IN society today, you express yourself with how you look. People can’t read your mind, and neither can they get to know everything about you in an instant, so the best way you can give others a sneak peek of your personality is with your style: your hair, your accessories, and most importantly, your clothes.
When slogan tees started emerging in the 1960s, many hopped on the trend, until it came into its own in the 1980s. As Katharine Hamnett, one of the fashion designers that made slogan tees a thing said, “They’re tribal; wearing one is like branding yourself.”
For Hamnett, wearing slogan tees–political ones in particular–helped to give her a voice.
And of course, when it comes to speaking up for what you believe in, the Philippines doesn’t fall short.
There are a number of clothing brands in the country dedicated to giving people a voice based on what that they wear; whether it be through feminist messages or one’s political agenda, there’s something for everyone.
Here are some of our favorites when it comes to statement tees in the Philippines.
Hysteria’s brand has long been known both for its hilarious statement caps and tees that resonate with Filipinos, and for ones with more serious, political messages that reflect the hardships we go through on a daily basis.
The brand’s most recent collection, for example, features a “Goodbye philippines, hello cavite” statement cap and a shirt that says “Serotonin, P120 per kilo.” Some of my favorites are their “And if I die, play Budots at my funeral” and their “F*ck off China” tees.
It also offers unique original designs that only Filipinos can relate to, such as Lumpiang Shanghai and Filipino calendar polo shirts, and even good morning towel bucket hats.
Teen Idle has a variety of shirts for badass feminist Filipinos and Filipinas alike. It started to blow up initially because of its “Raise boys and girls the same way” and “Support your local girl gang” tees, and have since continued to make clothing with messages that are just as important.
What separates Teen Idle from the rest is that its words don’t just stop at shirts – they’re written across panties, too.
Bringing truth to the words “pussy power,” Teen Idle has released many underwear designs with political messages written on them, such as their thongs that say “Defund NTF-ELCAC,” “No to Marcos Maharlika Fund,” “No love 4 da pulis,” and also one that advocates for safe, legal abortions.
And of course, it has more non-political designs if you’re just looking for a cute pair of panties, like their “Yes homo” and “Private tortures” panties.
Spirituality and edgy statements are, I think, the best words to use to sum up Vestigial 47’s shirt designs. The brand tackles a variety of topics through its shirts, like how God views us, or how we view God, and just our mortality as human beings in general.
This much can be seen in its most recent collection. One shirt states that the wearer sees themselves not as a male or a female, but as a mere entity. Another pokes fun at our concept of Heaven, saying “I went to Heaven and it looks like the wallpaper from Windows XP 2001.”
Vestigial 47 also has statements about people’s outlook in life, like their shirts that say “My delusion has helped me live this long,” and “The more you know, the more you know that you don’t know sh*t.”
As a local business dedicated to “doing it for the girls and the gays,” The Barbara Co has several designs meant to empower those that wear them, like baby tees that say “Pussy Power” and “I Love Men.”
Similar to Teen Idle, it also has statement tees that make impactful feminist statements. One of these reads, “I’m not sorry about your fragile masculinity”– and as you should, queen! As you should.
The Barbara Co reminds you that you are a hot girl, and you shouldn’t let anyone else allow you to think otherwise.
Though it’s currently on a break because the owner, Barbara Ibarra, is in the midst of finishing her thesis, we can’t wait to see what they have in store for us when it comes back this June.
If you’re looking for cheeky, flirty statement tees that say “Can you kiss me now?” or “Tell your boyfriend he’s a great kisser,” Especially in Love is the place to check out.
Like the designs of The Barbara Co, its statement tees are reminiscent of the ones we’d see on Britney Spears or Paris Hilton in the early 2000s – who can forget Hilton’s iconic “Stop being desperate” tank top, or even Spears’ “Dump him” tee that she wore after her breakup with Justin Timberlake?
And from the romantic aesthetic of its tees to its posts to even the packaging, we’re sure that it will be releasing designs of a similar nature in the future.
Though Especially in Love has only released these two tees so far, we can’t wait to see what else it has in store.
