Tee Time

After being guests on ARC's podcast, we asked to interview their CEO, Lloyd Lewis. We sourced many of our questions from Instagram followers, in an attempt to get the answers you wanted to hear most. How do you price items? Do you pay sub minimum wages? What do you look for at the thrift? 

The gang assembles to reflect on Philly. We'll be back soon with more educational content! Email info@thriftcon.co with topics you'd like us to discuss. 

The gang talks with Legiteem8 cofounders Jimmy (also founder of longtime defunkd) and Amir (owner of citees) about their new app Legiteem8! Legiteem8 is a free tool vintage resellers and collectors can use to authenticate and appraise their vintage tees. We cover what led them to make the app, the challenges they've faced so far, the different tiers of authentication, and what the future holds for Legiteem8. Tune in for some great insight and download the app to start authenticating your collection today!  NEXT EVENT: ThriftCon Philly | Sunday August 28th 2022 | Philly Expo Center (Oaks, PA)

ThriftCon took it's talents to Houston on July 10, so the gang got together back home to talk about the good, the bad and the ugly of the event, plus updates on plans for future shows. 

The gang gets together following a brief hiatus to discuss the rise of retro and vintage influence in popular new fashion. Topics discussed include Gecko Hawaii, Amazon, Sean John, Levi's, Jnco, Nike, Urban Outfitters, H&M, Abercrombie & Fitch and more.ThriftCon is also coming to Houston on July 10th at the NRG Center! 

The gang recaps ThriftCon Atlanta in audio form. ThriftCon is returning to Denver on Sunday April 24, 2022! Presale tickets on eventbrite. 

The gang offers their take on 3 different articles in the news recently.1. Rubi Labs Releasing Magic Air Fabric That Hopes to Clean Up Our Mess  https://techcrunch.com/2022/02/16/rubi-laboratories-co2-capture/2. WEAVE 2.0 Winners Announcedhttps://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/fashion-made-sustainable-designers-rethink-how-fashion-meets-architecture3.  New York State Fashion Sustainability and Social Accountability Act https://www.littler.com/publication-press/publication/fashion-industry-meets-human-rights-due-diligence-new-yorks-proposed

Back at it again in the white Vans. The gang dives into the early history of Vans, focusing specifically on Vans' Co-Founder Paul Van Doren. Tracing the history of Vans all the way back to Keds and Randy's Shoes. Vans rose its rise to fame on four wheels alongside and a bunch of misfits known as the Z-Boys. It was a bumpy ride to the top, including bankruptcy, 2 acquisitions and a failed fling with breakdancing shoes... but Vans has solidified itself as one of the premier sneaker brands in the United States and world. Tee Time is also on Youtube! 

Tee Time season 2 is back with a take at the look of the History of T-Shirt Activism. The squad first touches on some news about ThriftCon Atlanta, then runs through some background T-Shirt history, then dives into some examples of t-shirts used as symbols of activism through the decades. Finally, our special guest Marc Richardson joins us to talk about his recent Grailed article, "A History of the T-Shirt in Protest, Politics and Activism" Follow Marc Anderson on Twitter: @quicklongread

The boys are back from LA and the holidays and got on record to talk about LA and what we have coming up for 2022. We take it all the way back to early 2021 when we booked LA and talk about why we chose the space we did, the challenges that came with it and how it all ended up going down. Overall, LA was one of the coolest ThriftCon events we've ever held and we appreciate everyone who was apart of it in any fashion. At the end of the episode we look forward towards 2022 and break down our plan / schedule for this year. Hitting a lot of the same markets and venues but sprinkling in a few new ones as well! 

Hola migos! We're here to kick off season 2 with a banger. In this week's episode, we cover the (seldom talked about) history of Liquid Blue and actually get to host our first ever guest on Tee Time, OG Liquid Blue artist and designer, Brian Fox. We take you briefly through the history of Liquid Blue and then get right into our interview with Brian where he shares some special stories and insights into what those early days at Liquid Blue looked like, who designed some of the most collectible LB tees, how he used his own face for the 'Puck Head' tees, where life took him after Liquid Blue and so much more. Whether you collect Liquid Blue tees or you are a struggling artist trying to find a path, there are a ton of gems packed into this interview just for you. Can't wait to stop by Brian's studio next time we're in Boston and buy him a beer ;)

TEETIME IS BACK!! #THEDROUGHTISOVERPT73 The boys are back from a long hiatus and we are ready to roll for Season 2 of the ThriftCon podcast. Lotta firsts in this episode; first time recording with our own equipment, first time recording in the new office, first time we filmed the whole episode for YouTube if you wanna look at our ugly mugs while we talk instead, etc. Listen in as we recap our entire 2021 and what kept us away from recording this whole year as well as dive into what we have in store for the new and improved version of the TeeTime =) 

THE DROUGHT IS OVER!! For our 13th episode, we cover the life and work of iconic Harlem born fashion designer Dapper Dan. From his early days of hustling dice games on the streets of Harlem, to selling bulletproof minks, to being recognized as one of the world's most influential designers, Dapper Dan has always made waves no matter where he went. We talk about how Dan grew from a fashion no name to a sought after underground clothing designer for hustlers and celebrities and also cover the moment he was thrust into the spotlight, prompting all the luxury brand houses whose imagery he was using to bring the swift hammer down on his operation, issuing cease and desists and confiscating garments and machines.. But after a quick 20 year stint back underground, Dapper Dan was finally given his flowers.

The boys are back for another quick dig and this episode we are going back over the wondrous year and time that has been 2020 :) Ahhh wasn't this year grand? We start from the beginning, talk about what he had planned, how Miami went and then how the whole world pretty much went to shit haha. Ken leads the way this episode and gives some cool insight as to what it's like trying to keep TC thriving during the pandemic, why we weren't able to do all of the things we wanted this year, and what we have on our board for next year. Happy New Year you filthy animals

Back with another quick dig! In this episode, we cover what YouTubers hail as "the most hated man in streetwear" (lol), aka Warren Lotas, and his months long legal battle with Nike, which has just this past week finally come to an end. We cover some of the young designer's early work and how he broke into the conversation in the streetwear world, what he was up to the past few years, as well as his controversial NOT DUNKS that were released this year, which he was then hit with a very public lawsuit for by Nike. We ALSO discuss the difference between retros, customs, bootlegs, flips, and fakes and get down to the bottom of what's what. NOTE: This will also be our first episode uploaded to YouTube so check us out there https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCl0UGrYQRLowcqTSlfglCfA

We are finally back with another full length episode. Did you miss us? In episode 12, we cover the history of sneaker and sportswear behemoth Nike. We talk about how its founders, Phil Knight and Bill Bowerman, built one of the largest brands in the world off of a $1000 loan from Phil's dad and a couple lies to some Japanese businessmen. From selling shoes out of a trunk to a wildly successful IPO, these guys did it. This is also a special episode because it is accompanied by our first ever merch collab with Backstock Co. We made these fire Bootleg Nike tees with Phil and Bill all over them and they are now available for a limited time on bootlegisbetter.com so check em out and cop one to support!

ANOTHER QUICK DIG! In this episode we talk about how clothing donation sites in China are being greenwashed to make people think they are going to help those in need, when in reality, the clothes are either being burned or exported. NOT CHILL. We also talk about how this relates to and differs from clothing and textile recycling in the U.S. HINT: We aren't much better lol. Listen as we take you through a quick 30 minute jaunt with some valuable info for the next time you want to annoy someone at a party. And, as always, if you listen on Spotify make sure to Follow the show, and if you listen on Apple Music don't forget to rate and review the show so we can keep moving up the charts ;).

QUICK DIGS! This episode is the first of a new format we're trying over here at Tee Time called 'Quick Digs'. Quick Digs as in shorter episodes and quicker dives into a broader range of topics, aka whatever we feel like talking about that week. This gives us a chance to drop episodes more regularly as well as start to feature some guests on the show (which we will definitely be doing in the coming weeks). For the first episode of Quick Digs, we do a deep dive into the ThriftCon mission statement, how we formed it, and what it means for us as a company. We break it down line by line, word by word and show you how each word was carefully and deliberately chosen. Sounds boring, and maybe it kinda is! But it's important and we love being transparent with our process in the off chance it may help or inspire someone to create something amazing down the road. BONUS: if you listen til the end we give another update as to when and where the next ThriftCon might go down ;)

In episode 11, we cover one of the most recognizable names in fashion and the Queen of punk herself, Vivienne Westwood. We are back after a short hiatus following ThriftCon Denver and this episode is the perfect way to jump back in. We cover from Westwood's early days of making her own clothing and attempts at selling her own handmade jewelry into her introduction and relationship with Malcolm McClaren. That duo would reign over the 70s and 80s and created an entire movement and helped to spark the punk scene in music and fashion. Eventually breaking things off, Westwood would go onto become a household name in the fashion world in her own right as well as a committed activist taking a firm stance on causes such as climate change, civil rights and freedom of speech. Also Fireflies by Owl City might be the new song for our credits and if this episode gets removed from the airwaves now you know why. 

In episode 10, Mars and Ken breakdown what it was like to throw a ThriftCon event during a pandemic. This is the first episode since #1 that didn't cover a topic because we felt like it was time for an update. We cover the ins and outs of the Denver event, the time leading up to it all the way up to the event itself and how it differed from our normal events aka the good, the bag and the ugly. We also touch briefly on what we have on the board for the next few months as well as when and where the next ThriftCon might be going down! HINT: It's not Delaware.

In episode 9, we wrap up our first TWO PART series with the conclusion to the Adidas vs. Puma story. In part two, we see Horst locked in not only a battle with his cousins Armin and Gerd at the helm of Puma, he is also engaged in an internal struggle with his own parents for control of Adidas, all the while pioneering the world of sports marketing and advertising. After the death of his father, Horst is left to run the company as he sees fit, and while he grew Adidas to unimaginable heights, he had some bumps and bruises along the way, and would come to learn a new arch nemesis in the likes of a small American operation by the name of Blue Ribbon Sports (aka Nike). Listen for more and for the conclusion to this amazing story. MORE COLLUSION, MORE CORRUPTION, MORE INTRIGUE!

In episode 8, we cover the story of two brothers, Adolf 'Adi' Dassler and Rudolf 'Rudi" Dassler and their lifelong feud that ultimately led to a family rivalry that would shape the modern world of sports and sneakers as we know them. These two would go to any length to one up the other, and ended up duking it out for the biggest athlete's in the world to represent their brands, and they got there through backstabbing and collusion. Listen as we tell the story of how the two brands came to be superpowers in the sports world, and how the the two brothers would pass along their rivalry to their sons and anyone who worked for them. And we do this all while failing miserably at attempting German accents. P.S. strap in! This one is gonna be our first two parter. Part two dropping next week!

In episode 7, we cover Patrick Kelly, an iconic designer who made waves in the fashion world with his reappropriation of racist imagery in his designs as well as his incorporation of his own life experience into his work, having grown up a gay black man in Mississippi during the Jim Crow era. Patrick Kelly eventually had to leave his hometown and America altogether to be able to realize his own version of the American Dream. Kelly's influences are still heavily felt in the streetwear and haute couture world today, so it is only right that we share his story, as we feel his name is lesser known than it should be in our community.

Episode 6 was pre-recorded 7 weeks ago, when our world was in a much different climate, which is why we do not address the current issues or make any statement towards the current protests but we are firmly standing with all of our brother and sisters of color and with the Black Lives Matter movement. In this episode, we talk all about fast fashion and how even though it seems like a short term positive being cheaper and more accessible, ultimately you end up spending more and having a larger impact on the environment. This is a topic that we feel strongly about and one of the values that we have based our entire business around. So sit back and get educated on the world of fast fashion and why you should ALWAYS shop local or shop vintage if you can. SHOP VINTAGE. REDUCE WASTE. SAVE THE PLANET.

In episode 5 we take you through the history of Patagonia and the life of Yvon Chouinard as told by the man the himself in his book 'Let My People Go Surfing'. Patagonia is by far one of the most, if not the most woke company of all time. We take you through Yvon's climbing and living on the beach days into the heyday of Chouinard climbing equipment, then through the early days of Patagonia right on into the badass, environmentally conscious, billion dollar force for good that they are today. This is a great story and if you want to learn more about the Patagonia's business strategies, policies and impacts on the world check out Yvon's book! (Also P.S. I made a mistake at the VERY beginning of the timeline haha Yvon was born in 1938, NOT 1935 haha besides that we were flawless all episode)

In episode 4 we give you an update on where things are at with ThriftCon and we breakdown the history of fabric dyes, from all the naturally occurring dyes right into the synthetic ones that we see being used more recently. We also have our first "sponsor", My Potty Pal, and we tried to make the sound better again but kinda fucked up so Mars sounds like he's talking through a phone sometimes. Get over it.

In episode 3 we break down the history of Levi's, the 501s themselves, and give you everything you need to know about dating vintage Levi's that you find in the wild. We start off with the history of the company itself and how the 501s came to be, then make our way into where Levi's is at today, and finally finish up with all the info you could ever need on Levi's tags, stitching, eras, etc. Also - we got better mics for the house so it sounds less like shit this week ;)

In the 2nd episode of Tee Time, we recap the good and bad of Miami, touch on the Rona and the upcoming Denver event, and Ken brings you guys the history of the t-shirt. ALSO NOTE: Our studio is closed because of CORONA VAIRUSS (Cardi B voice) so we recorded this episode in our kitchen, on our computers, without Dave. And it lowkey sounds like shit. Enjoy! 

In this inaugural episode of Tee Time, we dive into how we started ThriftCon as well as some of the high jinks and mishaps we've experienced as we continue to grow. We also talk about where ThriftCon is now and where we plan to take it in the future and Ken finishes off the episode with a wonderful anecdote about a current Hinge situation he is navigating. Good ol fashioned family fun