I found this in my drafts last night. A post I wrote in April 2010, and yet not much has changed. I lost a bit of interest in clothes but still dress pretty much the same. I wore the mentioned glasses with photochromic lenses all over Southeast Asia, but my newest pair were scored free from one of Clearly Contacts facebook deals.

30.04.10

If you started reading Cupcakes and Mace last year when I actually wrote you’d know I’m a t shirt fiend. Also a sneaker fiend. (I also love cake and movies but we’re talking about aesthetics right now ok.)

A while back it was suggested on twitter that I probably have about 45 black t shirts in my wardrobe and while I thought that was a bit hyperbolic I wasn’t sure what the real number was.

It currently sits around 25.

Note that that does not include t shirts of other colours, or black shirts in other styles. It is purely black t shirts with prints. The kind you get from Threadless and 1-day tee, and I have no intention of stopping. It’s a shame I don’t have more amazing skirts to wear them with, but that’s another value the tees add – a great excuse to buy skirts!

The sneaker collection has not grown much. I found a bright white pair of high tops with blue gingham around the top and yellow straps, they were on sale too! How could I resist. And my chucks are worn in enough now to wear regularly without needing plasters every time I put them on.

Add a new found addiction to buying glasses online, and a recent upsizing of my tunnels and you can see where all the money I don’t spend on food goes. Goggles 4U and Zenni Optical are online glasses retailers I can recommend first hand. Buying glasses in New Zealand is an expensive and slow business. Go to optometrist > pick glasses > pay around $600 for glasses > get glasses a few weeks later. If you have your prescription though, you can pick from hundreds of awesome frames, pay around $40 and have them delivered to your door in less than a week, even though they’re coming from somewhere like China or Pakistan. Carazy. Most recently I got this red amber pair from Zenni Optical which sit and fit perfectly.

And this grey pair with grey photochromic lenses (they get darker in bright light) which are winging their way to me now.

You can also see that I have turned into one of those stupid hipsters everyone hates. I have tattoos, 1/2″ ear lobes and big nerd glasses; I pair t shirts and pencil skirts with tights and high top sneakers; I act like an adolescent even though I’m in my mid twenties; I don’t have a real job and instead spend my time going for coffee and listening to pop music covered by metal bands.

I’m a walking cliche. And I’m awesome.

Why yes, that is Che Guevara’s image depicted in toilet rolls

A few weeks ago I was contacted by T-post asking if I’d like one of their shirts. I took a look at their site, and discovered that their shirts aren’t like normal tees. They’re also micro magazines!

Printed inside each tee is an article that reflects both a current news piece, and the state of the world. The issues I have to give away are “Negotiating a War” this article is about music file sharing and the charges RIAA are claiming from small time downloaders; the other is “Spare a Square” which talks about Cuba’s current toilet paper crisis, they’re running out of it quickly! Alongside the article is a column about the tee designer.

T Post is a unique idea. You subscribe like you would to a magazine, receiving a new issue every 6 weeks and not knowing what will be inside till it arrives. Each shirt is exclusive, print runs are limited to the current number of subscribers and back issues cannot be ordered.

I’m extremely fussy when it comes to tees and I’m a good little bogan who only strays from black for special occasions. For this reason alone I turned down the offer of a free shirt and instead asked if I could give one away. Lucky for you they sent two.
Both shirts are womens medium. If that’s not your size don’t forget the other t shirt lovers in your life, you could score a unique xmas present for free!

If you’d like to win these shirts simply leave a comment letting me know. For extra entries tweet (include @msconstantine so I see it) or blog about the giveaway.

You have until the 20th of November.

My love of t shirts doesn’t extend far beyond a black base. Once you’ve got the black base sorted though I’m open to any number of funny witticisms and kawaii cartoons.

There is a vast array of indie t shirts available online. Most of the retailers you’ll find online feature designs from independent artists, often in limited quantities. Here are a few of my faves.

Also check out 1-daytee and TeeFury for limited 1 day only designs.

1. Robot love – Shana Logic
2. Crossbones classic – Johnny Cupcakes
3. I got one! – The Deep Blue (cafepress)
4. Frankencakes – Dotted with Hearts (etsy)

1. Shunnn – Film Cow (cafepress)
2. 7 legged spider – 27bslash6 (cafepress)
3. I’m blogging this – ThinkGeek
4. Ich bin ein nerd – Gifts for a geek
5. OMG Pwnies – ThinkGeek
6. Black Out – Vision and Indecision

1. I listen to bands that don’t even exist yet – Evan Ferstenfeld (typetees)
2. Beware of unicorns – Alex Solis and Matheus Lopes (threadless)
3. Fairy bread – Mr Vintage
4. i > u – ThinkGeek
5. Famous Nobody – Famous Nobody

T shirts and Sneakers.

There’s no point denying it. No point trying to fit in with the other girls. There’s no reason for me to try to wear high heels, elaborate swishing blouses, or huge cowl neck sweaters.
I can admire stilettos, platforms, and pumps as pieces of art. I want to buy them because they’re pretty, but I just can’t wear something that makes me that uncomfortable.

All colours and styles of shirt adorn my change room but the black t shirts are the only ones that get worn.

It’s always a thrill to find a t shirt that is fun and funky, black, in my size and,  in my price range. My biggest problem is I have no idea what I’m looking for until I find it. I’m extremely picky about what I buy. But I don’t know what to search for to find my ideal pieces. I’m not a label whore so I can’t even narrow it down by name.

Finding pretty sneakers is harder. When the shoe gods make sneakers available in shoe stores in as many varied styles and colours as they do for heels I’ll be a very happy lady.

So, there you have it. I don’t give a shit about the latest catwalk design that makes you look like you got caught on a barbed wire fence. I want tees. Witty, dark, and cute tees. And I want them paired with sneakers.

[pictured: Osiris Libra Girl (which I have!) and ThinkGeek t shirt (which I want need!)]