Make Believe Not War Tank

admin — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 18:33:00 +0000

My favorite new tank top comes from No Star Clothing. It is black with the slogan “Make Believe Not War” printed on a military helmet - a helmet that holds crayons. Swoon. All of my academically-inclined, left-leaning coffee-shop customers loved this tank top. One cynically suggested that the only way to make any sense of our current military endeavors is to, in fact, make believe. I think this tank top brought me bigger-than-usual tips and even bigger smiles. Certainly it doesn't hurt that it fits me perfectly, washes well and doesn't show stains. Like I said, I am in love.

The other t-shirts offered by this cool company are equally smart and sassy. They are a welcomed alternative to other “funny” women's t-shirts, many of which have recently come under heavy feminist critique. So far No Star appears, with few possible exceptions, to be funny and critical without being needlessly offensive or sexist. Nice!

Written by: kristina grob, June 4th 2007

“No More Blood for Oil” Tee

admin — Thu, 17 May 2007 13:00:00 +0000

By No Star Clothing

No Star is a clothing company based out of Portland, Oregon, that came about due to the founders’ love of t-shirts and graphic design. No Star businesses can be found in thirty-one states and eight countries. I was sent their “No More Blood for Oil” t-shirt to review.

This t-shirt is red, with a green brontosaurus on the front saying the words, “No More Blood for Oil.” Perhaps the reason a dinosaur is saying these words has to do with extinction, meaning that the dinosaurs are extinct, and humans will be also if they do not stop killing each other for oil.

Other interpretations are feasible, however. Perhaps the brontosaurus represents the death and extinction of oil as a commodity on this planet, just as dinosaurs became dead and extinct. Perhaps because oil itself is composed of ancient, formerly organic materials, such as dinosaurs, the brontosaurus represents oil itself with the red of the shirt representing blood, and therefore, it is all the more profound that it is the brontosaurus saying "No More Blood For Oil." Did that make sense? Anyway, the message seems to reach people, and even if they couldn't say exactly what the precise message is, they still had a gut reaction to that message that was meaningful.

There are many possible interpretations of this t-shirt's message, and that is another reason to wear it. It's so interesting! And who doesn't love red and green? I did receive many “I like your t-shirt” comments when wearing the shirt, and many people applauded the shirt’s message (whatever their interpretation was...)

Written by: Kent Page McGroarty, May 17th 2007