Three - You should always heed the words of a man on a futuristic bike.

Bullet With Your Name

2008-01-16T01:00:00.000-08:00

Mixed Species is a weird little site. Other than some good-looking t-shirts, they also sell other things like posters, invitation cards and a spherical magnet filled with a kewpie doll and ants.

The Good, The Bad, And You is a clever t-shirt that is insulting without being overt but there are only a few remaining left.

Monies: US$11

Revenge of the Nerds

2008-01-15T00:01:00.000-08:00

I'm not the popular kid. I'm the one who read books and play video games. I'm also not the smart kid, the brainiac. I'm more of the middle percentile.

I can't understand most of their t-shirts. What the hell is Sicard's rule? I googled for the term but the more I read up on it, my head hurts. I think it's a tumor. A tumor full of stupid.

Uppityshirts cater to a certain demographic and I'm pretty sure it's not the ones who frequent Busted Tees or the like.

Monies: US$25

Buy So That a Sick Kid Can Get His Wish!

2008-01-14T10:19:00.000-08:00

Here's something to start the week.

Saw this post at Fantastic Blognanza about designgive and their fancy restocking sale. Even better, a portion of your purchase will go to aid one of the various charities like American Red Cross or Make-a-Wish.

The concept is simple - buy a t-shirt, choose a charity, wait for your t-shirt while you bask in the glow of added karma points.

Monies: US$10 (t-shirts) US$20 (hoodie)

Frank

2008-01-10T01:13:00.000-08:00

I got to watching the director's cut of Donnie Darko and it's funny, but I prefer the original cut of the movie.

Toronto-based, UBERINDEX has the creepy Frank the rabbit t-shirt on their site but does the t-shirt forfend disaster or something else?

Monies:US$20

"If I Only Have a Brain"

2008-01-09T01:58:00.000-08:00

Some people see women as objects and I understand where Red Lotus Clothing was going with this affirming message.

But can you imagine if a genie were to appear and he (or she) were to take that phrase literally, I think people would be staring at her chest for totally different reasons.

Monies: US$28

Read This Mofo!

2008-01-08T10:58:00.000-08:00

You know what grinds my gears? Those damn Visa card ads. You know the one where everybody are moving at the speed of light in their shopping and payment, everybody shiny happy people are paying with their Visa card until someone had to pay in cold hard cash, thus bringing everything to a standstill.

Hey, credit card company? Fuck you. What? Are you saying that people who pay by cash or checks are MONKEY WRENCHES IN YOUR CORPORATE MACHINES? Is that the stench of elitism I smell? Dicks.

Don't let people tell you otherwise how you like to pay for your stuff.

In other news that's someone related to the rant above... if you really don't want to hold up the line, get t-shirts with a barcode on the front for faster purchasing. Geek Bouteek has the right idea.

Monies: US$16

What I Got - Dance Party Massacre

2008-01-07T21:07:00.000-08:00

A while back, I did a post on Alex Dakoulas' new line Dance Party Massacre (DPM) and he was so nice and filled with the joy of Christmas that he sent me a little something something.

Within were...

... badges, t-shirt, stickers and a bunch of cards.

The front of said card...

... and the back. Isn't it nice that you immediately get the gist of the company's manifesto as well as the line-up of what he have to offer.

There are also buttons.

Now I can't get enough of the t-shirt. You don't get to see that kind of blood splatter that often and I'm glad Dakoulas is bringing it back.

I wore that t-shirt in public and someone asked me if that's a band, which it's understandable. Dance Party Massacre does sound like a band. An emo band, if any.

On the inside of the t-shirt is the logo for DPM.

Wait a minute! Zoom in!

Arrgh! There's... still... tag... remnants... must adhere to... new year's resolution... and not be a... bitch about every... little... thing... ack!

Okay. So, overlooking the slight tag remains, this entire package feels so professionally put together, even though the company was launched las Halloween. There's a really nice theme going on. The advertisement doesn't seem in-your-face. You can also see the little details put into this like the card tag attached to the t-shirt....

And for the curious, here's the back...

... and here's the front. Doesn't it look similar? The image of the Gonzo Fist symbol of Hunter S. Thompson immediately comes to mind.

See?

This is the love of horror mixed with tongue set firmly in cheek. Dakoulas respects the genre but also knows how to have fun with it. Designs are printed on high-quality cotton (Dakoulas says it's AA but doesn't want to broadcast it). I'm keen to see the next line of designs he has.

I give this several (severed) thumbs up.

Cthulhu Fhtagn

2008-01-04T18:58:00.000-08:00

Obama and Huckabee won the Iowa Caucasus but I'm surprised that Cthulhu hasn't thrown in his own nomination for presidency yet.

What's that? You don't know who Ctuhulhu is? For shame. Go read something of Lovecraft. I'll wait.

...

You're back? That's fast. Did you really read or just skim? Whatever. The Elder God wants your vote and obeisance and, if it's not too much, your screaming death. Go over the The Elder Party and proudly wear one of their evil-tainted merch.

Monies: US$19.99

Fresh Bling

2008-01-03T23:34:00.000-08:00

College is about to start again and the big joke is that college teens rely on Febreeze instead of taking a regular shower like regular people.

Fresh Produce Threads has a really clever bling accessory for that smelly teen in your life but will it be a subtle hint or an ironic gesture?

Monies: US$25

PS: There be sales... over at Glass Boutique with 50% off and Fooey has t-shirts for your infants at US$5.

Keep A Lid On It

2008-01-02T18:18:00.000-08:00

Kev from Under the Hat started out as someone who wants to design t-shirts and after many a refusal from companies, he decided to venture on the tried and test path of self-publishing.

Today, he's still getting the word out but he's climbed much higher than he was many years back. It is the sort of resolve that reminds us that nothing truly is out of reach.

Unless you really suck at it.

(the above image is a sweatshirt)

Monies: £25 or US$50