Thursday, January 29, 2009

Are Obama Shirts going to be the New Ed Hardy?




You have all seen people on Television wearing the colorful animal print Ed Hardy clothes. Particularity the Reality TV programs on VH1. The line is by a guy named Christian Audigier. This guy has mailed his clothes out to virtually every celebrity in this galaxy and many who have been photographed on planet Earth have been happily sporting his threads. I even own 1 Ed Hardy tiger t shirts myself and another of from Audigier's Smet Line. If you ever see me wearing these clothes in person feel free to punch me in the gut.

These Ed Hardy T shirts are getting a bit played out. Now that so many people are wearing this gear it dilutes the brands exclusivity. Remember those Von Dutch line of trucker caps and clothing? Who is rocking that stuff now? Not any big name Retailers like Macy's, Nordstrom's, or Sach's, are carrying Von Dutch. Now they are all equipped with the Ed Hardy Clothing Displays.

In this economic crisis who wants to spend $80.00 for a T-Shirt? Why not support our new President and the United States of America with a similar flashy sense of fashion using President Obama as the Image of inspiration? Surely the inspiration and idea of Obama is a more positive role model for young children than Ed Hardy Tattoo inspired clothing designs.

The Obama T-Shirts are made locally by local people, and they support the local economy. They put the fate in the hands of the people. They are a new business created out of no where. This is exactly what the country needs. Kinda of.

Some people are saying Obama should get a piece of this mass merchandising using his image and likeness, yet if he actually enforced this no one would be buying anymore Obama T-Shirts. The demand would then shift for Obama Toilet Paper.

The question still remains, for 2009 and Beyond are Obama Shirts going to be the New Ed Hardy?

Thursday, January 22, 2009

The Inauguration of Obama




I drove down to Washington DC this weekend for the Inauguration festivities for our 44th president Barack Hussein Obama. The spirit was flying high in the air as the crowd sang and danced during the "We are One" concert live from the Lincoln Memorial presented by HBO. Featuring celebrities like Denzel Washington, Tiger Woods, Ashley Judd, Samuel L. Jackson, Tom Hanks and music from U2, Stevie Wonder, Usher, Shakira, Beyonce, Garth Brooks, Bruce Springsteen and many many more.

When the massive display screens around the National Mall showed President Obama clapping, grooving and singing everyone in the crowd went wild. Little Kids jumped up on top of the hundreds of porta poties for a better view and had be to asked to leave by a squad of 30 MPs and a 12 police on horseback. Even when people were being helped off the potties, they did so in good spirit.

My second favorite part of the Inauguration was the street entrepreneurs selling Obama Merchandise. Something tells me that if John McCain had won the election people would not have been selling rhinestone hats and t-shirts.

The Downtown Washington DC scene over the weekend was packed with many inauguration events and star studded, in the midst of the parties, the glitz and the glamor everyone felt history being was made. Less than 60 years ago schools and public areas were segregated by race and now America has elected its first African American President. This is the American Dream.

Obama's first address to the nation acknowledged the many problems we are facing and the long road ahead, and inspired hope that we will eventually overcome these challenges. The Honeymoon period is officially over. History has already been made. We all know the significance of his election as the leader of the free world.

Now President Obama is accountable for delivering on the promise of "change" that he built his campaign on.

Friday, January 2, 2009

Who Even Reads this Blog?

An odd question to ask. But Who really reads this? I write so infrequently who reads my words? Just thinking out loud here.