Artist Merch - Topic of the day 9/27/24
From brat bags to vintage KISS shirts, artist merch has had a place in fashion. Where does artist merch fit into your wardrobe? Do you need to like the artist to wear their merch, or is it enough to like it because of its design? Have you discovered a new artist because of their merch? What are some of the best examples of artist merch that you've seen?
44 Replies
ovo
:kennyno:
Yes
to give a fuller answer, I was a big fan of band shirts when I was younger and then at some point in my mid 20s I decided I was "too mature" for that sort of stuff. Now I'm mid 30s and I've come full circle. If I go to a show I'll always try buy a shirt or a patch/pin if I like the design. Unfortunately a lot of band tees aren't printed on great quality blanks now but I kinda just say fuck it and get it anyway.
I’ve got some band tees but I feel like a lot of band merch (at least the ones I like) are kinda shit or printed on the worst tee I’ve ever worn
Jinx
I like to think I have a better eye now for picking shirts that have designs that are cool rather than just "NAME OF BAND"
I’ve got a Scorpions tank (originally a tee) that I will wear until it’s in shreds.
It’s so good
I will happily buy a lesser quality tee if it's a smaller band, those guys are struggling enough I can look past the tee quality to support them for like £30
I've actually been thinking a lot about band shirts lately and how to fit them into the way I dress and the image I want to project about myself. I recently turned 30, and throughout my 20s I mostly strived to dress "well", meaning high quality basics and classic-ish pieces like Barbour jackets and fancy moleskin pants. But since my big birthday I've wanted to connect more and more to my intense interest in music that I had left by the wayside, picking up my guitar again and starting to learn the drums, and going to indie shows pretty much every weekend. Mostly rambling but I wish I could find a way to "elevate" band shirts, maybe an "elegant rockstar" kinda vibe if such a thing exists
Sounds like John Varvatos
I had some friends in a band who put a lot of attention into the merch to the point of it existing independently from their music. Theyre visual artists so they were designing everything and it was an extension of their artistry on its own. There’s good potential for bands or any project to make clothes IMO, but I’ll be judging it on the same merits of any other clothing I’d want, I’ve never bought merch just because I’m a fan unless it was a charity fundraiser/mutual aid thing
Scorpions tank—scrolling through pics I’m realizing I’ve had this thing for easily over a decade, which is absolutely insane
This tee has lasted longer and been worn more than some of my jeans bruh
It is borderline unwearable in polite society at this point but still
Most my graphic tees are band tees
Usually the best bands have the best graphics
Taste in art type deal
My fav band tee I own
Note not the best to style
I'll buy tees if I fw them heavy like this
Shitty gildan joy division tee I got when I was 14 is my one true love it’s been 13 years and it still feels better to wear both physically and emotionally than almost everything else in my wardrobe
Band tees are the only tees i own
I just think theyre neat
Also its much cooler in my lil brain to be like oh am i foxing or the postal service today rather than like oh am i grey or black today
Cool merch is sick
oh we’re talking band artist
i do want some band tees and all it’s just difficult
trying to find shirts that’re maybe more interesting than “band logo” or “album cover” is so hard
i started listening to suddenly tammy because they had good merch but in fairness a) look at it and b) the music hit
I feel like it’s not
Go on the artist website for merch
For example, rn I’m listening to fontaines dc and I have no idea what their merch looks like but I can go on their website and usually if I like a band they’ll have something appealing
And lo and behold
🗒️ 🖊️
i have but even mainstream artists are like “what if i just put out the most basic shit”
chevelle has done more interesting item campaigns than clothing
Hmm
like the liddol astronauts they did for uhhh
I feel like that’s an issue with the artist then
fuck what was the album it literally came out like three years ago
i have so so many band tees in my closet, mostly from local bands or ppl ive played with on tour or ppl who have come thru town
i love me a good band tee
Band tee good
niratias i think
Im firmly in the camp of "Im not gonna wear the band tee if im not liking the music" though. Which absolutely has led to me listening to bands where I liked the tee to justify getting the tee. Found some great music that way.
What kinda annoys me though, and some of my favourite bands do this a lot, are relatively long cut tees with the artwork going wayy to far down the shirt, so its partially cut off when I tuck the tee.
I have a Mdou Moctar shirt, a Tatsuro Yamashita bootleg, and then the Anita Max Wynn hat
Guess which item was not worn
I kinda like it when artwork is cut off
When you tuck
some select favorites: chkdsk (that i distressed), dog scream, behalvin, aphex twin bootleg that my friend made
The bootleg is crazy
Wow
oh yeah and shameless self promo bcus i think my bands tees r sick
its so insane bcus it was ripped he gave it to me for free,,,
so i just added the safety pins lol
Hahahahaa it looks so good though
righttt
I love band and record label merch and like others also try to get stuff at shows when I can. Despite not owning any clothes by them (I do have a bunch of records) I really like the graphic tees that the label The Trilogy Tapes put out. Designed by Will Bankhead who also did (does?) some Palace stuff and I think is also involved with Cav Empt
Japanese obscure Rock bands tee were a pleasant surprise
yea i have like 100+ band tees