Warning: The following story contains graphic images and material, and is entirely suitable for kids.
Jazmine Rivera, 14, and Luz Jaylene Torres, 13, right, model two more aspects of the graphic T-shirt c
...(more)
Brandon Morant, 18, left, shows off one example of what's popular in graphic T-shirts, which are the b
...(more)
Skull days, skull days ... This tee sports the skull look that's hot with the back-to-school crowd. We
...(more)
Why? Because "graphic" describes the hot item for back-to-school this fall — T-shirts emblazoned with oversized graphics or images.
"It's more of a big deal this year than other years," said Rafael Roman, assistant store manager for the apparel department at Sears, Park City Center, where tees showcasing star motifs, superheroes, "The Simpsons" and skulls — especially skulls — crowd the racks this season.
"Skulls are back again," said Sonya Cosentini, style expert for the T.J. Maxx retail chain, which has a branch near Park City Center in Lancaster.
The skull look appeared a couple of years ago when high-fashion designers such as Ralph Lauren and Alexander McQueen embellished clothes and accessories with the grim motif.
Now it's the kids' turn, with skulls smiling on big tees, sometimes as a single image, sometimes not; one shirt from Sears displays a skull and skeleton surrounded by roses and $100 bills.
What skull-mania means is anyone's guess. Nevertheless, "we're definitely going to have that," said T.J. Maxx's Cosentini via phone from Boston.
"There's a big emphasis on 'screen tees," said Roman, who noted that the style this year is to pair the silk-screen shirts with skinny jeans for "that punk-rock look."
Skinny jeans for girls, that is. Guys are still going oversize with their denims, but not as much as before, Cosentini said. Also, for tees, "layering is huge," she noted. Young women are wearing their graphic shirts with vests, and young men wearing them under hoodies.
"Graphic tees are
big for the kids," agreed Dara Colon, assistant manager at the downtown Lancaster branch of Sneaker Villa, a regional fashion chain. She gestured at shirts bearing images of superheroes such as Iron Man and bold statements from the Blac Label Premium brand reading "Evil Shall Perish," "History Shall Be Written" and, perhaps ominously, "Heaven and Hell Are Just One Breath Away."
Blac Label, Colon noted, "is a very big vendor" at Sneaker Villa. And, she added "all of our vendors are trending to hard-core graphics."
An example of that would be one brand Sneaker Villa carries, Miskeen. On Miskeen's Web site, designs range from abstract to animal prints and — yes — more skulls, but the emphasis is on artistic design, highlighted with bold, hand-painted looks and jeweled accents.
Style doesn't always come cheaply: Miskeen T-shirts can run in the $60 range and another brand, Coogi, features a tee with a large global motif print for $68.
That doesn't faze young shoppers like Brandon Morant, 18. He's a Sneaker Villa employee but a customer, too. He has several Coogi tees in his closet at home.
"Yes, I do," he said proudly. "That's a nice brand. The most expensive you can get."
Stephen Kopfinger is a Sunday News staff writer. Contact him at skopfinger@lnpnews.com or at 291-8799.
(138)
