I’ve never really been the kind of guy that others would refer to as a party animal…much less so a Party Czar. I like to keep things low key, you know? Still, I’m drawn to this tee by Headline Shirts, referencing an (as of now) unofficial Cabinet-level position in the White House. Politics aside, though, I love the the way this Party Czar T-shirt looks. If I have to up my level of partying in order to rock it…then so be it. Or I could just wear it now in an attempt at irony. It looks good either way.
Sadly, this Free Iran T-shirt by Ashkahn is a call to action…not a descriptive statement. I carry some guilt in being able to blog about tees comfortably from my home or office or local coffee shop while people in Iran (and elsewhere) are fighting for basic human rights. I’ll leave any further politicking to the pundits…and don’t need to tell you that this T-shirt is a powerful one; the fact that someone had to make this is unfortunate, but I’m glad someone did. Free Iran.
Seems like money is a recurring theme on this blog (perhaps because I need some…but who doesn’t, right?); given the shape that this country’s economy is [still] in, the America – Bring Money T-shirt made a lot of sense to me. While there may not be an official slogan for the USA — “Home of the Free” and “Land of Opportunity” jump to mind — perhaps we should consider adopting the slogan, “Bring Money.” The quintessential capitalist country needs more capital. And it needs a lot of it. So what better way to let the world know than by incorporating a plea directly into the country’s tagline? It’s pretty brilliant. Few slogans are as direct as this one…but will it be effective? Only time will tell. Until it’s officially adopted, though, you likely won’t see America – Bring Money anywhere other than on these T-shirts by o!Bifferson. So get them while they’re hot. One thing to note: I linked directly to the “Large” T-shirt…you will need to browse the shop in order to find another size.
This California Republic Flag T-shirt includes a couple of updates to the current state flag which might not sit well with some. On the other hand, the reasoning behind those changes seem to make a lot of sense. The California Grizzly is the official state animal, so that should stay on the flag, of course. The fact that the bear on this tee is obviously intoxicated is a nod to “our state’s unparalleled abundance of wineries.” The bicycle symbolizes California’s well-known outdoor lifestyle. California is awesome. A drunk bear riding a bicycle? Awesome. It all makes sense! Thanks to Headline Shirts for their absurdly brilliant (and somehow logical) re-interpretation of the California Republic Flag.
United, We Shall Overcome became the rallying theme for the civil rights movement of the 1960′s. And now it’s on this T-shirt in the form of a distressed print thanks to Retro Campaigns, a small, Los Angeles-based company that specializes in political tee throwbacks. They’ve got a lot of good stuff but this United, We Shall Overcome T-shirt is one that I think hasn’t outlived its usefulness just yet. It’s a great sentiment embodied in great design. A portion of RC’s profits will be donated to SaveDarfur.org.
This Roller and Hammer print is a reinterpretation of the Hammer and Sickle symbol of Communism. In both cases, tools are used…but the latter has morphed into something sinister in the eyes of those unfamiliar with its political and philosophical roots. The former — designed by Ben Woodward for Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction — communicates something slightly different. One might consider it as just an update; instead of appealing to farmers as it once did, it now appeals to artists. But I doubt Mr. Woodward’s intentions were simply to update the symbol for Communism [although, to be fair, I haven't spoken with him on the matter]. An industry hero of mine once said he was “a communist, with a lowercase ‘c’.” I’d like to think that’s what the Roller and Hammer symbol represent: communism with a lowercase “c.” Many artists work together in collectives… sharing their space, supplies, and expertise. This kind of environment nurtures creativity and fosters goodwill; essentially, it’s communism. Once you try forcing it on others, though, it becomes oppressive. The application of such ideals isn’t one that’s seen success on a large scale (i.e. Communism with a capital “C”), though I suppose that’s debatable. So where does that leave us? I have no idea. I’m no political expert. I’m just a dude who digs well-designed tees like this Roller and Hammer T-shirt.
Grow Your Own Food sounds like pretty good advice these days. Given our current economic climate, I’m down to save money any way I can. This bit of wisdom is imparted to us on a T-shirt by Metro Three, a New Orleans-based shop with some pretty sweet tees. The inspiration and history behind the T-shirt is explained on the product page, but I’ll paste it here for good measure:
In October 1939 the Government launched ‘The Dig for Victory’ campaign. People were urged to use gardens and every spare piece of land, such as parks, golf clubs and tennis courts, to grow vegetables. Even the moat at the Tower of London was used to grow vegetables. “We want not only the big man with the plough but the little man with the spade to get busy this autumn. Let ‘Dig for Victory’ be the motto of everyone with a garden,” – Rob Hudson, Minister for Agriculture, in October 1939.
The Grow Your Own Food print isn’t lifted from the Dig for Victory campaign, but it carries with it a sense of authenticity. It’s not too slick of a design but is a great example of design at its best. The ultimate objective of design, after all, is to communicate — and this T-shirt does that better than most.
This Made in China T-shirt by Proletariat seemed a fitting post for today, April Fool’s Day, since it’s actually manufactured, printed and shipped from right here in the United States. The sentiment behind the tee itself is self-explanatory and makes a pretty powerful statement.
Rush Limbarf pretty much sums up what Rush Limbaugh is all about. Print Liberation prints another obvious truth onto T-shirts…and, as usual, they do it well. There really isn’t much else to say about this one; it does a great job of speaking for itself.
Obama T-shirts are not quite as common as they were prior to the presidential election. Today marks one month since President Obama was inaugurated…and although Obama tees are still far from rare, few will stand the test of time that this one will. The Yes We Can T-shirt is a rather brilliant visual pun designed by Laura Cline aka Stijky. The tee riffs off of Andy Warhol’s iconic Campbell’s Soup Cans and the “Yes We Can” mentality of the Obama campaign. Two movements – one art and the other political – married together to make this clever T-shirt. Sounds like true love to me! Originally available through The Stijky Corps shop on Etsy, this T-shirt is also the first in a new artist series printed by Karl Long…and you can buy it here. Karl is the creator of Tcritic.com, a T-shirt blog that’s much more famous than this one!
