It Goes to 11

Hits (and Misses) From the Blog

Macho Slut — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 20:26:31 +0000

Assorted tee crumbs, stitched together from various information holes on the Interwebs…

First up, administrators at West Virginia University are trying to undercut the success of a profanity-laced design popular with the ~~students~~ kids these days — and failing miserably. There’s even talk of an… official dress code and/or code of conduct. God forbid. See the offending shirt below:

Switching gears, we absolutely adore this snapshot of Joey Fatone sporting a rich slogan tee. Is it wry, self-referential commentary on the fleeting nature of celebrity? Or a muted expression of world-weary resignation? You decide. Via the celeb chroniclers at E!

Fatone, in fact, made an appearance in this very blog just last month.

Meanwhile, /Film is reporting that the forthcoming remake of The A-Team (which, to this day, remains my favorite TV program from the early 80’s) will feature a cameo by none other than Dwight Schultz, the thespian that originally portrayed Murdock. The post also conjectures that we’ll see both Mr. T and Dirk Benedict (The Face) in some capacity; one can only hope… File under: nostalgia is a powerful intoxicant.

This would be a convenient time to remind you that we, ahem, sell a t-shirt design just like the one that was worn by Murdock in the A Team’s very first episode. Take it home today for a meager $21.95.

Say It Ain’t So: Weezer’s newest studio album, the curiously titled Raditude, is now available in stores (assuming people still buy hardcopy) and online. As with their last 3-4 releases, there’s the good (the buzzing guitar pop, sweet, heartfelt songs about girls), the bad (questionable guest appearances) and the cringe-worthy (uneasy tracks about girls and misplaced paternal instincts). To promote the record, the boys have commissioned an official Snuggie, complete with mocking info-advert. Watch below:

Giving new meaning to the term lactose intolerant, diary producers in California have initiated litigation against Deez Tees for their Got Milf? design, which parodies the ubiquitous Got Milk PSA’s. Get all the deets (pun intentional) here, via The Huffington Post.

What I think is the tee in question (it’s been removed from their site):

The New York Yankees defeated the Philadelphia Phillies last week to capture their 27th World Series (sigh). And with that win came the spoils of victory, like t-shirts and caps to mark the occasion. MLB produced championship garments for both teams in advance, though (standard operating procedure for professional sports leagues), so the swag commemorating the Phillies and their would-be victory has been shipped to El Salvador and Zambia, where it will be welcomed with open arms by the native population. Tip of the hat to: NBC Philadelphia.

A sample image of the aforementioned design:

Lastly, there’s an interesting ~~controversy~~ conteeversy brewing in China. Street vendors have been peddling shirts (and assorted baubles) featuring Obama in Chairman Mao’s likeness for months now (apparently they are quite popular), but in advance of the President’s inaugural visit to said country later this month, authorities have instituted a prohibition on future sales for unspecified reasons.

Hot under the collar, anyone?

Why Waltz When You Can Rock & Roll? travis@founditemclothing.com.

“Also, my rug was stolen.”

Macho Slut — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 21:36:58 +0000

Behold this convincing facsimile of The Dude, submitted by our friend Ben in Colorado.

Compare with the source material.

Sigh… everyday should be Halloween.

Rocket-powered and nailed (firmly) to the ground: travis@founditemclothing.com.

Everyday Should Be Halloween: Look At This Rad Collection of Costumes

Macho Slut — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:48:52 +0000

Well, the Big Day has come and gone. The preparation, the anticipation, the urgency — all of it is so very liberating and intoxicating. Fleeting too. And what fun transpired. I could tell you about said joviality, or better yet, I could show you. Behold, then, this ~~ghoulish~~ breezy, user-submitted gallery of 2009 Halloween costumes, each constructed around one of our fabulous tees. As you’ll see, some of the entrants are particularly spot-on and painstakingly accurate.

Which, on that note, reminds me: if you have pics you’d like to contribute, message me at travis@founditemclothing.com and I’ll post them in this space. (For the record, I’m desperate for a Nigel, Danny Noonan (with hat, natch), and/or Bluto. Just sayin’…) And as if you needed more enticement (what? Internet celebrity is not enough?), all participants will be eligible to win some FIC swag that we will be raffling off at the end of the month. To sum up: we really want your pictures. Shoot them our way, post-haste!

Click on the photos to compare with our versions and the source material…

Some of Portland’s finest.

Cutters don't die, they just multiply.

With short-shorts.

“Everybody relax. I’m here.”

Our friends in the Chicago-based band Mt. St. Helens played a special hometown gig dressed as the cast from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. With the film projected against a backdrop above the stage, no less. That’s some dedication.

“The question isn’t, ‘what are we going to do,’ the question is ‘what aren’t we going to do?’”

Peep the close-up, which reveals a truly loving fidelity to the original:

Next up, we have this incredibly convincing Axel Foley, submitted by Abe in Toronto.

And one more, for good measure.

The Dude abides.

The Dude abides… by the beer bong.

Cru Jones and Darla Marks, together forever. Submitted by our friends in Florida…

This shot was recreated straight from the movie; Cru’s gotta have his Kix!

“Now fry like bacon, you little freshman piggies!”

Here we have a second Cru, accompanied by his sufficiently 80’s-ish BMX; the competition is on!

Finally, Cecilia sent us these images of herself, dressed as Bob Wiley from the comedic classic, What About Bob?. Note the true-to-the-film accents: Bob’s beloved goldfish, Gil, and his trusty life-preserver.

Because we only started selling the Don’t Hassle Me tee this year, we have not yet added it to our annual Halloween Costume Guide. That will change next year, fo’ sho’. Great work Cecilia!

And yours truly, the author, dressed as Stiles. Oh Stiles… miles and miles.

Rocket-powered and nailed (firmly) to the ground: travis@founditemclothing.com.

Stop Having Boring Tuna, Stop Having a Boring Life…

Macho Slut — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 07:17:35 +0000

Late night television yields the occasional gem. Case in point: this rapid-fire, tommy-gun infomercial for the Slap Chop, which promises ~~“to dice, chop, and mince”~~ recombine all manner of everyday foodstuffs into novel and exotic flavors. Vince, who doubles as an enthusiastic advocate for the similarly hyped Sham Wow, gives a tour de force performance here, alternating between knowledgeable pitchman and comedic smart-ass.

Even better than this advert, though, is the remix! It’s truly inspired…

Has anyone experimented with this thing? Do it work?

Lookin’ sharp, lookin’ for love: travis@founditemclothing.com.

Big Cheese: Nirvana’s Debut LP, Bleach, Turns 20!

Macho Slut — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 19:46:30 +0000

Another week, another deluxe reissue to purchase…

Behold Nirvana’s mighty, speaker-shattering debut, Bleach, which celebrates its 20th birthday this week. To mark the momentous anniversary, the trio’s original record label, Sub Pop, is turning out a deluxe, remastered edition of said album (recorded at the time, as rock lore would have it, for a meager $600). It will come complete with a gallery of previously unreleased archival photos AND an incredible live set from a 1990 performance at the now-defunct Pine Street Theater (formerly located right here in Portland, Oregon). Even better, the vinyl edition is pressed on white wax — as it was with the original — and comes with a coupon that can be redeemed for downloadable mp3’s for all songs.

All the official deets.

My favorite track from this record is and always will be the primordial “School,” a potent blend of power, volume and distortion. From the period:

And a shocking design from my youth, for the tee bloggers:

B-sides:

Worn by the man himself and later reproduced by the music snobs — that’s a term of endearment, BTW — over at Worn Free. Just a note: click on pics to link through…

Once more, with feeling:

Rocket-powered and nailed (firmly) to the ground: travis@founditemclothing.com.

Who Loves You?

Macho Slut — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 18:03:57 +0000

We do. And to show it, we’ve teamed up with our friends at Like Totally 80’s to raffle off ~~one~~ two of our fabulous tux tees. No purchase is necessary; to enter, you just need to submit your name and e-mail address here, in the appropriate fields.

The awesome, totally radical shirt in question:

The contest closes on December 31st, so don’t delay.

Rocket-powered and nailed (firmly) to the ground: travis@founditemclothing.com.

Halloween: Not Just For Humans (Rewind!)

Macho Slut — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:30:28 +0000

Editor’s note: this piece is an oldie, but a goodie. In honor of Halloween, we are rerunning it. Enjoy…

Halloween, as I’m sure most of you are well aware, is just around the corner, which means that the procrastinators amongst us are scrambling to piece together ~~creative and original costumes~~ whatever is handy.

(Need some last-minute inspiration? Check out the ~~3rd~~ 4th annual FIC Halloween Costume Guide, complete with ~~three~~ seven new entries for ~~2008~~ 2009!)

For truly motivated individuals, however, it is not enough to simply mask their own appearance. No, they must also doll up their…pets.

Having ~~conducted extensive research on this subject~~ examined hundreds of pet portraits online, I can safely say that animal costumes tend to fall into one of three basic categorical subsets.

1. The Human Touch

Some folks would have us believe that their pets are people too, with emotions just like you and I. Take these sample images below, all of which feature animals garbed in professional attire, which by extension, imbues them with human qualities (a phenomenon social scientists commonly refer to as anthropomorphism). I’m of the opinion that the first subject is the most disturbing and visually amiss, if only because the fake arms lend the impression that the dog is actually walking upright on his hind legs (that smile seals the deal, too).

As for the French Maid ensemble in the third pic, well, that boarders on animal cruelty. Whomever orchestrated this production is likely just projecting his or her sexual fantasies onto their dog, for the world to see. Creepy…

2. Pets Disguised as Other Animals

This might be the most popular approach; it is certainly the cutest, guaranteed to elicit favorable responses from friends, family, neighbors and potential dates. Note that the lobster-and-chef duo in the third frame successfully incorporates both of the aforementioned archetypes.

3. Culture Cats

Some pet owners take their cues from pop culture, T.V. programs and movies, both mainstream and esoteric. While this is not the most original approach, it can pay comedic dividends nonetheless. As you’ll see below, Star Wars and other nerdy fare is popular source material; personally, I would have liked to see a four-legged Chew-Bark-a somewhere in the mix (I just kill me sometimes…).

Naturally enough, I’m interested in hearing what the readers have to say about this subject. Please direct first-hand stories and relevant pictures to the email address below…

Rocket-powered and nailed (firmly) to the ground: travis@founditemclothing.com.

Hits From the Blog…

Macho Slut — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:00:54 +0000

Collected musings on assorted topics…

I don’t really want to reshoot the Rad Racing entry for our Halloween Costume Guide, but these super-sweet kicks have me, well, kicking myself for not including them from the get-go.

For the record, it should be noted that Cru definitely wears black Chuck Taylors in the film (hi-tops, natch). Just sayin…

Remember Biff, the big, antagonistic lunk from Back to the Future? Apparently, he’s quite the folkie. Check out this HILARIOUS video in which he skewers the cast, the franchise, its devoted fans, and not lastly, himself.

The Mumford tee has been spotted in an episode of Homestar Runner, a series of funny animated shorts that pun on a whole series of pop culture targets, some large and well known, others quite obscure. (Tip of the hat to FIC fan Chris R. for bringing this to our attention.)

Watch the episode in its entirety — 5 minutes at most — here; the Mumford tee makes its appearance about 3/4’s of the way through.

For those keeping score at home, this is actually the second time one of our tees has appeared in animated form.

In other FIC news, the Stephen King Rules tee cracked the front page of Rumplo, a clearinghouse for t-shirts from around the world. Thanks to anyone and everyone that voted for it.

Switching gears, I’m really feelin’ this track (and video) from Cold Cave, a buzzed about new act that traffics in atmospheric electro pop.

Needless to say, it makes me want to dance… effusively.

Adventures in screen-printing: someone effed up… badly.

Lastly, there’s this oxymoronic tee (pic embedded below), which features a split-faced Governator/Terminator advocating for… less gun violence. The official tagline: “Terminate Violence.” Oh, the irony…

One last reminder — we want to see your Halloween photos. Submit a pic of yourself (email address below) in a Found Item-related costume and we’ll post it in this very space. We’ll also be raffling off some prizes, as if you needed additional enticement.

Rocket-powered and nailed (firmly) to the ground: travis@founditemclothing.com.

“You Looking to Catch Something:” Stiles Top 10 Lines from Teen Wolf (Rewind!)

Macho Slut — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:30:00 +0000

Editor’s note: this is an oldie but a goodie. In honor of Halloween, we are rerunning it for your reading pleasure…

Loyal readers of It Goes to 11 know that we heart 1985’s Teen Wolf here at FIC. The implausible story, the inspired comedic performances, the side-splitting dialogue, the feel-good conclusion — this fine flick has it all in spades.

Michael J. Fox is certainly the star of the film, but in many ways Jerry Levine’s Stiles character (pictured below) steals the show with his self-assured preening, cocky chutzpah, entrepreneurial spirit, and rich, fantastically colored wardrobe. (Shameless reminder: we sell two of his attention-grabbing tees here and here.) For a more in-depth discussion of Stiles’ cultural significance, I urge you to read this informative, expertly deconstructed piece of film criticism that I stumbled across while researching this post.

In any case, I’ve compiled a list of Stiles’ best, most memorable lines. Enjoy!

10. “Are you gonna tell me you’re a fag?”

9. “Surf’s up…”

8. “That’s my middle name.”

7. “What’s it like coming out of the closet?”

6. “You looking to catch something?”

5. “What can I say — you’re beautiful.”

4. “I heard Mr. Johnson from shop class got his dick stuck in a vacuum cleaner.”

3. “Hey baby, nice hair cut. Be all you can be…how was Grenada?”

2. “So, what can a teen wolf do?”

1. “Can you do that anytime you want?”

Honorable mentions: “All sizes, no waiting!” and “How do you think he feels? He feels like a WINNER!”

Howl at the moon: travis@founditemclothing.com.

Rocket-powered and nailed (firmly) to the ground: travis@founditemclothing.com

Hungry Like the (Teen) Wolf: Scott Howard Now Available As a Posable Action Figure!

Macho Slut — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:00:01 +0000

For 80’s cinephiles, the Teen Wolf revival shows no signs of abating. The last twelve months alone have brought limited-edition Nike kicks; an inspired Teen Wolf-Wolverine mash-up; the runaway success of the Three (Teen) Wolf Moon parody; and, yes, word of an imminent tv ~~reboot~~ re-imagining that has some long-time devotees howling mad.

None of that compares, though, to news that Teen Wolf is now available in toy form (high praise, no matter how you look at it). By all means, feast your eyes on the pic embedded below. (Click to link through, btw.)

Truly astute observers of the Teen Wolf canon will note that this plasticized version strays from the source material in a few small, crucial ways (it’s all in the details, yo). In lieu of the film’s #42 and the Beavers (Howard’s high school mascot), this model features different digits — #85, a winning reference to the year the film was released — and Tarantulas (the name of the design firm heading up this project). How apropos…

A look behind the scenes:

As I’ve said before, this is the only Teen Wolf tee I need:

Rocket-powered and nailed (firmly) to the ground: travis@founditemclothing.com.