By: Ryan Martin
Now a days, you see people wearing most of their favorite things on their clothing, from music acts, to movie quotes, to comic book heros to TV Shows. So why do people choose to wear graphic T-Shirts idolizing their favorite things? Doesn't it seem kinda creepy that I own a T-Shirt with a giant picture of Childish Gambino's face? Probably. But if you look past all that, you'll realize that Childish Gambino is my all time favorite rapper and it would make my day if someone stopped to talk to me or complimented me on the shirt I chose to wear when I woke up this morning. It's interesting to think that people evolved from wearing powdered wigs and suits to wearing shirts with weed and celebrities. It would have been weird to see someone in the 1700s rocking a shirt with Mozart or a current president on their shirt to represent their political views.
A couple months ago at my work I remember a customer came in with a 'Bluth's Famous Banana Stand' shirt from the show Arrested Development. I recognized the shirt and complimented him on it and he seemed so bewildered that I recognized it and then proceeded to ask me all kinds of questions from the show despite the fact that I've seen maybe 5 episodes at best. It made me think, to buy this shirt this dude must have seen it in the store and gotten so pumped about it seeing as it is probably one of his favorite shows. And it's funny how we kind of promote our favorite things on the kind of clothes we wear each day.
It's the same kind of deal with brands of clothing. Someone could buy a really expensive shirt from a brand like Supreme just because they like the kind of clothes they produce even though it's nothing special. Maybe just like a red shirt with the logo on it could be $35 or more. To some people that could be a stupid decision, but with all the different outlooks that so many different people have, that shirt could mean so much more to them than just the color red. They could have seen one of their favorite rappers sporting the brand and decided to snag one of the t-shirts. Because that's what promotion is all about. You wouldn't believe how many people's heads will turn after a big name like Tyler, The Creator starts wearing a certain brand of clothing. That's how I heard about Supreme, through Tyler.
In conclusion, next time you see someone wearing a T-shirt you recognize, whether it be a quote from a movie or the promotion of another artist, take the time out of your day to say "hey, I like your shirt" because there are so many people who will recognize that shirt and not say shit about it. And it really sucks when you have a shirt you think is totally rad and you feel like nobody gets it. Be courteous, because pop culture is a very diverse field, and you never know if the conversation of one shirt could lead to the next big relationship, friendship or business idea in your life. Unless they're wearing a 'YOLO' shirt, in that case tell them to burn that shit.
Now a days, you see people wearing most of their favorite things on their clothing, from music acts, to movie quotes, to comic book heros to TV Shows. So why do people choose to wear graphic T-Shirts idolizing their favorite things? Doesn't it seem kinda creepy that I own a T-Shirt with a giant picture of Childish Gambino's face? Probably. But if you look past all that, you'll realize that Childish Gambino is my all time favorite rapper and it would make my day if someone stopped to talk to me or complimented me on the shirt I chose to wear when I woke up this morning. It's interesting to think that people evolved from wearing powdered wigs and suits to wearing shirts with weed and celebrities. It would have been weird to see someone in the 1700s rocking a shirt with Mozart or a current president on their shirt to represent their political views.
A couple months ago at my work I remember a customer came in with a 'Bluth's Famous Banana Stand' shirt from the show Arrested Development. I recognized the shirt and complimented him on it and he seemed so bewildered that I recognized it and then proceeded to ask me all kinds of questions from the show despite the fact that I've seen maybe 5 episodes at best. It made me think, to buy this shirt this dude must have seen it in the store and gotten so pumped about it seeing as it is probably one of his favorite shows. And it's funny how we kind of promote our favorite things on the kind of clothes we wear each day.
It's the same kind of deal with brands of clothing. Someone could buy a really expensive shirt from a brand like Supreme just because they like the kind of clothes they produce even though it's nothing special. Maybe just like a red shirt with the logo on it could be $35 or more. To some people that could be a stupid decision, but with all the different outlooks that so many different people have, that shirt could mean so much more to them than just the color red. They could have seen one of their favorite rappers sporting the brand and decided to snag one of the t-shirts. Because that's what promotion is all about. You wouldn't believe how many people's heads will turn after a big name like Tyler, The Creator starts wearing a certain brand of clothing. That's how I heard about Supreme, through Tyler.
In conclusion, next time you see someone wearing a T-shirt you recognize, whether it be a quote from a movie or the promotion of another artist, take the time out of your day to say "hey, I like your shirt" because there are so many people who will recognize that shirt and not say shit about it. And it really sucks when you have a shirt you think is totally rad and you feel like nobody gets it. Be courteous, because pop culture is a very diverse field, and you never know if the conversation of one shirt could lead to the next big relationship, friendship or business idea in your life. Unless they're wearing a 'YOLO' shirt, in that case tell them to burn that shit.