David Fishkind

Writing on Fashion on Writing: A Plug

65 Comments

1. February 21st, 2012 / 1:21 pm Trey—

   the pizza thing is my reality all the time. it’s so awesome

2. February 21st, 2012 / 1:24 pm Helen—

   Those t-shirts don’t look very comfy or flattering. I mean, aside from the statements; what is up with the China one? I just heard some people in the street making fun of a girl speaking Chinese in front of them, I’m guessing because it sounded unfamiliar to them. That’s what that t-shirt slogan reminds me of.

3. February 21st, 2012 / 1:41 pm Craig Ronald Marchinkoski—

   “i just heard some people in the street making fun of a girl speaking chinese”
   -a t-shirt

   class

4. February 21st, 2012 / 2:04 pm Mahmoud—

   “Ask me about my t-shirt.

   –a t-shirt”
    

5. February 21st, 2012 / 2:22 pm Chad Prevost—

   I can relate to the first one, only replace “Garden State” with “Lost.” ;-D

6. February 21st, 2012 / 2:52 pm M. Kitchell—

   i don’t think that’s helvetica

7. February 21st, 2012 / 2:52 pm M. Kitchell—

   also i have an idea:  how about everyone who plans on buying any of these tshirts instead just send me $20.  

   this is better for the world overall.

8. February 21st, 2012 / 2:54 pm M. Kitchell—

   it also saves you $10 and prevents you from contributing to entropy

   A WIN WIN SITUATION

9. February 21st, 2012 / 2:54 pm M. Kitchell—

   these tshirts are seriously $30

10. February 21st, 2012 / 2:54 pm M. Kitchell—

    thirty. dollars.

11. February 21st, 2012 / 2:54 pm M. Kitchell—

    M. Kitchell could eat for a week with $30.

12. February 21st, 2012 / 2:55 pm M. Kitchell—

    you could buy a small fish tank & gravel & a fish for $30

13. February 21st, 2012 / 2:55 pm M. Kitchell—

    just think of all the better things you could do with $30

14. February 21st, 2012 / 3:05 pm Jimmy Chen—

    ..

15. February 21st, 2012 / 3:21 pm deadgod—

    How can I tell when people are speaking “Chinese” within my hearing?

    -a t-shirt

16. February 21st, 2012 / 3:29 pm deadgod—

    You are not reading a tweet.

    -a t-shirt

17. February 21st, 2012 / 3:47 pm Anonymous—

    Reminds me of that time this lame kid wore a pirate-themed tee-shirt he purchased off a webcomic’s site and everyone just laughed at him.

18. February 21st, 2012 / 4:06 pm Helen—

    t-shirt? t-shirt! T-SHIRT teeshirt TEE-SHURT “t-shirt” t-$hirt #t-shirt @t-shirt.
    – …

19. February 21st, 2012 / 4:14 pm Helen—

    It was either Mandarin or Cantonese, I can’t really tell the difference, as I haven’t encountered that many Chinese people in my life. An indictment on my education, yes. But at least I don’t just come out with lazily racist crap disguised as irony, like that t-shirt.

20. February 21st, 2012 / 4:15 pm leapsloth14—

    Golly, The Emperor does have clothes and here they are!

21. February 21st, 2012 / 4:54 pm deadgod—

    Ah, so.

    -a t-shirt

22. February 21st, 2012 / 4:57 pm deadgod—

    I don’t know muh grit, but that comment sounds appropriated off the back of t-shirt.

23. February 21st, 2012 / 6:46 pm mimi—

    shoplifting from american apparel and all i got was this lousy t-shirt

24. February 21st, 2012 / 6:49 pm Joseph Goosey—

    Everyone be sure to be on the lookout for my upcoming documentary about these shirts.

25. February 21st, 2012 / 7:02 pm Craig Ronald Marchinkoski—

    your armor goes chink

26. February 21st, 2012 / 7:47 pm adamhump—

    Helen,
    Opium abuse was a huge problem in China in the 18th and 19th centuries and was the cause of two wars with Britain. While I agree it is lazy, I don’t think it is racist. It’s just an exaggeration.  

27. February 21st, 2012 / 7:48 pm adamhump—

    Good eye: I think its Arial.

28. February 21st, 2012 / 7:49 pm M. Kitchell—

    i can’t wait for the trailer

29. February 21st, 2012 / 7:54 pm adamhump—

    Validation as [thing you’d want art to be about that isn’t validation].

30. February 21st, 2012 / 8:10 pm Anonymous—

    If it wasn’t, we should put it on a tee shirt, and sell that tee shirt for 30 bucks!

31. February 21st, 2012 / 8:16 pm michael inscoe—

    fuck my life, the southern alt people one

32. February 21st, 2012 / 8:16 pm adamhump—

    you don’t need to buy them to soak in the vibe!

33. February 21st, 2012 / 8:16 pm Michael Inscoe—

    fuck my life, the southern alt people one

34. February 21st, 2012 / 8:18 pm Evan Hatch—

    I think you are missing the point more than a little, Helen.

    Sincerely,
    a chink

35. February 21st, 2012 / 8:22 pm adamhump—

    Jimmy can’t you see this is a statement of an entire metaphysics AND a story of personal struggle…

36. February 21st, 2012 / 8:45 pm Evan Hatch—

    my great-grandfather was an opium fiend

37. February 21st, 2012 / 11:18 pm deadgod—

    Make it–make each of these–a $400 tattoo and you’re talking Hipoisie… Empire.

38. February 21st, 2012 / 11:21 pm deadgod—

    If this remark were a tattoo, it would’ve cost $400, rock bottom, sanitation all in.

    -a t-shirt

39. February 22nd, 2012 / 2:05 am Scott—

     Chillin real hard on this t-buzz.

40. February 22nd, 2012 / 8:36 am adamhump—

    YEAH DUDE!~

41. February 22nd, 2012 / 7:17 pm Rauan Klassnik—

    on the back of every one of these T-shirts is the “humorous, self-nullifying statement”– I AM A FUCKING MORON

42. February 22nd, 2012 / 9:11 pm deadgod—

    did you create that t-shirt by yourself

43. February 22nd, 2012 / 10:43 pm Rauan Klassnik—

    no, my t-shirt helped me,…

44. February 22nd, 2012 / 11:04 pm marshall mallicoat—

    what would you buy with your 30 dollars if that’s all you had for a week of food

    could you put together a menu for us

    seems like i spend about 50 dollars a week on food

45. February 22nd, 2012 / 11:06 pm marshall mallicoat—

    the re-shirting of the t-shirt

46. February 22nd, 2012 / 11:44 pm Trey—

    I made a lasagna for $17 and ate it for 5 days. I got tired of lasagna but it was a pretty cheap week, which I was happy about. I budget $100/month for food and wish I could do less. not that you care. but I live in MO, and I think things are less expensive here, so I don’t know.

47. February 23rd, 2012 / 12:32 am David Fishkind—

    they are

48. February 23rd, 2012 / 1:50 pm M. Kitchell—

    a three fifty bean & rice burrito is three meals in one in san francisco;
    it is likely i would also buy a few $3 slices of pizza and probably some frozen burritos from safeway; i have actually survived on less than $30 on food a week, but i am pretty used to being poor.  also, i consume popcorn and soda and coffee for free at work, and thank christ soda has calories in it because it helps you stay full.

49. February 23rd, 2012 / 6:07 pm Anonymous—

    this reminds me of that post by black butler that had a lot of t shirts in it and was offensive 

50. February 23rd, 2012 / 6:08 pm Anonymous—

     ***
    blake

51. February 23rd, 2012 / 6:10 pm Anonymous—

    i think the shirts are a good idea
    they make the viewer wonder “what kind of person would wear this t shirt?”
    “are they really as interesting or boring as they would have to be, in order to wear that? how do they negotiate that heavy conceptualism in real life, lemme find out by talking to them briefly”

52. February 23rd, 2012 / 6:19 pm shaun gannon—

    fucking end my life

53. February 23rd, 2012 / 7:32 pm deadgod—

    This t-shirt is a training wheel.

    -a t-shirt

54. February 23rd, 2012 / 11:01 pm Anonymous—

    Idunno, I see it and I think, “Hey, this guy/gal is trying really hard to get people to pay attention to him/her by putting on a costume instead of saying/doing something interesting that is theirs and theirs alone.”

55. February 24th, 2012 / 4:18 pm Anonymous—

    I think the shirt raises the stakes for demeanor and countenance

    If you came across one of these shirts on a real person first, not this website, your disgust or double-take could be a more complex experience

    Esp. if for ex. you were stuck in an elevator with the person (do you avert your eyes? do they know you are averting your eyes? what if they’re watching you to derive amusement from your judgement) sitting around a table or in some other confined situation

    I think anyone who buys the shirt knows they’re not making an original statement, and I think it’s funny bec. we can place so much emphasis on creativity. The shirts say “I’m basically this person.” I don’t see this as much different from wearing a sweatshirt with the name of your college on it or a brand logo, just less vague or status-conscious (and thus more uncomfortable)

    “Are you really that willing to reduce a person to what their shirt says or looks like?” is a thought may run through your head as the individual nods in sympathy with your grimace

    I think this apparel works best in media-saturated areas like New York City, Los Angeles, Tokyo and the Internet (and among strangers)

    “They perform cultural work” lol

    Ok I’m done I never want to see or think about these t-shirts again … but seriously, t-shirts are already hilariously overcoded … I have had very strong responses to t-shirts in my life

56. February 25th, 2012 / 7:54 pm Frank Tas, the Raptor—

    I like your thought about placing so much emphasis on creativity. I just think this idea, in an attempt to be creative in expressing that thought, fails. I think webcomics have been doing a thing like this forever.

    I think anyone who buys the shirt knows they’re not making an original statement

    I think there are people who might purchase because they’re in on the joke, that’s true, but I’m more worried about the kid who doesn’t really get the joke but just hopes to impress someone by purchasing something they think is cool. I feel like that happens a lot, and I feel like it’s capitalizing off someone’s inexperience/insecurity.

    Ok I’m done I never want to see or think about these t-shirts again

    Seconded, just figured I’d should respond, acknowledge your response and stuff! And I am on the adderall!

57. February 25th, 2012 / 9:10 pm ZZZZZIPPP—

    FRANK EVERY ITEM OF CLOTHING CAN BECOME A BADGE OF INSECURITY IF WORN INCORRECTLY (BY AN INSECURE PERSON) (ANY ITEM OF CLOTHING WORN BY AN INSECURE PERSON CAN BECOME A BADGE OF THEIR INSECURITY IF WORN INCORRECTLY) (INSECURE PEOPLE WEAR CLOTHES INCORRECTLY ALL THE TIME) (CLOTHING COULD BE “FASTENED” AND “HANGING” CORRECTLY BUT IT WOULD STILL APPEAR “INCORRECT” BECAUSE OF THE INSECURITY OF THE WEARER, WHO BELIEVES THAT NICE CLOTHES BETRAY HIS OR HER NEGLECT) (INSECURE PEOPLE MAY BUY ANY KIND OF CLOTHING AND GET MADE FUN OF FOR WEARING THAT CLOTHING BECAUSE THEY ARE INSECURE) (ALL CLOTHING RETAILERS WHO SELL CLOTHING TO INSECURE PEOPLE ARE “CAPITALIZING” OFF INSECURE PEOPLE)

58. February 25th, 2012 / 9:12 pm ZZZZZIPPP—

    MARSHALL IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN SAVING MONEY ON GROCERIES YOU SHOULD GET A GIRLFRIEND/BOYFRIEND AND STAY AT HIS/HER PLACE SOMETIMES AND TREAT HER/HIM POORLY AND NEVER FEED HIM/HER YOURSELF OR YOU SHOULD JUST SUBSIST ON PHOTONS AND ATMOSPHERE

59. February 25th, 2012 / 9:15 pm ZZZZZIPPP—

    shaun gannon’s life was ended because of t-shirts he saw that were available for sale online (he didn’t like them very much) (someone came to his house and killed him because he felt so strongly about these t-shirts he asked someone to come to his house and kill him) (shaun gannon demanded someone come to his house and kill him because he saw a bunch of t-shirts online that he didn’t like) (they were kind of ugly t-shirts)

    -a t-shirt

60. February 25th, 2012 / 9:16 pm Frank Tas, the Raptor—

    Oh totally. What you’re saying is sort of why I really dislike fashion.

61. February 25th, 2012 / 9:22 pm ZZZZZIPPP—

    BUT FRANK ANYTHING “PUBLIC” CAN BECOME A BADGE OF INSECURITY BASICALLY YOU JUST HAVE TO BE NICE TO YOUR FRIENDS AND IF THEY ARE NOT YOUR FRIENDS YOU SHOULD BE FIRM BUT NOT MEAN AND MAYBE ONE DAY THEY WILL GROW

62. February 25th, 2012 / 9:33 pm Frank Tas, the Raptor—

    I agree with that, too! Communication is so effing important, tone, word choice, making people feel ok with being wrong and not making a big stink of it, etc.

    But I think with what you’re saying, too, there’s a point in communicating that way where it gets whittled down so much that two people can disagree and there won’t be any point in arguing anymore. Which sucks, because that means there’s another alpha male espousing something I disagree with and there’s no real way to prove him wrong.

    Honestly, I’m sorry ZZZZIPPP, but I am tweaking, and I am not giving this the brain energy it deserves.

63. February 25th, 2012 / 10:02 pm ZZZZZIPPP—

    THAT’S OKAY, FRANK. (“FURTHER ENCOURAGEMENT”)

64. February 26th, 2012 / 5:20 pm Anonymous—

    This was really fun to read. I mean, it was basically a poem. In some Gertrude Stein vein.

    In defense of “fashion” I would like to say that the point of it is to endow you with something you didn’t have before, but *** using what you have in the first place ***

    If you don’t know what looks good on you and what’s less flattering (via proportions etc.) you should have that down first before you visit (or exclude) other conceptual areas and trends. This kind of thinking is empowering and doesn’t make as much money so it’s less talked about.

    OK, so when are we going to read about writing on fragrance on writing? Siiigh. Fashion strains so hard to be relevant. When all it has to do is smell good.

65. March 20th, 2012 / 11:55 am shaun gannon—

    hi michael