Modelled and photographed by Bay Garnett
Design and essay courtesy of Cheap Date magazine
The T-shirt
An Essay by David Mamet
I do not do well with operating instructions. That's why I like the T-shirt. Additionally, as a student of language, I find it one of three and only three alphabetically designed articles of apparel.
(The other two are, of course the A-line and the G-string).* And where, but in this essay could one find conflated Balenciaga and Sally Rand?)
Thorstein Veblen wrote that any profession which employs jargon is largely make-believe. -e.g. Medicine, Law. In fashion, where one would suppose to have seen his dictum in operation, however we find to our delight the opposite - that its terms of art have to deal not with the notional: sweep, form, "feeling", "Impression", but with the concrete: facing, lining, reverse**, hemline, seam, choke, drape.
Here, we find, the subjective nature of the entertainment is taken for granted, and the adept or aficionado occupies him or her self with the concrete. Also, you can wear them to the beach, and when they get wet, you can wring them out.
Notes
*A third instance, for Hebreicists might be the shin-guard. But this is a poor pun, unworthy of this publication, over the author grieves.
**Excepting, of course, the legendary (true/false? Discuss.) "Weekend" at the Hotel Du Cap (1951) From THE FIREFLY GIRLS ‘ON A SPREE’ (quoted with permission)
“... a fan- or bubble-dancer at the world's Fair”, said Miss Crimmins.
“What's that, Miss Crimmins?” said Emily Mann, her mouth full of brioche, and the flaky dough framing her mouth till it looked, for all the world, like the neglected entrance to a mouse mine.
“Oh, don't be such a goose”, said Molly Brown, as the hand of the European Gentleman next to her, stole up her leg, raising the plaid skirt, and then, descending down the white cotton panties—down, down, down...
See also
EXPO SUMMER
ART WITH LINT, by Richard Tinglsy Brice
For an overview of the author's works,
DAYS OF TORMENT, NIGHTS OF STREAM, by Mark Lanz, USAF, Ret.