Tee-cember: The Shirts Off Your Back

Thanks to Pop Culture Tees for the lead on this'un, which might be one of the more interesting things to follow in 2009.

Do you know this guy? After this year, you might be very well acquainted. His name is Jason, the mind behind IWearYourShirt.com. The concept is what it sounds like... Jason (shown left in his last shirt of 2008) is selling his body out as advertising. Each day in 2009, he will be sporting a new set of threads from a new sponsor. Most of them seem to be corporate... there are some web design companies and charities and even a winery in the first month, but there are some shirt companies scattered throughout as well, and a number of unspecified but sold days, which could throw in an intriguing wild card. Ustream is the first sponsor, getting the coveted $1 spot, with each successive spot costing as much as the day's value (ie: December 31st, the final day of the year, would cost $365). The whole to-do intrigues me for its novel approach to both marketing and generating income, and while I've received enough free promotional shirts to know that most suck pretty hard, I'm interested to see how the year goes for the site. Most of the later dates are still available for purchase if you've got a decent advertising budget and a shirt for Jason to wear. I personally hope to see this ingenious little idea pay off both for its mastermind and those of us tuning in for a unique blog experience and maybe even some swanky tees.

Tee-cember: A Minor New-Year Miracle

Two deal-a-days. Two budget tees. Two completely buyable designs. In all honesty, the idea that I could love a teefury AND a shirt.woot on the same day is a fully new and baffling feeling, but one I quite enjoy. My only regret is not being able to buy them.

Above is the TeeFury offering, an anti-humor piece called Life Is Complicated (by Lehel Kovacs). I quite enjoy it, with that bland sigh coming out of the horn's bell. It could be the frustration of playing a new instrument (as Lehel suggests it may), or it could be a joke that such a normally bold and blaring instrument would put out but a sigh, or it could be a French Horn's lament, knowing that to most, it is a frivolous piece of brass. Whatever the case, it's an outside-the-box piece, which is enough to make me love it, even the positioning... what others see as too high, I see as ideal, having the horn positioned about where a real one would need to be to play it.

As for shirt.woot, as the year dies, so does their shirt offering. Dale Edwin Murray is the person responsible here, with a piece called Death Stare. There sure is a lot of staring going on, too. It's a little unsettling, but I love the eyes, simple as they are. I also love the drippy comma-ghosts, each one bringing something a bit different to the party, and I appreciate the blue background, not only for its welcome splash of color, but because it creates a contrast, not only between the shirt and itself, but acting as a canvas for the darker elements of the design, helping them show up against the asphalt, which would otherwise likely swallow them up. In general, this is the sort of thing I'd like to see more of at woot... think creative, attractive, and wearable. Instead of a cute twee shirt, why not have something which is both adorable and a little morbid. Morbidorable. All I can hope for is that I'll be able to snag one in randoms.

As always, remember: TeeFury shirts WILL NOT EXIST tomorrow, unless they get optioned elsewhere at a later date. Thusfar that's been the vast exception to the rule, so if you want this at all, your only guaranteed chance (and your cheapest chance, at that) will be to snatch it up in the next 21 hours. As for woots, you'll probably have a two-week window after today to buy it at $15, but as with all dailies, and indeed almost all woot shirts worth wearing, I cannot presume this particular one will last any longer than that. As always, the early bird catches the worm, so grab it now to make sure you don't lose out.

Tee-cember: Our first Threadless updates.

Welcome back to the blog. Forgive me for my extended absence... 25 days of blogging (and a holiday to recover from) can be exhausting.

With the year drawing to a close, it is sometimes worth taking an inventory of what you've done the year before. In the case of this blog, I've been averaging over 2000 hits a month. I have no clue how many are unique, but for someone who is convinced he's small time, it seems like solid numbers for an upstart, so I'm quite proud, and excited to see what the new year holds. I am also proud of my 17 contest watch segments, largely because in four measly months, 7 of the pieces I talked up have seen print. Those last two can be seen at Threadless this week.

My pick of the week, by far, goes to Death and Colours (week of 10/16) by Thiagob. It made every bit an attractive shirt as I presumed it would, and even with recent Mathiole prints that revel in similar simulated process color splashes, it still stands out as unique against the average Threadless shirt. It's a definite buy as soon as I can justify a new Threadless shirt... I -did- just get my 8 in from the holiday sale.

Earlier than all that (week of 10/9), I talked up another design with a much different but still definite artistry: The Mouse Tamer by Phillydesigner. This one is definite Threadless, mixing the art with humor to bring us a mouse taming an elephant. Or a mouse gymnastic troupe showing off their finale. Whatever the case, it always seemed like it was meant for Threadless to me, and it's good to see exactly that through its printing.

Half the fun of this blogging thing is seeing truly wearable and creative content get its day in the sun. It comes as no surprise, then, that my favorite part is seeing a piece come from a lowly submission to a full-blown print. It's something I hope we can rejoice in together more often in 2009.

Tee-cember: Deer Brethren? Hoorah!

For starters, today only, shirt.woot is Random Shirt-ing. Not only that, but right now they're available in ALMOST all sizes. Normally by this point all the best sizes are sold down. Like surprises? At $6.66 a pop, free shipping, it could be worth it. And if not, there's always TeeTrade.

Also worth considering, probably even more so, is Design By Humans, which has launched a post-holiday sale. It's your standard DBH sale-points... approx. 20% off all their tees. Except this sale, we're looking at $10 tees also. This is nearly 50% off on their cheaper options, but there are even some of their higher-priced wares selling for $10, making nearly 60% off. If you've never gone to DBH, NOW is the time. The sale ends Jan. 4, and as I'm sure you recall from the Threadless sale, the faster you bite, the more chance you'll get what you want.

One shirt I am mos. def. picking up is The Suspended by Tervaja. It's awesome, to put it simply, and features a majestic springbok. The illo is plenty nice, and the red elements give it a very modern and unique look, but the horns are the true focal point here. Not only are they very attractively done, but they extend over the shoulders and down the back like long braids. It makes the shirt incredibly unique... maybe not ideal for sweater weather, but when the spring and summer come along, this is the sort of awesomeness that is going to rock everyone who sees you's world. This was a given for me the second I saw it, but $10 for a shirt this special makes it a must buy for anyone who is a bit unsettled by that hideous holiday sweater they got-or-are-getting-later.

Contest Watch: Week of December 18

Given that it is Christmas, I would like to wish you all a merry one without the PC "holiday" tag. I wish no less of a happy Hanukkah or Kwanzaa or Solstice to those who celebrate, but the day is what it is, and it's foolish to sidestep it. I hope both those celebrating and those not have a wonderful day. And apologies to those not in the Big Four of Winter Holidays above... may your traditions be joyful as well. For now, let us celebrate some possible future prints, culled this holiday from the Big Four of Shirt Contests

We start at Design By Humans, with one of last week's featured artists, Torakamikaze. He has given us a magical world of armadillos with Burrowish. The concept is pretty left field, but still very charming... a magical wish-giving armadillo? Sign me up! When I was in Texas I insisted that I was going to search for armadillos... I think this would be a fair consolation prize for my failure. My quirks aside, though, I love the textures of the character, the flow of the magic lamp smoke and the earthy palette, very appropriate for a critter who is known for his digging capacities. It almost looks like he's cuddling up with magic. Deadly aww-inspiring.

Possibly DBH's polar opposite on the average quality spectrum (AQS, Patent Pending) is shirt.woot, now in the final gasps of an art based derby which is proving that wooters simply don't get art. Nevertheless, there was also the proof of potential in the community, if only people put in the effort, and I feel it could be summed up in DeadFrog's "...been hanging around this old town too long." It's what woot is at its best... a site for amateur designers to wow us with non-amateur-looking work. Here, I'm not entirely sold on the placement... it feels a bit too high, maybe too scootched to the side (though I do quite dig the side option). Still, if it is not the "best shirt" in the derby, nor the one I was rooting hardest for, it is the only one I would consider buying. Maybe it's my creme fetish (and the brown used works perfectly), but what it boils down to is two things. First, I love how it looks... from afar it's gorgeous, or so the mock-up leads me to believe, with a bit of a more rustic feel to the big city, but up close there is an imperfection I really like... style is often in the imperfections. I also like that those lines give a puzzle piece feel, helping the connectivity of the infinity symbol construction. Moreover, the lines make sense. Some of the entries were full of lines for the sake of theme, but here every line is in the construction. Second, though, I like the concept, or at least as I read it. I see the idea that every day in this particular city is exactly like every other.. the same byways and travel routes and eating at the same cafe and taking the same subway to the same job and back and hanging out at the same bar with the same guys every night. I've been to this town, so it resonates.

So, have I mentioned this little contest Uneetee's having? It's basically their regular contest, only they're picking one single shirt currently in the running to win $3K. It was a pretty smart idea, to be honest, because their sometimes slow contest has been a bit brisker lately, and looks to only get better, which can only mean more and better shirts to choose for their regular contest once this promo is over. The fore-runner for the big bucks, though, as far as I'm concerned, is Jimiyo's "Savour the Voyage." I am simply at a loss for words on this one. Jimi's a hell of a designer, but this is one of the few that speaks to me personally. The depth and texture is impressive, for starters... that it could be achieved with Uneetee's four-color limit is amazing. I also love the power in the nautical theme here... there's a whole story being told between the focal point of the ship and the stunning heraldry around it, without really needing to elucidate on that story. As I said though, words mostly escape me. I simply love it, and think it's intensely wearable.

For all you Jokers out there asking "why so serious?" over the last few picks, there is indeed something for your funny bone at Threadless: "I Found the Problem!" by Alvarejo. The illustration here is still top notch... there's a lot of character in the armor, and the lights fade as lights should, much as the shadows fall well too. I'm also a sucker for the color interplay (and I -know- I don't own that shirt color). But what makes it, and makes it so right for Threadless, is the joke itself. The juxtaposition of medieval times with modern. The absurdity of a knight in full armor traipsing through a metal detector. The idea that he can't see the forest for the trees, pulling out a key as the likely offender causing the oppressive sirens. It's an amusing non-sequitor, a scene that appears to come straight from a Monty Python sketch. The only thing I'm not entirely sold on is the size. It feels big, and from me that's saying something. Still, the size of the graphic inhabits the shirt so there's still plenty of negative space, and it makes the whole thing bolder, putting stronger attention on the art and not just the joke. Which, on a shirt like this, can only help, especially at a site which rewards humor and art in equal measure.

Finally, a quick writeup on Jelly Tape, by Kooky Love. A former Threadless contender turned Uneetee entry, it just narrowly missed a writeup the first time I saw it, and I'm not going to be remiss again. I love cassette tapes, even if I don't use them. They provide an immediate nostalgia for me, as I used to put more care into mix tapes than I did to homework. What I love love love about this shirt, though, is the specialty ink idea. The colors shimmer enough as they are, but with gold foil it would do so even more, recalling the shine of the tape itself. Similarly, a white flock would add a little texture to the whole shebang. It's perhaps a doubly tired theme, sea life and cassette nostalgia, but I feel this particular entry does both proud.

I think there might be another quickie in a couple hours, so be on the lookout. And yeah, enjoy the holidays, eh?

Tee-cember: Then, One Rainy Christmas Eve

We always go down to my grandparents' place for Christmas Eve. It's an Italian thing, La Vigilia... the vigil, for laymen. It's a religious tradition, the vigil being for the baby Jesus, but the only thing I really know about it is that we eat a lot of fish. We used to have all manner of things, but as time has gone on, and I've become more of a seafood fan, everyone else down that way grew up not being a huge fan. Still, we get the fried salt-cod and scallops and shrimp and my favorite, the pasta with the fish sauce. I presume it's sort of like the Lent fish thing... I don't really know. I'm not really up on my religious tradition.

Point is, when I was younger, my family insisted we could see Rudolph from my grandparents' picture window. We sat by the window, and holy fuck! I totally saw his nose blink! How convenient that there was a radio tower within view of the house... not that I was about to figure that out, but even as I started piecing things together, I'd still check for "Rudolph," and without fail, he'd always be in the area, just waiting for us to get home and go to bed. It was one of those images that always makes me think of the real magic of this season.

It's with this in mind that I chat up Springleap this last day before the day. The boys down in South Africa have finally got their printing back on track, it seems, so for those of you who might be wary of those seemingly lengthy spans of time between pre-orders, pretty much anything you order that's out now should be in stock and ready to ship within the next month. Personally, I've already spent some of my holiday cash before getting it. My sights are on Warholbot's Rein Dance, My Deer, September's big winner. There seem to be a lot of layers to this one... there's the rain dance itself, and the reindeer, but how it combines is interesting. The deer itself is entangled in the rain and clouds, so it could just be a play off the words, but with it clad in gold bands and a crown, it feels there could be a deeper undertone... maybe the deer is a rain god. More attractively, it might be an interplay between how important both the rain and the deer would be to the dancers below... the deer is accented in gold because that is how respected both elements must be for the sustenance they provided. And of course, the art ain't shabby either... it's powerful where the designer is more often odd, but that allows him to show his skill with details and texturing... the deer looks almost glossy under his pen, and otherworldly against the rest of the scene. It's a distinctly wintry deer, but with a palette making it suitable for any day, which makes this shirt perfect both to write up now, and to buy up for later.

Tomorrow, I -should- be around to toss together a Contest Watch, but as you might not be around to read it, I hope whatever you do on your holidays is awesome. This last week of December should be replete with daily posts as well, so definitely check back, because there WILL be post-holiday sales to report, and I, for one, cannot wait.

Tee-cember: The Bleakest of Midwinters

Christmas is a time to remember the good times. Y'know, like those times when you got good gifts instead of inevitable boxes of socks or rolls of stamps. Remember when your aunt would get you something awesome instead of a tub of popcorn? Yeah, those were good times. But it's also a time to be happy for what we still have. Consider this sad little dude to your left. All his friends are dead. Makes your shit seem trivial, don't it?

Want to make his holiday happier? Take him home! You can find him at Big Stone Head, a small humor shirt purveyor which, if nothing else, takes home the prize for awesome site names. They also seem to have a couple somewhat fresh jokes, which is not only rare but appreciated. This particular shirt attracted me less for the joke (lol dinos are extinct lol) but more for the awkward and confused look of the dinosaur itself. It doesn't seem to know how to react to the news. The simple style is ideal also... you don't want to over-reach with this sort of idea. More than that, though, I enjoy the cute little guy juxtaposed with a morbid message. The store has other dead friend shirts, which makes one wonder why the poor guys don't get together for coffee and become their own buddies, but this one is the best by a country mile. I do, however, recommend checking out and perhaps picking up their book on the subject. Sometimes we just don't know how good we have it.

Tee-cember: Hark, Selects and Updates Sing!

In the spirit of the holidays, I'd like to regale you with a couple of T-shirt carols:

Joy to the world, for Jublin prints!
Let Earth receive his tee!
Let every drawer prepare him room
And Designing Humans sing!
And Designing Humans sing!
Designing, Designing Humans sing!

Joy to the Earth, his shirt is called
You Just Can't Kill The Beast!
Its size & style are worth your praise
Perhaps you should buy 4?
Perhaps you should buy 4?
Perhaps, perhaps you should buy 4!

He rules the day with awesome squid
And DBH does prove
The prescience of my contest watch
Dated October 3, Dated October 3
Oh dated, oh dated October 3!




O Fishy Tee, O Fishy Tee,
How truly sweet your graphic?
O Fishy Tee, O Fishy Tee,
How truly sweet your graphic?
This week you earn all our respect
At Threadless, as their new Select.
O Fishy Tee, O Fishy Tee,
How truly sweet your graphic?

O Fishy Tee, O Fishy Tee,
You're titled I Love Sushi.
O Fishy Tee, O Fishy Tee,
I also do love sushi.
You do depict an animal
Both businesslike and cannibal
O Fishy Tee, O Fishy Tee,
I'll wear you out to sushi.

O Fishy Tee, O Fishy Tee,
Your line work does excite me.
O Fishy Tee, O Fishy Tee,
Your color scheme delights me.
You plain and simple rock the house.
I'm glad you made this, Flying Mouse!
O Fishy Tee, O Fishy Tee,
Don't sell out quick to spite me.

Tee-cember: A Cold Day in Hell

Shirt.woot has been in what can only be called a slump if you're a kindly soul, so today's offering is incredibly welcome, and not only because I almost went blogless tonight. They call it Nuclear Winter, and it's by Steven Lefcourt. It's pretty solidly a winter shirt, but thankfully winter is a damn long season up in the north. I like the fact that it's artistic finally... not only are the skeletons done simply but skillfully, but the colors are cold. Sure, the white is a given, but the purple/blue used for shading gives me a chill just looking at it. It also has deadly humor (I love the hats and mittens) and a subtle commentary to it. And if for nothing else, the artist insists he did not live trace a photo for this. As woot has stood lately, that should be enough to support this design to the ends of the earth.

You should know how woot works by now... this will be on sale at $10 today only, but you can grab it for $15 until it's reckoned. If you miss it today, grab it right here. Just make it fast... this one is looking pretty popular so far, but there's never a guarantee that a woot shirt will last past its first reckoning... in this case, the first monday of the new year. I'm crossing my fingers for longer, but life, and certainly shirt.woot, knows no guarantees.

Tee-cember; God Rest Ye, Limited T-Shirt Deals

A couple limited-time only deals to discuss today. For starters, Uneetee is starting the back-half of the third sale they've had this season, based on the 12 days of Christmas. Today's deal offers all tees at $13, and $2 flat shipping on all orders for US/Canada, but it'll be worth checking back daily, both for new deals and for their $10 Insanitees (today's being Pick Up the Peace, tailor made for any classic rocker who's a fan of The Who).

Definitely head over to Teefury today as well and check out Edgar R. McHerly's "Stream of Consciousness" (shown left), a thought-provoking and evocative piece. It combines his cartoony and artistic sides in one design. This is the sort of thing that makes this particular designer so exciting... he's not afraid to go hyper-artistic on us, and his unique style and distinct frame of mind give us a glimpse into a totally different world. It's good to finally see more of his signature work printing, as his successes often come from his least distinctive pieces. Even if you're not into the shirt, at least stop by for the beautiful but macabre poem included in his sidebar portfolio. And don't forget, as with all TeeFury shirts, this one is gone-zo forever at midnight tomorrow (EST).

Finally, in the world of apparel the tshirt is king, but over at Inkhound, they're polygamous. Inkhound's new-ish, and actually combine a little bit of both the sites above: they feature one shirt a week (or so), like Uneetee, after which the shirt is no longer available through them, much like Teefury. Also like TF, the rights remain with the designers, so they can market their shirts themselves or anywhere that will take a slightly used design. The difference? Along side each shirt is a hat, with the same sale time and same rights-retention. The current one is from Compete-Tee-Tion's MJ. It's based off an old shirt design, Professor Von Platypus, and while I'd much rather have the monocle wearing, mustache sporting bizarro mammal on a shirt, the contract means it's ever possible, and the hat looks incredibly swank for so limited... the image is embroidered on, for starters, so it's going to look as high quality as your buddy's Local Sports Team lid, but it'll be a lot more fun, loads more distinctive, and start far fewer pissing contests among fans of other animals. With all this going on, surely something out there might strike you today.