Tuesday, May 21, 2013

The Social Awkwardness of Wearing Tee Shirts

Women and girls have that occasional unfortunate experience of being seen wearing edgy clothing by an unintended audience.  Consider the level of discomfort that goes with being seen wearing a bikini or going braless and then encountering your clergyman, your professor, or (horrors of horrors!) your prissy aunt!  It makes you want to cover yourself with your arms due to newly-discovered modesty!  Fortunately, this awkward moment goes through by both through a combination of forebearance on the part of your unexpected viewer and your own sense that this too shall pass; but not soon enough!

Tee shirts are a different case: both men and women can experience those awkward moments of being seen in a tee shirt with some edgy comment.

This one is probably not the best one to wear when you visit your psychiatrist, or see the lady who helps you select bras:


Could this one draw sexual harassment from creeps and losers; or is it simply taken as a statement of opposition to war?


Does this sting the fragile sensibilities of New Yorkers, or do they take it as an ironical comment on "I ♥ NY" and "I only like you as a friend"?



It is probably not a good idea to wear this one to a meeting of the Diversity Committee:


A surprising number of people don't get this one:


Pro Tip:  Don't wear this to your school homecoming!  Especially if you attended a girls' school.


You might have a very generous gardener neighbor, or a neurological condition:


You convince people that you have a real 'tude!


 Bilbo might appreciate this one:




Talk about sharing too much information!  Well, maybe some mothers might appreciate this kind of heads-up.


Even more so!  Most people are quite okay with the sexual behavior of unmarried adults; but prefer it not to be brought to the surface.  Unless they are celebrities, of course!



8 comments:

MarkD60 said...

I've seen worse...

TexWisGirl said...

the NY one makes me laugh. :)

Mike said...

The 'I pooped today' is for the very young and the very old.

Anemone said...

Tacky t-shirts are as American as melon pie!

Bilbo said...

"Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups." I should order a bunch of those in different colors to wear every day. My son bought me a t-shirt for Fathers' Day one year that said, "CSI: Can't Stand Idiots." I'll wear that shirt until it's rotted to the point that Agnes makes me get rid of it.

Insane Penguin said...

What about making skillful sexual advances instead of war?

Big Sky Heidi said...

I'm for skillful sexual advances. Seriously, they ought to teach that in university.

Kristen Drittsekkdatter said...

People who wear t-shirts often do to flaunt their sexuality. Hence, the messages on them are often not classy.