The New Shirts Are Here!

October 15, 2012 10:35 AM

The long awaited MetaFilter t-shirts are here.

It's been a long time coming, but we're finally selling some new shirts. There are three designs currently, a basic logo-on-the-front in black, a popular Flag It And Move On designed by mattdidthat, and blue_beetle's awesome quote about ads and customers drawn up in hand-lettering by Chris Piascik.

So go forth and enjoy some MetaFilter swag!

posted by mathowie (staff) to MetaFilter-Related at 10:35 AM (284 comments total)

Oh and the first run of shirts was all done on American Apparel shirts and it was a miscommunication mistake on my part. Future shirts will be on a different brand of shirt for obvious reasons, sorry about that.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 10:36 AM on October 15, 2012 [3 favorites]

Wait, where's the professional white background?

I like these
posted by Mayor West at 10:38 AM on October 15, 2012 [2 favorites]

i was just thinking about that American Apparel shitstorm that would have ensued. So thanks for killing that early.

But I do love the designs and will wait and get a FIAMO later
posted by ShawnString at 10:39 AM on October 15, 2012

No larger sizes for fat chicks? :(

Shirts look great, though!
posted by mollymayhem at 10:40 AM on October 15, 2012 [11 favorites]

WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT THIS AT THE MEETUP DUDE.

(sweet, ordered)

(also I put a Metafilter T-shirt in my video project)
posted by The Whelk at 10:41 AM on October 15, 2012 [1 favorite]

Shiiiiiiiiiiii~ These look great, matt.

Now I can just make "nuh-uh" noises and point at my shirt when people suggest crummy cloud solutions/ garbage social networks/ tupperware parties.
posted by boo_radley at 10:45 AM on October 15, 2012 [1 favorite]

I find MetaFilter selling its members "If you're not paying for it, you're not the customer; you're the product being sold" t-shirts to be somewhat ironic. (N.B. $5 does not "pay for it.")
posted by grouse at 10:45 AM on October 15, 2012 [15 favorites]

I am so excited.
posted by helicomatic at 10:47 AM on October 15, 2012

No larger sizes for fat chicks?

Yeah, this is an unfortunate truth. I am a mostly thin person with "average" sized boobs and the American Apparel ladies XL is snug on me.

For the maybe 3 people out there who aren't aware of how small the sizes run: purchase with caution!
posted by phunniemee at 10:48 AM on October 15, 2012 [11 favorites]

I actually really like the professional black background... the answer to "do you have enough black t-shirts?" will apparently always be "guess not."
posted by MCMikeNamara at 10:49 AM on October 15, 2012 [1 favorite]

Could I get a refresher on how American Apparel size their product? I am not one to wear tight-fitting shirts, but also don't like overly baggy clothes. I need the baby bear version of the two extremes, I guess.
posted by CancerMan at 10:49 AM on October 15, 2012

That said, I just bought one. First metafilter shirt, la la la!
posted by phunniemee at 10:50 AM on October 15, 2012

Oh and the first run of shirts was all done on American Apparel shirts and it was a miscommunication mistake on my part. Future shirts will be on a different brand of shirt for obvious reasons, sorry about that.

Will there be an update when the first run is gone, so that those of us who choose not to support AA can buy?
posted by chonus at 10:53 AM on October 15, 2012 [7 favorites]

Added to Christmas wishlist! Something to show off my proud membership to everyone else. :)
posted by RyanAdams at 10:54 AM on October 15, 2012

I find MetaFilter selling its members "If you're not paying for it, you're not the customer; you're the product being sold" t-shirts to be somewhat ironic. (N.B. $5 does not "pay for it.")

Congratulations I think you just got the joke.
posted by nebulawindphone at 10:54 AM on October 15, 2012 [5 favorites]

Also, it's not irony; those shirts are pretty much wrinkle-free.
posted by cortex (staff) at 10:55 AM on October 15, 2012 [41 favorites]

Will there be an update when the first run is gone, so that those of us who choose not to support AA can buy?

Yeah, I'll mention something on MetaTalk when new shirts are reprinted.

The other problem is all the alternatives I've come up and (and used in the past) are problematic as well. No other nice-fitting well-made tshirt is done entirely in the USA, all of them source their stuff in either Haiti, Guatamela, or Egypt, essentially sweatshop labor, and though AA's CEO is problematic, they're the only non-sweatshop shirt I (and the people that run t-shirt stores) can find.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 10:55 AM on October 15, 2012

MetaFilter selling its members "If you're not paying for it, you're not the customer; you're the product being sold" t-shirts to be somewhat ironic.

Not ironic. Just another example of what's wrong with the quote. Capitalist-normative?
posted by DU at 11:00 AM on October 15, 2012 [1 favorite]

Yes! My FIAMO shirt is reportedly on its way. Now, I must remember to look in the mirror before the grar gets big and mean inside.
posted by bearwife at 11:00 AM on October 15, 2012 [2 favorites]

Future shirts will be on a different brand of shirt for obvious reasons, sorry about that.

I'm not accusing anyone of anything short of the fullest of disclosure here but I feel like I'm potentially missing something with regards to AA/sweatshops and the eternal battle between good and evil here?

Insofar as good purchases are possible/feasible with clothing, I like to make them where possible. Hope me!
posted by RolandOfEld at 11:00 AM on October 15, 2012

Fun fact: Dov Charney is actually just a trenchcoat filled with two sweatshop laborers standing on each other's shoulders.
posted by phunniemee at 11:01 AM on October 15, 2012 [14 favorites]

Where are the mefittle shirts?

For, you know, the little people made by Mefites.
posted by zizzle at 11:05 AM on October 15, 2012 [3 favorites]

My good faith effort to determine the material of the shirt has failed. Are we talking 100% cotton here?

Cuz I'm delicate.
posted by Egg Shen at 11:07 AM on October 15, 2012

Oh, man, I was contemplating a TopatoCo order anyway to get a Beaton calendar for next year but kept putting it off.

I shall take this as an omen, and go forth and spend.
posted by rewil at 11:07 AM on October 15, 2012

Oh nooooooo we seem to be breaking TopatoCo.

I never thought that MeFites and Homestucks would be in that particular category together.
posted by Narrative Priorities at 11:15 AM on October 15, 2012

YOU ARE TEASING ME, DAMMIT. (The site is down.)
posted by zarq at 11:15 AM on October 15, 2012 [4 favorites]

This is what happens with a limited release, people try to buy it until it breaks.
posted by helicomatic at 11:17 AM on October 15, 2012

sob

no dinosaurs
posted by elizardbits at 11:18 AM on October 15, 2012 [13 favorites]

* Steve Martin mode *

THE NEW T-SHIRTS ARE HERE! THE NEW T-SHIRTS ARE HERE!

* end Steve Martin mode *
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 11:18 AM on October 15, 2012 [6 favorites]

There is no end to Steve Martin Mode.
posted by iamabot at 11:19 AM on October 15, 2012 [15 favorites]

This is what I get when clicking on it (IE8)

Fatal Error

Miva Merchant has encountered a fatal error and is unable to continue. The following information may assist you in determining the cause of the error:

Error Code: MER-DBP-BSK-00001
Description: mysql_execute: Incorrect key file for table './topatoco_mm5/s01_Baskets.MYI'; try to repair it
Other Information:
posted by jasper411 at 11:19 AM on October 15, 2012

There is no end to Steve Martin Mode.

You just level up.
posted by The Whelk at 11:20 AM on October 15, 2012 [1 favorite]

Getting same error as Jasper411
posted by to sir with millipedes at 11:21 AM on October 15, 2012

FATAL ERROR. Wow. I only just wanted to look at the shirts. I'm sure I've made worse mistakes than that already this year.
posted by Wolfdog at 11:21 AM on October 15, 2012 [10 favorites]

I can only assume that the sheer volume of demand for MeFi shirts is breaking the internet.
posted by 26.2 at 11:23 AM on October 15, 2012

FATAL ERROR on my end

"Miva Merchant has encountered a fatal error and is unable to continue. The following information may assist you in determining the cause of the error:

Error Code: MER-DBP-BSK-00001
Description: mysql_execute: Incorrect key file for table'./topatoco_mm5/s01_Baskets.MYI'; "

The baskets are breaking.
posted by TangerineGurl at 11:23 AM on October 15, 2012

FATAL ERROR!!

I was thinking that they would actually say Metafilter on them, but FATAL ERROR kind of has a ring to it, I guess.
posted by Elly Vortex at 11:23 AM on October 15, 2012 [7 favorites]

Description: mysql_stmt_store_result: Commands out of sync; you can't run this command now


I can't? How about now? ... Now? .... How about now, is this a better time? Work with me, here.
posted by rewil at 11:25 AM on October 15, 2012 [1 favorite]

To tide you all over, here's a picture of me in a MetaFilter cycling jersey, although to be honest you can't see the bit where it says MetaFilter and I don't know if you can get one of those anyway.
posted by Wolfdog at 11:26 AM on October 15, 2012 [3 favorites]

While we're all waiting for the shirts to go back up maybe now is a good time to speculate about Season 3 of Teen Wolf.
posted by shakespeherian at 11:26 AM on October 15, 2012

I got the same FATAL ERROR.

Maybe we should have "FATAL ERROR" t-shirts?
posted by ocherdraco at 11:27 AM on October 15, 2012 [5 favorites]

Or Teen Wofl, as the case may be.
posted by ocherdraco at 11:28 AM on October 15, 2012 [2 favorites]

I am pretty sure season three will also involve fatal errors of many kinds.

plus the egregious shirtlessness we have come to know and love
posted by elizardbits at 11:31 AM on October 15, 2012

Who wrote the product descriptions?
posted by CancerMan at 11:33 AM on October 15, 2012

maybe if i just hold down f5 it will make the site come back faster
posted by shakespeherian at 11:33 AM on October 15, 2012 [4 favorites]

Or Teen Wofl, as the case may be.

This show sounds brilliant.
posted by Wofldog at 11:34 AM on October 15, 2012 [7 favorites]

gasp
posted by elizardbits at 11:35 AM on October 15, 2012 [2 favorites]

From here, it looks like the whole Topatoco site is down. Their Twitter says they were going to add a bunch of new products today, so it may be a more general problem than just us all getting wedged in the doorway together.
posted by LobsterMitten (staff) at 11:36 AM on October 15, 2012 [2 favorites]

?SNA RO
posted by seanmpuckett at 11:37 AM on October 15, 2012

gasp

the infection spreads
posted by The Whelk at 11:37 AM on October 15, 2012

I like wofls.

More syrup?
  uh-huh uh-huh!
More butter?
  uh-huh uh-huh!
posted by seanmpuckett at 11:40 AM on October 15, 2012 [4 favorites]

If someone who still has the page open or can get to it through the back button could right-click and get links to the images and post them that would be super-duper.
posted by XMLicious at 11:42 AM on October 15, 2012

Wolfdog - That LeMond is a great bike. My husband had that one (but cracked the carbon and had to replace it). I had the LeMond Buenos Aries, but sold it after I got into a crash and didn't want to ride.

We both miss our LeMonds terribly. The geometry on those bike is so incredibly comfortable.
posted by 26.2 at 11:42 AM on October 15, 2012

I too am getting a fatal error message.
posted by Wordwoman at 11:44 AM on October 15, 2012

It replaced my old, all-steel Zurich, which... well! I used to go to bed with that bike at the foot of the bed so I could see it as I was falling asleep. The new one is perfectly functional and gets me places, but it doesn't earn teh love.
posted by Wolfdog at 11:47 AM on October 15, 2012 [1 favorite]

Kate Beaton's fans and MeFites have combined to form Voltron, Crasher of the TopatoCo Website.^tm
posted by infinitewindow at 11:48 AM on October 15, 2012 [3 favorites]

There is a large overlap in that venn diagram of internets nerdery.
posted by elizardbits at 11:50 AM on October 15, 2012 [1 favorite]

Here's a screenshot of the MetaFilter TopatoCo page.
posted by pb (staff) at 11:52 AM on October 15, 2012 [11 favorites]

Dangerous shirts, man.
posted by maryr at 11:54 AM on October 15, 2012

Good hell...I had no idea Miva still existed! I worked for a place in the late 90s that had most of its website written in MivaScript.

(stumbles away twitching about indexing the database)
posted by kimberussell at 11:56 AM on October 15, 2012 [1 favorite]

Not sure if the site is down or it's just my computer:

Fatal Error

Miva Merchant has encountered a fatal error and is unable to continue. The following information may assist you in determining the cause of the error:

Error Code: MER-DBP-BSK-00001
Description: mysql_execute: Incorrect key file for table './topatoco_mm5/s01_Baskets.MYI'; try to repair it
Other Information:
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 11:57 AM on October 15, 2012

Any chance of a blue logo shirt in the future? I made a promise to myself that I would not purchase any more black t-shirts.
posted by griphus at 12:01 PM on October 15, 2012

Fun fact: Dov Charney is actually just a trenchcoat filled with two sweatshop laborers standing on each other's shoulders.

Ah, is that how he manages to be twice the dick most people could dream of being?
posted by maryr at 12:01 PM on October 15, 2012

BP, have you noticed the rest of the thread?
posted by ocherdraco at 12:01 PM on October 15, 2012 [1 favorite]

Fun fact: Dov Charney is actually just a trenchcoat filled with two sweatshop laborers standing on each other's shoulders... but facing in opposite directions.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 12:03 PM on October 15, 2012

Not sure if the site is down or it's just my computer:

It's only down on Macs.
posted by shakespeherian at 12:04 PM on October 15, 2012 [12 favorites]

Yeah, that was a frysquint moment indeed.
posted by elizardbits at 12:04 PM on October 15, 2012

My pet theory is that Charney wanted to be a Larry Flynt-esque pornographer, but was turned down for the bank loan pulled a Keyser Soze it when he saw a Made in China label on the bank representative's coffee cup.
posted by griphus at 12:05 PM on October 15, 2012 [1 favorite]

u drunk bro
posted by elizardbits at 12:07 PM on October 15, 2012

zizzle: "Where are the mefittle shirts?

For, you know, the little people made by Mefites."

ITYM "mefunsie"
posted by boo_radley at 12:09 PM on October 15, 2012 [3 favorites]

Woven from the nipple hair of virgins indeed.
posted by seanmpuckett at 12:11 PM on October 15, 2012

...wut?
posted by maryr at 12:12 PM on October 15, 2012

Now we killed it -- too many connections.
posted by seanmpuckett at 12:17 PM on October 15, 2012

Fatal Error.
posted by Ironmouth at 12:17 PM on October 15, 2012

Man, I clicked those links in the flickr picture like I actually expected them to work. =(
posted by carsonb at 12:17 PM on October 15, 2012 [5 favorites]

its down on this PC too.
posted by Ironmouth at 12:18 PM on October 15, 2012

: (
posted by rachaelfaith at 12:21 PM on October 15, 2012

it's toast in Dubai.
posted by ambient2 at 12:24 PM on October 15, 2012

OK, so who ordered the bobby tables shirt ?
posted by k5.user at 12:24 PM on October 15, 2012 [4 favorites]

I'm getting "Temporarily Doing Some Maintenance! Be back at 8:30EST!"

So. Progress.
posted by merelyglib at 12:32 PM on October 15, 2012

Wow, that's a lot of hours of downtime.
posted by carsonb at 12:33 PM on October 15, 2012 [1 favorite]

This why we can't have nice T shirts. Our enthusiasm has killed TopatoCo
Temporarily Doing Some Maintenance! Be back at 8:30EST!
posted by Cranberry at 12:34 PM on October 15, 2012

I hope you all get your orders in and get your shirts.

Because no part of me wants to be part of a small, special group that got their orders in for this run of t-shirts under the wire before no more orders could be taken ever again so that I would have an extra special shirt.

No part of me at all.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 12:36 PM on October 15, 2012 [5 favorites]

Me, too, carsonb. Not with the expectation of being able to buy it, my brain could process "store is down" that far, but with the expectation that I'd be able to view the full design. Time to administer more caffeine.
posted by EvaDestruction at 12:37 PM on October 15, 2012

THE LONG-AWAITED METAFILTER T-SHIRTS ARE—wait, what?
posted by carsonb at 12:42 PM on October 15, 2012

I was promised Tshirts and there are no Tshirts.

WHAT.
THE.
FUCK.
MATT?
posted by Pogo_Fuzzybutt at 12:45 PM on October 15, 2012 [7 favorites]

I hope that the second non-AA run has 2X women's shirts. :/
posted by ApathyGirl at 12:47 PM on October 15, 2012 [15 favorites]

If you guys are still looking for shirt supplier alternatives, a friend of mine had a good experience with Cotton of the Carolinas.
posted by Narrative Priorities at 12:50 PM on October 15, 2012 [2 favorites]

If the choice comes down to shirts made by AA and shirts made by sweatshop labor, wouldn't it be better to stick with the AA shirts? Maybe?
posted by Justinian at 12:51 PM on October 15, 2012

Love the shirts! But yes, please, women's 2X in the next run would be much appreciated.
posted by rhiannonstone at 12:54 PM on October 15, 2012

Justinian: "If the choice comes down to shirts made by AA and shirts made by sweatshop labor, wouldn't it be better to stick with the AA shirts? Maybe?"

This may not be the decision you think it is.
posted by boo_radley at 12:56 PM on October 15, 2012

I love the new shirts. Alas, AA doesn't fit my beer gut particularly well, so I shall likely have to wait until the second run is available.
posted by asnider at 1:00 PM on October 15, 2012

I would wear the bejeezus out of a FATAL ERROR commemorative t-shirt.
posted by nebulawindphone at 1:05 PM on October 15, 2012 [7 favorites]

So — does Dov Charney use bejeezus? Better check first is what I'm saying.
posted by nebulawindphone at 1:06 PM on October 15, 2012

Noooooo!!!! My awesome basically unique FIAMO shirt is now available to the filthy masses?! Unacceptable!
posted by Navelgazer at 1:09 PM on October 15, 2012

I can't Google it up right now (at work) but the best fitting, comfiest, big girl girl-cut shirt I have I bought from the 2008 Obama campaign. Made in the USA, with Union labor (natch).
posted by JoanArkham at 1:13 PM on October 15, 2012 [3 favorites]

You killed Topato! He is made of poison!
posted by Nomyte at 1:14 PM on October 15, 2012

If you still have the shirt, JoanArkham, look up the manufacturer! I am yet another big lady that would like to wear a non-sweatshop shirt that actually fits.
posted by ocherdraco at 1:15 PM on October 15, 2012 [3 favorites]

We done broke Topato.
posted by Specklet at 1:18 PM on October 15, 2012

A couple notes from TopatoCo (hello I sort of make that run).

The site shouldn't have broken today (today's traffic is a drop in the bucket compared to a month from now), we're running complete audits and checking every node in the mainframe to make sure it doesn't happen again.

We have labored over the decision between horny creep and outsourced/exploited labor. Eventually we decided that the horny creep was the lesser of two evils (and provides faster turnaround, better availability, and in our opinion a better quality, more consistent product). I even got a personal phone call from with Dov Charney's assistant following these comics/comments (Dave C. Horny is an anagram for Dov Charney; I changed that after the phone call); despite even that I felt that 'twas better to have an American-made product than one made under at best questionable conditions (when people are looking).

Long story short I had a miscommunication with Matt at the very beginning and wasn't aware the extent of the sentiment here, and once we get through this print run we'll print on a different brand.

We'll get some wholesale info on that Carolina Cotton company.
posted by wigu at 1:20 PM on October 15, 2012 [43 favorites]

Thanks wigu!
posted by shakespeherian at 1:21 PM on October 15, 2012

Yeah, thanks for the update, wigu!
posted by ocherdraco at 1:24 PM on October 15, 2012

Now I want a real one and a hand-drawn knockoff one.

But neither on American Apparel.
posted by cmyk at 1:27 PM on October 15, 2012 [1 favorite]

Wow I just realized I made this comic almost SEVEN YEARS AGO.
posted by wigu at 1:34 PM on October 15, 2012 [2 favorites]

You are old and we shall soon die.
posted by shakespeherian at 1:40 PM on October 15, 2012

Topato rhymes with Potato?

I feel like I did when I was in High School and I learned La Jolla is pronounced La Hoya.
posted by ocherdraco at 1:41 PM on October 15, 2012 [3 favorites]

yeah, i'd probably overlook AA's horny creep problem (favoring their made in US stance) if they made their shirts for boobs to fit in them. i mean, if you're going to be a horny creep, at least look out for women who cart around more than a C-cup.
posted by nadawi at 1:42 PM on October 15, 2012 [24 favorites]

Great, my one chance to be cool and the site is down. And people wonder why I'm bitter.
posted by tommasz at 1:48 PM on October 15, 2012

While we're waiting for the site to come back up, let's look at Chris Piascik's work. I like his daily drawings.
posted by ocherdraco at 1:49 PM on October 15, 2012

The other problem is all the alternatives I've come up and (and used in the past) are problematic as well. No other nice-fitting well-made tshirt is done entirely in the USA, all of them source their stuff in either Haiti, Guatamela, or Egypt, essentially sweatshop labor, and though AA's CEO is problematic, they're the only non-sweatshop shirt I (and the people that run t-shirt stores) can find.

In case no one else has said this - Democratic campaigns usually buy their swag from union shops and there are lots of vendors who cater to this. I don't know any good union t-shirt vendors off the top of my head, but I can probably find one pretty easily if you guys would like when the time comes.
posted by lunasol at 1:50 PM on October 15, 2012 [2 favorites]

Topato rhymes with Potato?

topatoco is obviously pronounced "toppa-tohkoh", from bahasa toko = shop.

It's a play on Top Shop, in a pidgin English style.
posted by UbuRoivas at 1:51 PM on October 15, 2012 [1 favorite]

We'll get some wholesale info on that Carolina Cotton company.

Carolina Cotton? You mean the yodelling blonde bombshell?
posted by asnider at 1:57 PM on October 15, 2012 [2 favorites]

infinitewindow: "Kate Beaton's fans and MeFites have combined to form Voltron, Crasher of the TopatoCo Website.^tm"

Does that make Homestuck one of Prince Lotor's robeasts?
posted by radwolf76 at 1:59 PM on October 15, 2012

I think this outage is fake. It's just a ploy to increase our frothing demand for these shirts.
posted by subbes at 2:03 PM on October 15, 2012

Wow I just realized I made this comic almost SEVEN YEARS AGO.

Yeah, but you drew this one just last year and you have no idea how much I needed the laugh after all that bullshit.
posted by cortex (staff) at 2:06 PM on October 15, 2012 [8 favorites]

Will there be attempts to keep things in stock? To add new swag? Or is it going to be limited runs of these three and that will be that?

I shouldn't make a separate MeTa requesting a pony shirt, right?

Because I really want a pony shirt. It would be majestic.
posted by Mizu at 2:07 PM on October 15, 2012 [1 favorite]

Get a Sheriff Pony tee instead.
posted by infinitewindow at 2:12 PM on October 15, 2012

Oh snap, now I want a hotdog with macaroni on it.
posted by maryr at 2:12 PM on October 15, 2012 [2 favorites]

What I'm hearing is that the next shirt after this one should say:

MetaFilter: Ponies are majestic.
posted by asnider at 2:15 PM on October 15, 2012

This is what I get when clicking on it (IE8)

AND IT FEELS LIKE I AM JUST TOO CLOSE TO LOVE YOU whump whump whump whump whump whump whump whump whump THERES NOTHING I CAN REALLY SAAAAAAYouuuhauuuAAAAAYayyay whump whump whump whump whump whump whump whump whump I CANT LIE NO MORE whump whump I CAN'T HIDE NO MORE whump whump I GOT TO BE TRUE TO MYSEEEELEELLELF
posted by nathancaswell at 2:24 PM on October 15, 2012 [10 favorites]

I forgot two whumps but resisted editing to add
posted by nathancaswell at 2:29 PM on October 15, 2012 [9 favorites]

my husband and i make fun of that song constantly (hello fellow nfl fan! also, does it trouble you that MS thinks it can sell the nfl audience on IE with just a little indie-ish dubstep-y rock?).
posted by nadawi at 2:31 PM on October 15, 2012

Mefi went to TopatoCo and all I got was ...
posted by Catch at 2:34 PM on October 15, 2012 [1 favorite]

Can someone post pics of what the shirts look like? The linked store is down and I'm an impatient man.
posted by killdevil at 2:37 PM on October 15, 2012

Sure, I posted a picture of the shirts.
posted by pb (staff) at 2:40 PM on October 15, 2012 [5 favorites]

I can ask where we get our t-shirts from. They're union from top to tails, and are generally pretty comfy (they only get sucky when they get big swaths of that vinyl-y print blocks on them, but that's a general t-shirt complaint).
posted by klangklangston at 3:03 PM on October 15, 2012

Looks like the site is back up!
posted by meronym at 3:24 PM on October 15, 2012

I think we're back online now! topatoco.com/mefi/
posted by wigu at 3:26 PM on October 15, 2012 [1 favorite]

I find the sale of the first shirt ("not paying for it...") kind of sleezy, actually. Though Blue Beetle may have typed that into Metafilter, by no means is it his/her quote. I believe this has been pointed out repeatedly on the blue and grey and yet now you're selling shirts for it? Not cool.

I mean, I'm sure "Everyone's famous for 15 minutes" has appeared countless times by various MeFites--doesn't mean it should be passed off as theirs.
posted by You Should See the Other Guy at 3:49 PM on October 15, 2012 [3 favorites]

I'm not in the market this time around, but have to ask: are the feminine shirts that much preferable to the masculine, since the men's shirts do go up to 3x?

Seeing the crown over the "flag it..." thing is so funny. Most of the repurposed versions use their own device, but keeping the crown is somehow hilarious to me.

Very happy to see that other t-shirt makers will be considered for next run. I get why AA has the marketshare they do, but, man, he's a skeeze.
posted by batmonkey at 3:50 PM on October 15, 2012

Good artists borrow, great artists steal. -- shakespeherian
posted by shakespeherian at 3:50 PM on October 15, 2012 [2 favorites]

Good artists borrow, great artists steal. -- P.o.B.
posted by P.o.B. at 3:52 PM on October 15, 2012 [2 favorites]

It's a fucking t-shirt, for fuck's sake.
- Me
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 3:56 PM on October 15, 2012 [3 favorites]

As an endorsement for the idea of t-shirts:
I recently met another mefite at a random lake-side resort in western Kenya because I happened to have my 'I [+] MetaFilter' shirt on. It could happen to you!
posted by kaibutsu at 4:00 PM on October 15, 2012 [1 favorite]

"Todd Lokken"
--Todd Lokken
posted by nebulawindphone at 4:00 PM on October 15, 2012 [9 favorites]

Though Blue Beetle may have typed that into Metafilter, by no means is it his/her quote. I believe this has been pointed out repeatedly on the blue and grey and yet now you're selling shirts for it? Not cool.

First I've heard of this. Where has this been pointed out? And who said it first?
posted by grouse at 4:02 PM on October 15, 2012 [1 favorite]

(Also, I recently got peer review comments on a math research paper back. One comment was that 'stay calm and carry on' in the middle of the description of an algorithm was probably too informal for the electronic journal of combinatorics.)
posted by kaibutsu at 4:02 PM on October 15, 2012 [3 favorites]

Great timing - the neck on my grey 'I [+] Metafilter' shirt is pretty stretched out from my giant tree trunk-like ass.
posted by mintcake! at 4:07 PM on October 15, 2012

Squeeeeeee!!!!!!
posted by arcticseal at 4:10 PM on October 15, 2012

I believe blue beetle(IF THAT IS HIS REAL NAME?!) has also staked claim to "whoever smelt it, dealt it". I have my doubts as to the originality of that claim, also.

We need to get to the bottom of this people!
posted by P.o.B. at 4:10 PM on October 15, 2012

grouse - start here; there are links to previous discussions, mentions, and flayed horse carcasses.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 4:11 PM on October 15, 2012 [2 favorites]

TWEET THE CONSPIRACY
posted by mintcake! at 4:11 PM on October 15, 2012

Oh good. I stupidly bought my MeFi blue shirt in size M, but I have become so, uh, buff that it no longer fits.
posted by uncleozzy at 4:12 PM on October 15, 2012

batmonkey - yep! especially with AA. the women cut shirts have more space in the neck/shoulder chest area, then they might taper towards the middle, and then a little more give at the bottom to account for hips. the mens AA shirts are like an unforgiving, strangling tube. if you just size up, there's still not the right kind of neck room and you're swimming in the shirt just so it fits your hips.

one of my annoyances with buying geekware all over the internet is that mens shirts are often offered up to 3X, but women generally only get up to XL, and most of the XLs are more of an L. i know the practical reasons - men and women both do wear the mens style and every time you add a size you have to carry the stock and sizes are generally based on trends in fulfillment - i get all that, but it's still a bummer.
posted by nadawi at 4:14 PM on October 15, 2012 [4 favorites]

Good artists wallow, great artists squeal -- constantinthemarvellousrooster
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 4:14 PM on October 15, 2012 [3 favorites]

just us all getting wedged in the doorway together.

Spread out, ya numbskulls!

Coitenly!

*slap*

*bonk*

NAAaaAAaaAA!

Woowoowoowoowoowoowoo!

etc.
posted by cmoj at 4:19 PM on October 15, 2012

Does anyone know if these run big or small? I never seem to get the large or x-large shit right.
posted by phaedon at 4:30 PM on October 15, 2012

Here's the 2001 unisex t size chart.
posted by carter at 4:35 PM on October 15, 2012 [2 favorites]

If anybody has been lacking for a men's medium, gray 'everyone needs a hug' shirt, I've got a free one looking for a good home. Memail me if you're interested.
posted by 0 at 4:37 PM on October 15, 2012

And the ladies' 2102 size chart.
posted by carter at 4:39 PM on October 15, 2012

And who said it first?

I have no idea who said it first but I believe I encountered the idea in Jerry Mander's book, Four Arguments for the Elimination of Television, which was written in the late 70s. Or maybe in his In the Absence of the Sacred. I read both in 1991 or so. Pretty sure the topic is covered there and that Mander talks about it being an accepted wisdom in the world of TV ad sales.

I've pointed out on MeFi before that it's just a reworking of, "Look around the poker table. If you can't spot the mark, it's you." God knows when that adage was first spoken.

Regardless, if I saw someone wearing a t-shirt attributing it to a commentator on an online forum, I'd think them not very bright and the forum or t-shirt seller lacking in scruples, but I'm known to be a judgemental asshole so take that with a grain of salt.
posted by dobbs at 4:45 PM on October 15, 2012 [1 favorite]

I'm known to be a judgemental asshole so take that with a grain of salt.

I'd buy a t-shirt with that on it, though I'm pretty sure St. Augustine
said it first.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 4:50 PM on October 15, 2012 [7 favorites]

Ok, I bought one.

I'm a member of you guys now and you have to like me.

The standards of admittance for this organization are embarrassingly low.
posted by Pogo_Fuzzybutt at 4:55 PM on October 15, 2012 [3 favorites]

The photos on the TopatoCo site are pretty small so here's some large ones just in case you wanted to see more detail.

The "Product Being Sold" shirt

Closeup of the FIAMO graphic
posted by mathowie (staff) at 5:17 PM on October 15, 2012

Yeah the FIAMO graphic actually isn't just the same old crown, it's got a little [+] and a little ! in it....
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 5:18 PM on October 15, 2012 [12 favorites]

The thing with blue_beetle's phrasing of that is not that we're crowning him King Of Philosophers or claiming that the idea is his alone or his first—he, notably, has been very straightforward and humble about the fact that the idea was not new to him.

But his phrasing, at that moment, in that context, turned into kind of a thing, and that was cool. It went whipsawing around the net for a while, got retweeted a billion times, there were aftershocks for months, etc. It was a neat little phenomenon of something on Metafilter turning into something out there In The World, and that was fun to see.

It's a snappy phrasing, it was one of us, and it sort of blew up. It makes a good t-shirt. And we're operating at the level of "a t-shirt you can buy", not etching a moral code in stone for the ages. We don't actually need to seek out some way to see the shitty angle on everything, stuff can just be nice and fun and simple sometimes.
posted by cortex (staff) at 5:20 PM on October 15, 2012 [20 favorites]

and a little ! in it....

Whoa! I didn't see the negative-space ! mark this entire time until you said something. Wow, can't believe I missed that.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 5:26 PM on October 15, 2012 [2 favorites]

That "If you're not paying for it..." thing. It's like one of those optical illusions that sometimes looks like one thing; sometimes another. The Necker Cube. The candlestick/two faces. The old/young woman. The rabbit/duck. Sometimes it seems like a profound insight; then, in an instant, it seems like an almost perfectly empty soundbite. A deepity, as Daniel Dennett would have it.
posted by Decani at 5:47 PM on October 15, 2012 [2 favorites]

I'm in for 3, one of each style (because, hey, topatoco gives you $5 off when you buy 3!), including the one that really savvy people will know is wrong, but my neighbors aren't really savvy people so it'll be cool.
posted by oneswellfoop at 5:50 PM on October 15, 2012

omg wigu is a mefite!?! why does no one tell me the important things.
posted by juv3nal at 5:51 PM on October 15, 2012

I really really want to see an AskMe shirt based on laconic skeuomorph's idea from last month.
posted by mbrubeck at 5:52 PM on October 15, 2012 [2 favorites]

You guys should work out a deal with grumpy cat's peeps so we can have MeFi branded Grumpy Cat shirts
posted by Ad hominem at 5:56 PM on October 15, 2012

Matt, you know I love you for including a 3XL this time, but for $21.50 plus shipping I expect it to include at least a hand job.

SAIT.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 5:56 PM on October 15, 2012

Surely there can be more options for t-shirts? Even the last run had like 2 or 3 choices.
posted by dhruva at 5:57 PM on October 15, 2012

yes, juv3nal, wigu is a MeFite, as are clango and toothgnip. They all joined up in 2002, when the Internet Venn Diagram of MeFi and Webcomics had its greatest overlap. I know there are others who have dipped their toes in the blue, but can't identify them right now.
posted by oneswellfoop at 6:09 PM on October 15, 2012 [1 favorite]

YES! I have been waiting for this! Ordered!
posted by Lutoslawski at 6:15 PM on October 15, 2012

Oh, crikey, I just noticed that that 'product being sold' thing is actually attributed to 'blue_beetle, Metafilter'.

Huh.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 6:23 PM on October 15, 2012

Attempted to order, twice, and something happened on the handoff between PayPal and TopatoCo and it didn't go through. At least I didn't get a confirmation and my PayPal account still shows no transactions today, so I guess no shirt for me.

C'est la vie.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 6:33 PM on October 15, 2012

For anyone looking for a size comparison, here is one of the last batch of Mefi t-shirts, in 3XL, laid over a Russel Athletic 3XL shirt. And for another size comparison, here is the Mefi 3XL shirt laid over a Russel Athletic 3XL t-shirt, being attacked by Mister Vimes with a stuffed toy in his mouth. Mister Vimes refuses to flag it and move on.

The Russel Athletic shirt is fairly baggy on me, but I've lost over 60 pounds this year and the Mefi t-shirt is still too tight to wear in public, even though according to the labels they're the same size.
posted by ralan at 6:34 PM on October 15, 2012 [1 favorite]

I was promised Tshirts and there are no Tshirts.

WHAT.
THE.
FUCK.
MATT?

Sorry, that one was strictly limited edition.
posted by Devils Rancher at 6:57 PM on October 15, 2012 [2 favorites]

Waitaminute, waitaminute.

Where's the dinosaur one?
posted by carter at 7:20 PM on October 15, 2012 [1 favorite]

Matt - will there be reprints if stock runs out?

Only reason I ask is that we have a Calgary meet-up tomorrow and I'd like to arrange a group order so we save on shipping etc. to the Great White North.
posted by arcticseal at 7:23 PM on October 15, 2012

If there are reprints of the MetaFilter one can they be on grey, not black? People with cats and/or long hair don't do so good with black clothing...
posted by These Birds of a Feather at 7:34 PM on October 15, 2012

Specifically, can they be on t-shirts that are the color of my cat?
posted by nebulawindphone at 7:36 PM on October 15, 2012 [3 favorites]

There are... Oglaf T-Shirts?
posted by Artw at 7:49 PM on October 15, 2012

>Jessamyn: Yeah the FIAMO graphic actually isn't just the same old crown, it's got a little [+] and a little ! in it....

That is ridiculously cool! The handlettering, by the way, is really pretty in a chunky 'hell yeah awesome but snarky' way.
posted by undue influence at 7:59 PM on October 15, 2012 [1 favorite]

Yeah, I'm going to need something in a brown heather. I think that's as close to tabby as we're gonna get.
posted by maryr at 8:08 PM on October 15, 2012

The [+] ! crown details put me over the edge.

Plus I love supporting the TopatoCo crowd on principle.

ORDERED.
posted by Narrative Priorities at 8:12 PM on October 15, 2012

So, I might've bought the FIAMO T-shirt before even opening up this thread. Buy it and move on, I guess?
posted by RainyJay at 8:25 PM on October 15, 2012

I recently met another mefite at a random lake-side resort in western Kenya because I happened to have my 'I [+] MetaFilter' shirt on. It could happen to you!

Certainly not looking a gift horse in the mouth, but I would to see a few of those older designs on sale, too. I missed out last time.
posted by smoke at 9:04 PM on October 15, 2012 [5 favorites]

Ideas for Shirts:

"DTMFA"
"Metafilter:"
"Banhammer" (with appropriate graphic)
"$5, just like in town" (in Metafilter colors)
"IAMNAL"
"I think you meant to post that to the green."

hey, it's late, I've got nothing better to do
posted by HuronBob at 9:12 PM on October 15, 2012 [2 favorites]

Yay! Ordered a 2XL which should fit over my XL pear. Thanks for the size info y'all.
posted by wallabear at 9:15 PM on October 15, 2012

DINOSAUR
posted by elizardbits at 9:20 PM on October 15, 2012 [4 favorites]

So I like the blue beetle quote shirt and all, but y'all know what pays the bills around here right?
posted by GuyZero at 9:23 PM on October 15, 2012

Yeah, that 'I [+] MetaFilter' shirt is on my wishlist.
posted by ApathyGirl at 9:58 PM on October 15, 2012 [5 favorites]

I think someone could probably sell Dov on slick 3D dinosaur models in ads going forward.
posted by carsonb at 10:12 PM on October 15, 2012

So I like the blue beetle quote shirt and all, but y'all know what pays the bills around here right?

Is it drugs? It's drugs, right?
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 10:42 PM on October 15, 2012

Sort of. Matt gets a kickback from all the psychiatrists we tell people to see over in AskMe.
posted by nebulawindphone at 10:52 PM on October 15, 2012 [2 favorites]

Yay, ordering in the middle of the night (CDT) with no problem.
"Achievement Unlocked! Made a Responsible Purchase from TopatoCo!"
posted by a humble nudibranch at 11:23 PM on October 15, 2012

Hey. Thanks.
posted by sacrifix at 11:51 PM on October 15, 2012

What an awesome detail - seeing it embiggened made it much clearer! Now it makes me think very slightly less of the Izzard "have you got a flag?" joke when I see it.

I like the idea that if a shirt design run has been in the past, it's done. But, then, I also liked collecting limited run jelly-coloured 7" vinyl, so what do I know?

Understood about the f vs. m cuts. That would be irritating.
posted by batmonkey at 12:41 AM on October 16, 2012

We don't actually need to seek out some way to see the shitty angle on everything, stuff can just be nice and fun and simple sometimes.

Been here long?
posted by ambient2 at 12:46 AM on October 16, 2012 [1 favorite]

"Error Message: You have accessed your account from a sanctioned country. In accordance with international sanctions regulations, you are not authorised to access the PayPal system."

Nooooooooooooo
posted by hellopanda at 1:53 AM on October 16, 2012

Hm, whacking on the postage cost after buyers confirm their order is bit cheeky, but I did expect to pay it anyway, so no biggie. (I was totally hoping that since I confirmed my order with the total saying "$18.50" that I wouldn't have to pay the postage because I'm just that special. That said, $6.12 for postage to Australia is very reasonable!)

Now to sit by my mailbox until my super awesome t-shirt comes!
posted by Defying Gravity at 2:46 AM on October 16, 2012 [1 favorite]

... whacking on the postage cost after buyers confirm their order is bit cheeky ...

Not cheeky. Totally sleazy, and a deal breaker for me.
posted by Bruce H. at 3:09 AM on October 16, 2012 [1 favorite]

Not cheeky. Totally sleazy, and a deal breaker for me.

Well, to be fair, it does specify the postage cost when you select your preferred shipping type before the last step, it's just not added to the total displayed. I think it's more of an awkward-e-commerce-set-up thing, than an evil-underhanded-ploy-to-cheat-you-out-of-more-money thing. I do agree that the final total displayed before you confirm should include the shipping cost for clarity's sake, though.
posted by Defying Gravity at 3:21 AM on October 16, 2012 [1 favorite]

Yeah, I didn't see an option to get the total amount including postage confirmed with paypal, though the postage calculator says it would cost roughly fifteen bucks to ship four shirts (getting my Oglaf and QC shirts at the same time).
posted by MartinWisse at 3:48 AM on October 16, 2012

I think it's more of an awkward-e-commerce-set-up thing, than an evil-underhanded-ploy-to-cheat-you-out-of-more-money thing.

I know the people who run Topatoco. They are good people and not sleazes. It's unfair to accuse them of sleaziness when there are other perfectly reasonable explanations possible.
posted by inturnaround at 6:29 AM on October 16, 2012

Yeah, that 'I [+] MetaFilter' shirt is on my wishlist.

I'd like a reprint of these, too, ideally in the fabled W2x size that this run apparently doesn't have, either. I'm about a 12/L in normal people clothes, and WXL doesn't fit me--I really think you're cutting out a lot of people by not including larger women's sizes.
posted by almostmanda at 6:42 AM on October 16, 2012 [2 favorites]

I know the people who run Topatoco. They are good people and not sleazes. It's unfair to accuse them of sleaziness when there are other perfectly reasonable explanations possible.

Yeah... not what I was suggesting at all with my comment.
posted by Defying Gravity at 6:44 AM on October 16, 2012

got a request for the next batch (that'd be the batch with the women's 2X, right?!?) --- could we have some with a V-neck, instead of all crew-necks?
posted by easily confused at 7:03 AM on October 16, 2012 [6 favorites]

Awwwwww MAN already out of my size. Here's hoping for a quick reprint!
posted by lazaruslong at 7:11 AM on October 16, 2012

Yeah, that 'I [+] MetaFilter' shirt is on my wishlist.

I'd like a reprint of these, too, ideally in the fabled W2x size that this run apparently doesn't have, either. I'm about a 12/L in normal people clothes, and WXL doesn't fit me--I really think you're cutting out a lot of people by not including larger women's sizes.

Just came to voice support for this too. Pleeeeeeease I'm so sick of big boxy man shirts and don't have time to alter them right now!
posted by brilliantine at 7:16 AM on October 16, 2012 [4 favorites]

The Quaker school I work with gets its t-shirt runs from No Sweat/Windjammer.
posted by cocoagirl at 7:24 AM on October 16, 2012 [1 favorite]

Should I ask here or at TopatoCo about why there's only one run of FIAMO in black? I want a women's shirt, AA XL won't fit me, and Catholic school gave me an allergy to navy.

HOT DAMN THERE IS A BEATON VELOCIPEDESTRIENNE SHIRT ... sadly also in AA ... but at least in W2X, so I've got half a shot of it fitting! Woo!
posted by EvaDestruction at 7:58 AM on October 16, 2012

wigu is a MeFite, as are clango and toothgnip.

KATE BEATON COME TALK TO US WE HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS ABOUT SEXY BATMAN
posted by mintcake! at 8:05 AM on October 16, 2012 [6 favorites]

John Campbell at least used to read Metafilter although I don't know that he ever had an account.
posted by shakespeherian at 8:15 AM on October 16, 2012

ApathyGirl: "Yeah, that 'I [+] MetaFilter' shirt is on my wishlist."

So do we need a kickstarter-type thing for this, or should we just pre-order or what are you thinking, Matt?
posted by boo_radley at 8:22 AM on October 16, 2012 [1 favorite]

Ideas for Shirts:

"DTMFA"

MetaFilter: DTMFA
_{- Dan Savage}
posted by asnider at 8:28 AM on October 16, 2012

Unfortunately, trying to buy a Mefi shirt has dropped me into the cauldron of temptation that is TopatoCo.
posted by L'Estrange Fruit at 8:31 AM on October 16, 2012

I thought I was being organised and careful, because I consulted the size chart before ordering my women's M t-shirt. Now I read all the above posts and I'm scared I'm going to receive something sized appropriately for my 5 year old to wear!
posted by Joh at 8:46 AM on October 16, 2012

The women's small is pretty much identical in size to all other women's small shirts I have ever owned, if that helps. I am not toddler sized.
posted by elizardbits at 9:26 AM on October 16, 2012

Hooray for shirts!
posted by mlle valentine at 9:49 AM on October 16, 2012

I don't do t-shirts- but I would LOVE the customer/product quote on a coffee mug. Or as a desktop background.
posted by cilantro at 10:36 AM on October 16, 2012

Joh, American Apparel stuff is just junior's sizing (so roughly a size smaller than regular women's clothing). There's not a lot of chest room (in case that's an issue) and they're on the short side (the length works for me, but only because I'm also short). But the size chart is pretty accurate, so I wouldn't worry about it.
posted by topoisomerase at 10:37 AM on October 16, 2012

I'd be up for pre-ordering if that helped Matt determine volumes required.
posted by arcticseal at 11:18 AM on October 16, 2012 [2 favorites]

THE MEFITES GET SHIRTS.

That's just the fucking way it is.
posted by AugieAugustus at 11:39 AM on October 16, 2012

I don't know any good union t-shirt vendors off the top of my head, but I can probably find one pretty easily if you guys would like when the time comes.

My SO works for a union, so we have a lot of union shirts around. I just checked and they were all from Union Line. Most of their t-shirts are more like Hanes Beefy T cut and weight though, so you would have to be careful and look at samples. The girlie Ts are nice though.
posted by smackfu at 11:55 AM on October 16, 2012

I can't see the negative space [+] or !. Can someone hope me?
posted by garlic at 11:57 AM on October 16, 2012

The [+] in white as the jewel of the crown. It can also be used for bookmarking. The ! is in negative space below it.
posted by maryr at 12:27 PM on October 16, 2012

Or it might be easier to see the !s in the fleurs-de-lis, at first.
posted by EvaDestruction at 12:31 PM on October 16, 2012

Metafilter's deep ties to Imperial France are well documented.
posted by The Whelk at 12:41 PM on October 16, 2012 [2 favorites]

What do you mean House of Bourbon doesn't mean what I think it does?
posted by zamboni at 12:50 PM on October 16, 2012

so it helps to be looking at the right shirt design. Oops.
posted by garlic at 1:44 PM on October 16, 2012

Metafilter's deep ties to Imperial France are well documented.

If you have a MetaFilter Gold account and manage to get banned, you get a free one-way ticket to Elba.
posted by griphus at 1:54 PM on October 16, 2012 [2 favorites]

It isn't in the FAQ, but when I hit 7500 comments on the blue my Gold account got upgraded to Black automatically. Now I get confused whenever I see people requesting that the IMG tag come back.
posted by shakespeherian at 1:59 PM on October 16, 2012

Is MetaFilter Black the one with the professional mahogany with sterling inlay background?
posted by griphus at 2:05 PM on October 16, 2012

That and the expense account, yeah.
posted by shakespeherian at 2:11 PM on October 16, 2012

I just have the MetaFilter membership that came free with my Costco card.
posted by maryr at 3:20 PM on October 16, 2012

I joined long before money was required to sign up. I have been just sorta hangin' out here, waiting for the opportunity to say, "I've been expecting you, cortex. What took you so long?"
posted by Danf at 3:25 PM on October 16, 2012

Next week I'm going to Costco on my Metafilter points.
posted by arcticseal at 3:40 PM on October 16, 2012

I would dearly like to have one in the color scheme of The Blue, The Green and/or The Gray. Any chance of that?
posted by michaelh at 3:40 PM on October 16, 2012 [1 favorite]

You get 3% back on meetups, arcticseal. I got 2 lbs of stale almonds with mine.
posted by maryr at 3:47 PM on October 16, 2012

I dunno, the last medium Metafilter t-shirt I ordered that was made by American Apparel did not survive the dry cycle very well, and is now a belly-shirt on me. Which, you know, has its own appeal. But I'm not sure I agree that to figure out AA's sizing, you should just order one size up...

This time around I want to order an extra large, then. But I see all the XL women's are in "reprinting" status.

Are these being reprinted from the AA t-shirt stock? 'Cause if so, I'll go ahead and order. But if the next round is NOT AA t-shirts, then I'll want to size down...
posted by artemisia at 4:52 PM on October 16, 2012 [1 favorite]

No larger sizes for fat chicks? :(

American Apparel men's/unisex medium FTW.
posted by limeonaire at 4:56 PM on October 16, 2012

It's unfair to accuse them of sleaziness when there are other perfectly reasonable explanations possible.

You have seen Topatoco Founder Jeffrey Rowland's "journal comic", haven't you? He is totally upfront about his sleaziness, incompetence, gullibility and all-around lack of fitness to run a business. Which makes him more reliable than 90% of people in the business of selling stuff on the Web. (I'm looking at YOU, Bezos.)
posted by oneswellfoop at 6:06 PM on October 16, 2012

No larger sizes for fat chicks? :(
American Apparel men's/unisex medium FTW.

Yeah, and then you get tight-chest/saggy-waist syndrome. It's not at all flattering. And judging from the frequency of "I need a F+ cup size bra to buy locally, where do I go" AskMe threads, there are a number of well-endowed MeFites...although that's anecdata, not stats.
posted by smirkette at 7:25 PM on October 16, 2012 [3 favorites]

carter writes "Here's the 2001 unisex t size chart."

I'm not sure how to interpret that chart. If I measure around my chest at 49" does that mean a 3X is going to fit sort of loose? 'Cause I usually wear a 2X but all this talk about tending small has me worried.
posted by Mitheral at 7:30 PM on October 16, 2012

Also the black FIAMO shirt says no reprint. Does that mean no reprint ever or no reprint on AA shirts?
posted by Mitheral at 7:31 PM on October 16, 2012

Mitheral - I interpreted that as being the shape/size of the t-shirt itself, if you laid it down on a flat surface. So I measured a couple of other t-shirts I had that fitted, to see what size I would need. Which was L, which was about what i expected anyway.
posted by carter at 7:34 PM on October 16, 2012

No larger sizes for fat chicks? :(

American Apparel men's/unisex medium FTW.

You must be joking. Or at least, bragging that this is the size you wear, because that shirt doesn't even come close to being suitable for plus-sized or well-endowed ladies.

Just for funsies...

Men M | WomXL| Wom 2X
38-40" | 40-42" | 44-46" CHEST
32-33" | 33-35" | 36-38" WAIST

Yeah. Not even close.
posted by ApathyGirl at 7:43 PM on October 16, 2012 [4 favorites]

carter writes "So I measured a couple of other t-shirts I had that fitted, to see what size I would need. "

Duh! I should have thought of that.
posted by Mitheral at 7:50 PM on October 16, 2012

I got one for myself and the same one for my husband because of a recent post on the blue.
posted by HMSSM at 9:07 PM on October 16, 2012 [1 favorite]

Wait, Jeffrey got married to Tallahassee Econolodge? AWESOME
posted by infinitewindow at 9:28 PM on October 16, 2012

boo_radley: "zizzle: "Where are the mefittle shirts?

For, you know, the little people made by Mefites."

ITYM "mefunsie""

ITYM "Mefunsies for Weefites."
posted by IndigoRain at 4:23 AM on October 17, 2012 [2 favorites]

I am a product. I like this. Thank you #1
posted by infini at 7:23 AM on October 17, 2012

How about using Everlane shirts next time? They're $15 each, made in the US, incredibly soft. I just bought a couple and they might become my go-to for basics in the future.
posted by peacheater at 9:10 AM on October 17, 2012

They would really need to offer wholesale pricing. AA may sell their tees to the public at $18, but the wholesale price is $6-$10 depending on volume.
posted by smackfu at 1:24 PM on October 17, 2012

Mefunsies for Wheeeefites sounds like a MefightClub tagline that would start me giggling uncontrollably after several beers, as I sometimes do.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 3:55 PM on October 17, 2012

Mitheral - I mailed Matt the other day and he said there would be reprints.

Don't quote me.
posted by arcticseal at 4:18 PM on October 17, 2012

These Birds of a Feather: If there are reprints of the MetaFilter one can they be on grey, not black? People with cats and/or long hair don't do so good with black clothing...

I'd also put in a vote for MeFi logo shirts on grey.
posted by JiBB at 4:21 PM on October 17, 2012

I think the black ones are limited because they're not the color we originally ordered and so they did a few on black and realized this and the rest will be on the more "traditional" color. Check with Matt to be certain, but the black ones are limited because they were sort of accidental but still totally decent shirts. So, there are fewer black, more of the other color, and any reprints will be on non-AA shirts according to what Matt's said so far.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 4:24 PM on October 17, 2012

Thanks for the info; I didn't want to risk them selling out while I was at school today so I pulled the trigger last night and my black shirt is on the way.
posted by Mitheral at 5:33 PM on October 17, 2012

I am currently wearing my new FIAMO shirt. It's nice.

Thanks for making shirts happen (again).
posted by helicomatic at 7:44 PM on October 17, 2012

Here... take my money!!!!
posted by PROD_TPSL at 12:35 AM on October 18, 2012

When people get their shirts if they wouldn't mind posting photos of them we'd love to see them.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 2:55 PM on October 18, 2012 [1 favorite]

Just ordered mine! Too bad I cheaped out and went for the international ground mail (two bucks compared to the $20-60 for other methods, c'mon!) but I'll be waiting eagerly! Maybe I shall forget and it'll come as an awesome surprise.
posted by addelburgh at 6:10 PM on October 18, 2012

Just got mine in the mail, yay! Very, very nice.
posted by bebrave! at 2:38 PM on October 19, 2012 [1 favorite]

My new FIAMO T-shirt can be viewed here on my Twitter.

(almost didn't take a pic, but then I saw jessamyn had asked for pics, and then I had to.)
posted by RainyJay at 3:29 PM on October 19, 2012

It came today. The puppy was unimpressed.
posted by phunniemee at 4:11 PM on October 19, 2012 [1 favorite]

He's still grieving.
posted by shakespeherian at 5:02 PM on October 19, 2012 [1 favorite]

I have a photo of me wearing the shirt. And nothing else.
posted by Justinian at 6:36 PM on October 19, 2012

Mine came today! I tore the box open while I was outside and ten thousand cat hairs drifted from the house and glued themselves to the t-shirt.

So it's broken in.
posted by merelyglib at 7:58 PM on October 19, 2012 [2 favorites]

Got my "limited edition" black tee yesterday.

Ordered a 2XL which should fit over my XL pear. Thanks for the size info y'all.

This worked, at least on out of the bag trying-on. Nicely loose but not baggy. Can't launder yet (my water main is busted) but keeping my fingers crossed. An XL would not have worked.

I've bought Union Line and Lifewear Inc tees and have been happy with them. Pearl Jam's fanclub tees are by Bayside. I haven't had size issues with these. There are lots of union-made, USA made tees. This is my first AA tee and I'm glad the size issue came up. Thanks again.
posted by wallabear at 12:04 PM on October 20, 2012

My shirts arrived today! Hurrah. And they should shrink well!
posted by theBigRedKittyPurrs at 3:13 PM on October 20, 2012

MetaFilter: I forgot two whumps but resisted editing to add
posted by one more dead town's last parade at 4:27 AM on October 22, 2012

The screen printer that Topato uses mentions Royal Apparel pretty prominently on their site, & they're a good, union, USA made shirt. It seems a pretty short stretch to get us back into those. I recall they were sized about like the Skeevo-Shirt, so it shouldn't be any massive adjustment to get those going on the next batch.

I was a little sad that I didn't get to print this round, but am glad it's in the hands of another long- time member running a small business. I need to get me the FIAMO shirt, for sure.
posted by Devils Rancher at 4:49 AM on October 22, 2012 [1 favorite]

Wow. I ordered the day after the t-shirts were announced and juuuust got my email notification that it shipped. Yet I see other people have had their shirts for days. WTH?
posted by rabbitrabbit at 10:45 AM on October 22, 2012

You could email them and find out but three guesses:
1) your size/colour/logo combination got misplaced in the warehouse; took them this long to find it.
2) some problem with your credit card processing
3) the box with your shirt in it fell off a conveyor or something in the fulfillment centre and it took them this long to notice that the pick order went out but the order was still pending shipping.
posted by Mitheral at 4:42 PM on October 22, 2012

Ordered on the 15th. Order status: "workin' on it" -- WORK HARDER, SHIRT ELVES!
posted by potsmokinghippieoverlord at 6:52 PM on October 22, 2012

The problem is sometimes the shirt elves get kidnapped and chloroformed by the machine elves and by the time anyone figures out what's up it's just grade-A havoc up there.
posted by cortex (staff) at 7:43 PM on October 22, 2012 [3 favorites]

If you had installed the orgone accumulator like the OSHA guy suggested this wouldn't be a problem.
posted by griphus at 7:45 PM on October 22, 2012

Just a data point for those who have not yet received (or worn) their shirts - if you have sensitive skin, you might want to run them though a wash cycle first. I wore the FIAMO shirt to work yesterday (and got some laughs, one coworker pointed out that it was the perfect QA shirt) and my skin felt as if it was on fire by the end of the day.
posted by theBigRedKittyPurrs at 5:21 AM on October 23, 2012

I took my chances with the cheap shipping and mine arrived in Canada today. There is hope for the internationals.
posted by Cuke at 11:57 AM on October 23, 2012

I ordered my FIAMO shirt on the 17th and got it via USPS yesterday. I ordered the basic "Metafilter" shirt on the 15th, shipped via FedEX, and it's still not here but should arrive today or tomorrow. It got stuck in Utah for two days for some reason. I shan't speculate.

The 3XL is nicely baggy around my rotund torso and long enough that the roll of my belly isn't exposed when I stretch. So, woo! Fancy t-shirts!
posted by malthusan at 12:46 PM on October 23, 2012

Finally got to launder my tee (yay, running water!) and sure enough, the 2XL is an almost-snug on XL me. Again, thanks for the AA size info. I'd've been so pissed if it was unwearable.
posted by wallabear at 7:57 PM on October 23, 2012

Looks like TopatoCo is starting to make the switch over to Royal Apparel. There's a note on the Paying For It Shirt that says: "This shirt will begin shipping around 25 October (delay due to Royal Apparel switch)!" And Royal Apparel is listed as the shirt type at the bottom of the page.
posted by pb (staff) at 10:38 AM on October 24, 2012 [1 favorite]

My L trad Metafilter logo on black is here. Looks great! It was worn through the first part of Hurricane Sandy ...
posted by carter at 7:24 PM on November 3, 2012

Has anyone gotten their Paying for it Shirts yet? I ordered mine three weeks ago, and the status is still "Workin' On It."
posted by topoisomerase at 10:14 AM on November 4, 2012

I just got my order today!

I got a FIAMO and a Paying for It. They're pretty awesome.

Also, the Royal Apparel shirts are basically a billion times more comfortable and flattering than the AA ones.
posted by topoisomerase at 9:24 PM on November 7, 2012

My shirts are here! Huzzah!
posted by potsmokinghippieoverlord at 4:31 PM on November 8, 2012

I'm wearing a MeFi shirt ("paying for it") RIGHT NOW.
posted by rmd1023 at 5:26 AM on November 10, 2012

Finally got my 3 ordered shirts (2 "You're not the customer, You're the product" and 1 "FIAMO") yesterday, Nov. 10, for an order placed Oct. 16. The yellow printing on the "You're" shirts is cracked in some places, and seems likely to flake off soon. I wouldn't wash either of these shirts, if I expected them to be readable, afterwards. The "FIAMO" shirt seems better printed, but frankly, if I looked at any of these in a vendor booth at, say, an airshow, I'd never buy them, because of a very poor quality impression.

Inquiries to Topatco in October quoted October 25 as a ship date, due to cut over to alternate brand T-shirt supplier. I bought these 3 shirts as Halloween costumes for my 2 dogs and me, but never got a straight answer from Topatco regarding delivery. They "cutely" promised me additional, unasked for "gifts" as a makeup for late delivery, but I've seen no such "gifts," either.

Eh, $60+ for late delivered, unusuable, crap quality Halloween costumes...

Maybe they'll be useful as wood fire starter wick material, this winter. Then again, I usually use 4/0 steel wool and paraffin starters, and they work fine. Why would I change, when just throwing out these shirts, to be buried in a landfill, is the simpler course?
posted by paulsc at 10:50 PM on November 11, 2012 [1 favorite]

MetaFilter shirts still say American Apparel, and they're back in stock, so apparently they did a reprint on AA. Any word on the switch to Royal Apparel for the plain MetaFilter shirts?
posted by rabbitrabbit at 11:01 AM on November 12, 2012 [1 favorite]