Shirt #3 - A Hawaiian Shirt for the Trip to Cancun

Manufacturer: Tori Richard Ltd.
Brand: Tori Richard Hawaiian since 1956
Shirt Name: Tori Richard Hawaiian Tiki Shirt
Year Purchased: 2000

Big shout to James Cater and Kev Black (a.k.a. Brik Mason) and our post college spring break trip to Cancun! Not only did I have this great shirt but I also fought with Montezuma's Revenge and lost. Somehow after a late night of partying I though Water = Sick but Ice = Mmmm. James remember shutting down the sewage system in that small Mexican town...I can only hope they're back up by now.

Now you know a brother could not not go to Cancun or any beach city without a Hawaiian shirt. In our week long trip I think I got 3 wears out of this shirt walking up and and down the beach trying to work my charm.

I haven't worn the shirt much since then, but it does come in handy for the occasional work Hawaiian Shirt Day, ha that makes me think of Office Space. There's a Bill Lumbergh in every office across America.

So this classic shirt is a beauty. If you let me keep it I will for sure bring it will be on every beach trip I take.

Please use the voting buttons to tell me if I should Keep, Donate, Burn, or Frame it.

Shirt #2 - Me & My LL Bean

Manufacturer: LL Bean
Brand: LL Bean
Shirt Name: Wicked Good Flannel Shirt
Year Purchased: 1994

Yeah, when I was in high school I was on an LL Bean kick. It's all thanks to my Aunt Rosie, the greatest aunt anyone could have. You see, she had a thing for LL Bean. For all of her nieces and nephews going off to college she even hooked us up with LL Bean luggage (with monogramming) so we could go off to school in high style.

Oh, so back to the shirt. I wore this shirt more like a jacket through high school and college. It was one of the 7 (yes 7) layers of shirts I would wear through those cold Northeast winters. It's oh so soft and although it is flannel material it still lets me keep my sense of cool because it's not mountain man plaid. I was high styling in this shirt and I could be styling again if you vote right. Yeah it's a bit on the tight side, but I'm working on that.

Please use the voting buttons to tell me if I should Keep, Donate, Burn, or Frame it.

Shirt #1 - And with the 1st Pick...The Mecca Orange Plaid Shirt

Manufacturer: Mecca USA
Brand: Mecca Shirts
Shirt Name: The Mecca Orange Plaid Shirt
Year Purchased: 2002

For all of you NYC heads out there, remember when the Mecca clothing line was popular? It was some time after Karl Kani and Cross Colours, but there was a time when a Mecca T-Shirt was cool. Well those days still ring true to me, so I bring you a highly fashionable Mecca short sleeved button down. It's got a bit of a plaid design, but is highly fashionable.

I bought this shirt in 2002 to celebrate my weight loss. Man, that was probably the most fit I've ever been...funny what you end up doing after getting a decent severance check when your company gets bought out. Oh, and let's not forget the NJ unemployment pay which at the time was $8 more per week that NY. I spend 8 months not even thinking about a job and was at the gym 4 times a week, and get this...I was going in the early mornings. Metrocard in hand taking 2 buses to be at the gym by 8a!
Big shout to the NYC Parks & Recreation gym on 134th & Madison. They had the smallest track ever, 36 lapst to a mile, but it was great for a guy like me who had never run before, or since ;). It was easy to keep setting a "go one more lap" goal. Good times indeed.

So with all that background, I offer this classic shirt up for your deliberation. Yeah, it's a little tight right now, but I'm 4 weeks into being back at the gym (you can find me during the 6am hour at the X-Gym in Seattle).

Please use the voting buttons to tell me if I should Keep, Donate, Burn, or Frame it.

In the beginning there were shirts

OK friends, I just want you to know that I have shirts.
Short & Long Sleeves
Button Downs & Polos
Plaids & Stripes
Logoed & Plain
Tees & Dress
Collareds & V-Necks
Sweaters & Sweatshirts
Rec League Jerseys & Company Shirts
...and a whole bunch more.

Here's a pic of my closet at the start of this adventure.

The oldest shirt i have on record is from the 9th grade, 1991. It was the shirt I wore on the first day of school and I just know I was fresh. There's a good story behind that shirt that I can't wait to tell, but all in due time.

So here's the deal, I have a closet that is too full and I want some new shirts. I have about 110 shirts hanging in my closet and another 30-40 neatly folded away in my drawers. With that many shirts, before I can add to the collection I must first purge and I want you all to take that journey with me.

The plan is to wear all of the shirts in my closet and drawers and make a decision on what to keep, donate, burn in effigy, or frame it and put it on the wall. In fact, I want you to help me decide with your comments.

When I post my shirt for the day, let me know if it's:
"A Keeper" - you want to see me in it don't you
"Worth Donating" - you think it would look much better on someone else
Time to "Burn Baby Burn" - you wonder why are you wasting space and my time with that crap
Time to "Frame It" - your fist thought is Oh SNAP, that shirt is Def (btw, why are you thinking in 80's slang)

Happy reading