One Size Does Not Fit All

[runnernda]

I have a huge--HUGE--collection of geeky t-shirts, but I have not bought even one in a shop. The ones I find that are awesome in shops are all boy-cut. I have to get my girl geek on online.

And yeah...those girl shirts they have are stupid. Even if my someday boyfriend DOES turn out to be a superhero (Johnny Storm and Steve Rogers, you can call me ANYTIME), why would I proclaim that on my shirt? My shirts have better things to convey.

 

[Susan Arendt]

On the front page of the Escapist...
Is an article about a person who is mad...
Because she can't find cool women's size T-shirts...
That have comic book superheroes on them...
In the one store she talks about visiting.

I'm not trying to be mean, but I just have to say it.

Wow, you can write about ANYTHING on the Internet, can't you?

Yes, one of the perks of the job is that I get to write about pretty much whatever I like, so long as it's of potential interest to our readers. Given that this is a fairly common occurrence for nerd girls, I thought they'd certainly be able to identify with the situation.

You're right - in the grand scheme of things, not being able to buy a t-shirt is really no big deal. There are plenty of places online I can go, or cons, or any number of other solutions. But this isn't about solving the problem, it's about getting people to realize that there is a problem in the first place.

 

[Elf Defiler Korgan]

Frustrated and offended, not a good way to be with an interest.

 

[runnernda]

I have a huge--HUGE--collection of geeky t-shirts, but I have not bought even one in a shop. The ones I find that are awesome in shops are all boy-cut. I have to get my girl geek on online.

And yeah...those girl shirts they have are stupid. Even if my someday boyfriend DOES turn out to be a superhero (Johnny Storm and Steve Rogers, you can call me ANYTIME), why would I proclaim that on my shirt? My shirts have better things to convey.

 

[Amazon warrior]

I can see the problem, though as a 6' tall and proportionately long-limbed woman I usually end up buying men's shirts anyway, since very often women's shirts are too frickin' short and/or small for me. Or too narrow across the shoulders and billowingly huge everywhere else. But that's a general issue I have with clothes shopping anyway. :/

My mom and aunt are the same height and have similar problems. My mom gave up on women's fashion years ago and dresses in male clothes and to hell with the fit issues, and my aunt has basically worn black tees and jeans for years.

Which is weird, because the only thing I can't find in my size is shoes, and that's mostly because I'm a mutant >.<

I'm also 6'5" but it's mostly the mutant thing. Damn Hobbit feet!

I feel a spiritual kinship with your aunt, at least from a clothing perspective! It's extremely rare to find me wearing anything other than jeans and a vaguely geeky shirt (today it's my CDO one...). Thankfully, my office has a very relaxed dress code.

I can sympathise on the shoe front, too. Being female with size 9.5-10 feet isn't much fun either. The options usually boil down to a miniscule selection of spectacularly ugly large women's shoes or the men's section. Must be even worse to be male with difficult feet because there's no other section they can point you at...

 

[UNHchabo]

One Size Does Not Fit All

Women read comics too, you jerks.

Read Full Article

I figure this is as good place as any to bring this up: while The Escapist's store is very good about having both male and female versions of the shirts, this isn't universally true. Specifically, I'd love to get a "putrescent waters of knowledge" shirt for my girlfriend in a women's cut. Any chance of this happening?

I enjoyed the article; I especially enjoyed being one of the "insiders" who was already previously shocked upon hearing in the podcast that you're married to Russ, so now I can be all smug and say "you didn't know?"

 

[Susan Arendt]

One Size Does Not Fit All

Women read comics too, you jerks.

Read Full Article

I figure this is as good place as any to bring this up: while The Escapist's store is very good about having both male and female versions of the shirts, this isn't universally true. Specifically, I'd love to get a "putrescent waters of knowledge" shirt for my girlfriend in a women's cut. Any chance of this happening?

I enjoyed the article; I especially enjoyed being one of the "insiders" who was already previously shocked upon hearing in the podcast that you're married to Russ, so now I can be all smug and say "you didn't know?"

I *think* that what's left of that design is just whatever is left - I don't think we're doing a reprinting of it. (But I'm not 100% sure of that, so don't quote me, or anything.) That could very well be why there's no girl's version. We have enough ladies here on staff that we try to make sure there's always a ladies' cut available, unless some outside force prevents it.

 

[Formica Archonis]

I'm not entirely sure where WeLoveFine and other websites selling tshirts stand on officialdom since they haven't been slapped with a Cease and Desist orders.

I thought WeLoveFine WAS an official licensee of Hasbro's IP. That's what everyone says, and I think if Equestria Daily used the word "official" [http://www.equestriadaily.com/2011/09/more-official-shirts-at-we-love-fine.html] when they shouldn't, someone at Hasbro would be quick to correct them.

 

[Chrono212]

I'm not entirely sure where WeLoveFine and other websites selling tshirts stand on officialdom since they haven't been slapped with a Cease and Desist orders.

I thought WeLoveFine WAS an official licensee of Hasbro's IP. That's what everyone says, and I think if Equestria Daily used the word "official" [http://www.equestriadaily.com/2011/09/more-official-shirts-at-we-love-fine.html] when they shouldn't, someone at Hasbro would be quick to correct them.

I was under that impression too, but nowhere on the site does it mention that Hasbro has any affiliation with them.
The reason I say 'officialdom' is because of EQ having 'official' in the ads. But I have no idea. I'm still making a list of stuff I want from them. X3

 

[Batou667]

I bet you look damn good in a tutu. I imagine you to look like this: http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n167/AngelTakio/PrincessYami.jpg

Thanks man. If anything, I look even more kawaii, but I don't want to blow my own trumpet.

 

[ScienceNAlcohol]

Amen! I wish I could wear all the awesome shirts that guys get to, without having to wearing their over-sized boxy shirts. I'm also sick of seeing the "I Only Date Superheros" or "My Boyfriend is a Superhero" shirts. I just want an awesome looking shirt with Nightcrawler or Wolverine on it!

 

[Rainboq]

Stereotypes.

Kill them with fire.

ALL of them.

OT: As usual, Susan does her usual excellent, well reasoned piece, also, didn't know you were married too Russ, that's awesome! Congratz!

 

[SonicWaffle]

Amen! I wish I could wear all the awesome shirts that guys get to, without having to wearing their over-sized boxy shirts.

We'll trade you comfortable t-shirts for multiple orgasms. The handover is to be made on neutral ground and officiated by a neutral party. In this case, nuns, as they have no need of either.

I'm also sick of seeing the "I Only Date Superheros" or "My Boyfriend is a Superhero" shirts. I just want an awesome looking shirt with Nightcrawler or Wolverine on it!

I've not seen those sort of shirts, but they strike me as bizarre. OK, so you want people to know that your boyfriend is a superhero. Presumably, to the designer of the shirt, this means "he is a nice guy and I like him a lot". When you analyse it with a rudimentary knowledge of superheroes, however, the implications are far more disturbing.

Let's see, we've got;

Batman - "My boyfriend spends his nights hanging out with a trusting teenage boy wearing tight costumes and engaging in strenuous physical activity together, which I find quite suspicious. He's also emotionally dead and instead of spending money taking me on dates he chooses to buy himself bat-themed vehicles"

Superman - "My boyfriend and I can't have sex because he'll quite literally tear me in half and as such our relationship is permanently stunted by frustration, the inevitable consequence of which being that I'll eventually get so horny I'll go out, get drunk and screw some random dude who, when my boyfriend later discovers this fact, will end up being thrown into the fucking sun in a fit of jealous rage"

Wolverine - "My boyfriend is a murderous psychopath with extreme PTSD, who I know will remain the same as I gradually wither and die, meaning our relationship is doomed to eventually break his heart and add to his already considerable stash of mental problems. Also, he's short"

Spiderman - "My boyfriend is actually a pretty nice guy, but seriously. Fuck his life. He's like a magnet for terrible shit that I'd really rather not get involved with"

Overall, the statement "My boyfriend is a superhero!" gives the message that you have an extremely strained relationship with your man, he barely spends any time with you because there's always an alien invasion, bank robbery or attack of killer top-hatted bees, and your inevitable fate is to be brutally murdered at the hands of his many enemies. If you're lucky. If you're not, you'll probably get kidnapped, raped, and possibly brainwashed to attack your boyfriend.

I suggest a "My boyfriend is ordinary! He's not perfect but I doubt I'll ever be dangled over a pit of acid because he mildly annoyed someone!" t-shirt to avoid all these unfortunate implications. Now to sit back and await my royalty cheques...

 

[AmayaOnnaOtaku]

Thank you, thank you thank you Susan! For saying what I have been thinking for years

 

[Ginuk]

I've had this same problem with the Escapist's store, actually. Back when it was new the only (non-logo) Zero Punctuation shirt for girls was the "Stonking Great" one. Not sure how many women will wear such a shirt.
I had to buy the one I wanted (Pants-on-Head Retarded) in male sizes. It looks terrible on me and I never wear it.

The store is a bit better these days, but it's still not unisex for some reason. Where are the female Doraleous shirts for example? Or why only part of the ZP designs are available to women? (and this is not a problem with running out of stock, they were never available in female sizes).

(I'm afraid to ask why there are only women's underwear in the store).


I agree that this is a widespread problem. Maybe the Escapist store is a good place to start fixing it?