Abercrombie & Fitch T-shirt: Wong Brothers

[tefunk]

Wong Brothers T-shirt



:Q

 

[dc]

dang... would've thought most people were above stereotypes set in the 1800's.

 

[HamSupLo]

lame concept and idea behind the tshirt.

never liked what Abercrombie & Fitch stood for from the beginning.

 

[Lucky]

lame shirt but i dont see whats wrong with it.

 

[b0mbrman]

<< lame concept and idea behind the tshirt.

never liked what Abercrombie & Fitch stood for from the beginning. >>


What do they stand for?

 

[dionx]

<< lame concept and idea behind the tshirt.

never liked what Abercrombie & Fitch stood for from the beginning. >>



what do they stand for? i buy their brand because i like the quality, comfort, and they look nice. to me, you cant put a price on those things. im willing to spend the little extra for them.

 

[habib89]

i'm chinese.. as a matter of fact, my last name is wong.. but i'm not offended by it.. i just don't get it... it doesn't really make sense

 

[b0mbrman]

<< i'm chinese.. as a matter of fact, my last name is wong.. but i'm not offended by it.. i just don't get it... it doesn't really make sense >>


In early Chinese American times, they couldn't get jobs in other businesses so they opened their own. One niche that needed to be filled was clothes-washing so they opened up Laundry shops

These guys were the pioneers of Chinese American folk...I'd almost be proud of them, willing to take up what was then deemed women's work in order to stake out their fair share of the gold rush moneys...

 

[The_Dude8]

A&F clothing r expensive. when did A&F clothing kater to asian??

 

[b0mbrman]

<< A&F clothing r expensive. when did A&F clothing kater to asian?? >>


When Asians started having money to spend

 

[shopbruin]

historically, the chinese have always been forced to do the less desirable jobs of society and one of them was to open up laundries, which were especially prolific in NYC's Chinatown.

chinese men were not seen as able to do "real" work and were often emasculated into traditional feminine jobs, such as laundrymen or house boys.

this shirt along with the slogan "two wongs don't make a right" plays on the historical role of chinese laundries and their least desired status in american society. the image plays on the slanted eyes image portrayed forever. you could even go further and say "two wongs don't make a right" and say "two chinese people aren't worth anything" (or that could be overanalysis or a&f trying to be witty)

kinda sad, since a lot of asians tend to wear a&f..

 

[HamSupLo]

To me, A & F is just preppy overpriced stuff with ads full of perdominately white wealthy pretty boy types. That's just my view and opinion. Is this Wong Brothers thing suppose to be fun and hip?

 

[Kermy]

Don't think this is "katering" to asians. Think this is still aimed for the upper-class suburban white teens looking for a decently cool looking t-shirt. Buying A&F is like paying 25% for the shirt and 75% for the logo.

 

[b0mbrman]

<< historically, the chinese have always been forced to do the less desirable jobs of society and one of them was to open up laundries, which were especially prolific in NYC's Chinatown.

chinese men were not seen as able to do "real" work and were often emasculated into traditional feminine jobs, such as laundrymen or house boys. >>


No white person said "Chinese man, do a girl job or I'll shoot you in the head." They took the laundry work because they could get it...the girly stereotype probably was reinforced from seeing them work at laundries, not the other way around

 

[HamSupLo]

In early Chinese American times, they couldn't get jobs in other businesses so they opened their own. One niche that needed to be filled was clothes-washing so they opened up Laundry shops

These guys were the pioneers of Chinese American folk...I'd almost be proud of them, willing to take up what was then deemed women's work in order to stake out their fair share of the gold rush moneys...

That's the underlying reason why I don't like the shirt. It disappoints me at this day and age that some people's history is caricaturized on some stupid t-shirt that cost freakin' $24.50. I'm not saying the cartoon is racist or anything, but it just reflects a lot of stupidity and ignorance.

 

[b0mbrman]

<< In early Chinese American times, they couldn't get jobs in other businesses so they opened their own. One niche that needed to be filled was clothes-washing so they opened up Laundry shops

These guys were the pioneers of Chinese American folk...I'd almost be proud of them, willing to take up what was then deemed women's work in order to stake out their fair share of the gold rush moneys...

That's the underlying reason why I don't like the shirt. It disappoints me at this day and age that some people's history is caricaturized on some stupid t-shirt that cost freakin' $24.50. I'm not saying the cartoon is racist or anything, but it just reflects a lot of stupidity and ignorance. >>


Heh heh. True.

BTW, have you guys ever seen that "Got Rice" t-shirt with the Asian guy caricature w/the pointy hat eating rice? I've seen loads of Asians wearing that stereotype around...as if it's cool when we poke fun at ourselves

 

[BillGates]

A&F clothes *is* expensive, but you're not very well informed, or extremely biased, if you think it is overpriced.

Try, for example, picking up a hooded sweatshirt from there in one hand and another from anywhere else. The weight difference is huge. A&F has the highest quality clothes out there for the must part.... The only thing more durable would probably be Carhartts, but I doubt you want to be wearing brown bibs and jackets around every day.

I think they bad mouthers of good stuff such as this are jealous because either they can't afford it, or they are intimidated by the good looking people who wear them

 

[Spoooon]

Yeah, that is kind of offensive. Why not make some sort of Sambo t-shirt while they're at it? Or maybe a caricature of a Jewish man, since they apparently own everything.

 

[Lucky]

their clothing may be thicker, but that certainly doesnt mean its more durable. I've had an even amount of clothes tear/wear down from AF as I have from the gap (which is pretty terrible quality, IMO).

 

[BooneRebel]

<<

<< historically, the chinese have always been forced to do the less desirable jobs of society and one of them was to open up laundries, which were especially prolific in NYC's Chinatown.

chinese men were not seen as able to do "real" work and were often emasculated into traditional feminine jobs, such as laundrymen or house boys. >>


No white person said "Chinese man, do a girl job or I'll shoot you in the head." They took the laundry work because they could get it...the girly stereotype probably was reinforced from seeing them work at laundries, not the other way around >>

Uhm, didn't America embrace Chinese slavery a hundred or so years ago? Like the railroad workers, etc.? I don't think they were necessarily emasculated, but were treated like second-class citizens in much the same way that blacks were, with the end result pretty much the same.

 

[abc]

there are many versions of the got rice t-shirt. i haven't seen the guy caricature like you state but there's a simple ricebowl one or another which has a rice cooker.

these shirts, a play off the 'got milk'ads, have been around for awhile. in a sense, the image the shirt presents is sort of a 'for u by u' play, because a non-asian wearing the shirt doesn't have the same affect.

take it as a hint of self-deprecation meant more for Asians to recognize each other for rather than made for the nonasians to be amused at us for.

although sometemes i have watched them seeing my shirt and have a semi-shocked-confused expression to themselves as if wondeing if i know what i'm doing or wearing, like if I can't understand english and just slapped something on to wear, dissing myself unknowingly - think as if somebody sticking a 'kick me' sign on your back.

 

[abc]

<< dang... would've thought most people were above stereotypes set in the 1800's. >>



not usually media entertainment and or corporate america though.

 

[mithrandir2001]

I own quite a bit of Abercrombie clothing though I don't wear it as much anymore. It does indeed wear better over time than some other brands, especially Gap and Old Navy. Yes, their hoodies are rather thick and heavy and I bought mine new off of eBay for $35, a bit less than the normal $59.50 price.

The only demographic I've seen in Abercrombie stores are Caucasians. Maybe the occasional Asian, but they are usually accompanied with white friends. Whenever I see flocks of Asians together shopping, they're in Banana Republic or J. Crew.

I think this t-shirt is one of Abercrombie's witty ploys. They tend to test the waters of questionable "taste", but I think that supports the brand's allure.

 

[Entity]

<< A&F clothes *is* expensive, but you're not very well informed, or extremely biased, if you think it is overpriced.

Try, for example, picking up a hooded sweatshirt from there in one hand and another from anywhere else. The weight difference is huge. A&F has the highest quality clothes out there for the must part.... The only thing more durable would probably be Carhartts, but I doubt you want to be wearing brown bibs and jackets around every day.

I think they bad mouthers of good stuff such as this are jealous because either they can't afford it, or they are intimidated by the good looking people who wear them >>


Either you don't know how to shop or you are just incredibly misinformed.

A&F clothing is not significantly higher quality than a number of other, less-expensive brands out there. It is better quality than a generic Target shirt; however, anyone who is thrifty in the least sense would not purchase their clothing thinking anything other than that they are buying a trend. From A&F you get quality and trendiness. If you were to take away the popularity factor, the justification of $60 for a hooded shirt would simply not be there. It is, consequently, overpriced.

If you think that A&F clothing is fairly priced, buy it. It's that simple. I don't, because in all honesty, I know what goes into making shirts like that; I can say, with no conscience, that it is not $60 worth of quality. You are paying for a name. I have other things to spend my money on, thank you.

I value my money. I could buy A&F clothing; instead, I buy outdoor gear. When you purchase anything, in a consumeristic society, you pledge a certain allegiance toward a set of ideals; the ideal that A&F supports and is supported by is white caucasians (those you call good looking). If you believe that you are buying A&F clothing simply because it is high-quality, you are deluded.

Rob

 

[vi edit]

<< Either you don't know how to shop or you are just incredibly misinformed.

A&F clothing is not significantly higher quality than a number of other, less-expensive brands out there. It is better quality than a generic Target shirt; however, anyone who is thrifty in the least sense would not purchase their clothing thinking anything other than that they are buying a trend. From A&F you get quality and trendiness. If you were to take away the popularity factor, the justification of $60 for a hooded shirt would simply not be there. It is, consequently, overpriced.

If you think that A&F clothing is fairly priced, buy it. It's that simple. I don't, because in all honesty, I know what goes into making shirts like that; I can say, with no conscience, that it is not $60 worth of quality. You are paying for a name. I have other things to spend my money on, thank you.

I value my money. I could buy A&F clothing; instead, I buy outdoor gear. When you purchase anything, in a consumeristic society, you pledge a certain allegiance toward a set of ideals; the ideal that A&F supports and is supported by is white caucasians (those you call good looking). If you believe that you are buying A&F clothing simply because it is high-quality, you are deluded.

Rob
>>



Can I get an amen?

The best sweatshirts I have ever bought were some champions on a Christmas sale at a local sporting goods store. They were $18 a piece and have lasted me through 4 years of college. Even if they did wear out, I could buy 3 of them for the price of one A&E.