Wear a shirt for a Meme you don't understand...

[Rellik San]

So my mother just came in to show off her (admittedly kinda cool) new t-shirt, it's an MLP cross over... with Pusheen Cat on it, so I ask her in wonderment; "Do you know what Pusheen Cat is?" to which she replies; "Nope," my face drops and I call her a towny (it's an old world for a follower of trends who doesn't get why the trend is trendy, like people wearing a Led Zepplin shirt without ever having heard of Led Zepplin).

Now obviously at some point I'll show her Pusheen Cat, but question is, people wearing a net-culture or meme shirt without knowing what the particular context is, is it just as bad as people wearing t-shirts for bands they've never heard of?

 

[Eddie the head]

Because it was 3 bucks at goodwill and it fit. And no it's not bad it's just a shirt. I mean unless you're weathering blue in bloods territory who cares?

 

[Rellik San]

Because it was 3 bucks at goodwill and it fit. And no it's not bad it's just a shirt. I mean unless you're weathering blue in bloods territory who cares?

No no, purchased brand new.

I don't know I just feel if you're going to identify with something at least have a passing interest in it, the thing on your shirt is going to be one of only a few ways someone you've never met has a method to gauge your interests and strike up a conversation, even if you're wearing one of those ubiquitous Ramones shirts but only know Blitzkrieg Bop at least it's something.

Maybe it's just me.

 

[Redingold]

If she doesn't recognise Pusheen, how is she supposed to know that it's a trend rather than just a cute design someone came up with? How is anyone supposed to know that their shirt signifies something if they don't know the thing it signifies?

 

[Eddie the head]

No no, purchased brand new.

I don't know I just feel if you're going to identify with something at least have a passing interest in it, the thing on your shirt is going to be one of only a few ways someone you've never met has a method to gauge your interests and strike up a conversation, even if you're wearing one of those ubiquitous Ramones shirts but only know Blitzkrieg Bop at least it's something.

Maybe it's just me.

Then they likely don't pin there identity on a shirt. It's a shirt it doesn't matter most people aren't going to notice anyway. I'm betting most of the time you don't even notice.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

I'm of the "it's just a shirt" school of thought.

 

[Sean Hollyman]

Maybe she just liked the design? I guess that's why a lot of people but them.

 

[Hazy992]

Well if she doesn't know what Pusheen is then she probably just thought it was a cute cat t shirt. It's not just the internet that likes cats, so I don't see what the problem is.

 

[Artina89]

I am one of those people who just see it as a shirt. Sometimes a t-shirt has a cool logo or a slogan or something that appeals to someone's aesthetics, you can't stop someone from wearing that shirt.

 

[Phasmal]

Admittedly, wearing a shirt with something like that on it often will imply you're a fan, but if I talked to someone who had a cool design on their shirt and didn't know where it was from, I wouldn't feel the need to drop my monocle about it.
I don't think it's really bad if they think it just looks cool.

Funnily enough, the other day I was putting a customer through the till when I noticed he was wearing a Supernatural T-Shirt, so I said `Great shirt, by the way`. He thanked me and I continued on with what I was doing, there was a moment of silence and then he said `You DO get the reference, right?`. I was kind of like `...Yes`.
Afterwards I was thinking `Why would you ask that? I had no reason to bring up the shirt unless I got the reference... oh crap I hope he didn't think I was hitting on him`.
The adventures of Socially Awkward Girl!

Also, the boys in my city have some great game shirts. I see them on the street like `aw fuck I want that shirt`.

 

[EeveeElectro]

People past the age of fifteen still actually seriously care about what people are wearing and will call them names for not getting the reference? Hmm. That happened a lot during my time at school.

Sometimes you just like the design. I'm not really into The Rolling Stones but I like their '40 licks' logo.

Then again I've never cared about what people wear.

 

[Queen Michael]

I'm a guy who saw a cool Princess Mononoke T-shirt online, ordered it, and made sure to rent and watch the movie before the T-shirt arrived so I wouldn't go around with a T-shirt with a movie I knew squat about.

If you wear a T-shirt, it's always a good idea to find out what it's about.

 

[Rellik San]

I'm a guy who saw a cool Princess Mononoke T-shirt online, ordered it, and made sure to rent and watch the movie before the T-shirt arrived so I wouldn't go around with a T-shirt with a movie I knew squat about.

If you wear a T-shirt, it's always a good idea to find out what it's about.

See I can get behind that, I mean as some people have said they don't see the point in making a deal about it. But as I said, for me, maybe it's just me, someone wearing something immediately identifiable to me gives me a point of interest and opener for talking to them. I'm just not good at cold opening with someone I don't know.

Of course talking to my mother, who is fairly savvy on these things and has a very similar attitude to me, that if you were a shirt about something, at least have a passing familiarity with it. So that's why I called her a towny (not in a: "YOU DUN GET I MOOOOOOOOOOM!" way, more in a "lol, you're becoming everything you hate." way).

 

[DementedSheep]

Its not really bad? unless they mistakenly wear something strongly associated with a political view without realising it which is why I'm a little cautious of random things I don't know the reference for on a T-shirt, especially if it's of a person.
If its just a reference to entertainment at worst you might get your hopes up thinking you can talk to them about something only to realise they aren't a fan. Not the end of the world. It's not necessarily trying to be "trendy". More likely just like the design and it's not meant to be declaration of being a fan of something. That might not even know its associated with anything because it's not always obvious. A lot of bands like like Led Zepplin have some pretty awesome T-shirts. I almost bought a Cradle of Filth one despite the fact I don't listen to them but decided against it (mostly because of the cut though. A lot of T-shirts with pictures on them are cut for guys *sigh*).

I don't think I have anything referencing something I don't know of or like but have t-shits that have words on that I don't care about at all. I bought it because of the design and so as long as it doesn't say "slut" or something I don't care.

 

[BathorysGraveland2]

To me, it depends whether there is a logo or not. If it's just an unnamed picture, then fair enough, but if there's an actual logo on there displaying the name of the band or whatever, then it's a bit strange if the wearer doesn't know what it is since they're displaying something that is named. 'Ya know?

 

[sXeth]

Yeah, wearing a shirt that says "Led Zeppelin" kind of implies you should know what the heck that means. If it was just the four symbols design though, I could just see someone wearing it because they like that sort of design.

I'd imagine a lot of memes aren't named out on shirts, especially if its the many many knockoff variations that are constantly ripped off of internet IP under the guise of "satire and parody". At which point, lots of people probably just ass it off as a random amusing picture. A few years back, I would've have just figued a MLP picture was just a random colored horse, or some Barbie thing.

 

[Ten Foot Bunny]

Sometimes you just like the design. I'm not really into The Rolling Stones but I like their '40 licks' logo.

Same here! In spite of their 50 years, they only have about 30 songs that I actually like (some of which are among my fave songs of all time, especially Mother's Little Helper, 19th Nervous Breakdown, and Paint it Black). Doesn't stop me from wearing a lot of Stones shirts though.

It's the same with Aerosmith, and they have maybe 10 songs that I like.

Pink Floyd is a whole lot trickier... I wear Floyd shirts, but like my tastes in Floyd's music, they're all themed pre-1971. I can't tell you how many "hardcore" fans call me clueless when they comment on my shirts and I express my distaste in almost everything after Atom Heart Mother (when I have reason to mention it, that is - I don't actively seek discord by advertising that preference). Never mind the fact that I know the words to almost every Floyd song up to and including that album. I can even play a lot of them on bass and drums.

And yes, I DO prefer The Madcap Laughs to Dark Side of the Moon. That fact alone makes some fans think I also enjoy killing kittens.

A lot of bands like like Led Zepplin have some pretty awesome T-shirts. I almost bought a Cradle of Filth one despite the fact I don't listen to them but decided against it (mostly because of the cut though. A lot of T-shirts with pictures on them are cut for guys *sigh*).

Oh, the dreaded bell-cut shirt! lol That's stopped me from buying a lot of clothes I otherwise would have purchased. I already have as many curves as a desert highway, so the last thing I need is clothing that flatters my shape as well as a plastic tarp might.

Good point about Zeppelin too. I have some of their shirts despite liking very few of their songs. Their later material bores me and most of their earlier stuff (except for some killer rockers that I love with a passion) is as vomit-inducing as The Yardbirds' output when Paige was their guitarist. That may stand to reason given how Zeppelin formed (their first name WAS The New Yardbirds, after all) but that doesn't make me like the music any more. I dig their artwork and shirts though!

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EDIT - Almost forgot...

 

[Weaver]

Maybe she just saw it and thought Pusheen was cute and bought the shirt? Cause Pusheen is pretty fucking cute.

 

[DementedSheep]

Sometimes you just like the design. I'm not really into The Rolling Stones but I like their '40 licks' logo.

Same here! In spite of their 50 years, they only have about 30 songs that I actually like (some of which are among my fave songs of all time, especially Mother's Little Helper, 19th Nervous Breakdown, and Paint it Black). Doesn't stop me from wearing a lot of Stones shirts though.

It's the same with Aerosmith, and they have maybe 10 songs that I like.

Pink Floyd is a whole lot trickier... I wear Floyd shirts, but like my tastes in Floyd's music, they're all themed pre-1971. I can't tell you how many "hardcore" fans call me clueless when they comment on my shirts and I express my distaste in almost everything after Atom Heart Mother (when I have reason to mention it, that is - I don't actively seek discord by advertising that preference). Never mind the fact that I know the words to almost every Floyd song up to and including that album. I can even play a lot of them on bass and drums.

And yes, I DO prefer The Madcap Laughs to Dark Side of the Moon. That fact alone makes some fans think I also enjoy killing kittens.

A lot of bands like like Led Zepplin have some pretty awesome T-shirts. I almost bought a Cradle of Filth one despite the fact I don't listen to them but decided against it (mostly because of the cut though. A lot of T-shirts with pictures on them are cut for guys *sigh*).

Oh, the dreaded bell-cut shirt! lol That's stopped me from buying a lot of clothes I otherwise would have purchased. I already have as many curves as a desert highway, so the last thing I need is clothing that flatters my shape as well as a plastic tarp might.

Good point about Zeppelin too. I have some of their shirts despite liking very few of their songs. Their later material bores me and most of their earlier stuff (except for some killer rockers that I love with a passion) is as vomit-inducing as The Yardbirds' output when Paige was their guitarist. That may stand to reason given how Zeppelin formed (their first name WAS The New Yardbirds, after all) but that doesn't make me like the music any more. I dig their artwork and shirts though!

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EDIT - Almost forgot...

I did have one horribly cut for women shirt that ended up being amusing at least. I had one with a picture of tiger on it. Looked very majestic on the rack but when worn it's eyes aligned with my tits. The result was that it looked like someone had crossed a tiger with a goldfish.

Well, that's my not really relevant story for the day,