Guenevere Miramontes

• Guenevere Miramontes
• 12
• Student
• Sherman Heights

I like this shirt because it says, "I love nerds." I like nerds, so what better shirt could I have? My last boyfriend wasn't a nerd; I had to dump him because he got too jealous [of my liking nerds]. I think guys like this shirt because it lets them know they have a chance because I like all kinds of people. I get nerds coming up to me when I'm wearing this, and I also get a lot of poseurs trying to pretend they're nerds so they can talk to me.

Margaret Buppo

• Margaret Buppo
• 12
• Student
• Redwood Village

I really like Disney, and it says, "I'm Grumpy" beneath the picture of the dwarf from Snow White. Tinkerbell is my favorite Disney character, but this shirt is cool because people try to hug me when I'm wearing it. I let both girls and guys hug me if they're nice to me.

Justin Roberts

• Justin Roberts
• 27
• Building Engineer
• Mission Valley

I was at Fenway Park, and I figured that this shirt sums up the feeling that you get when you're in Boston. I've been against the Yankees ever since they decided to try and buy baseball and the championship, although it doesn't seem to be working right now. There are a lot of Boston fans who always give me a "Yeah" when they see it. Some guy was driving by me the other day and was hanging out the side of his car screaming and swearing at me. That kind of thing is the most fun part about this shirt.

Monica Spoon

• Monica Spoon
• 18
• Student/Waitress
• Imperial Beach

There are a lot of shirts out there for blondes, and this is the first shirt that I saw for redheads. I had to get it. My friends laugh at it, but that's really about all the attention that I get when wearing it. I haven't gotten any strange guys coming up to me asking if I like it hot. I don't even think about it when I put it on; I'm the kind of person who could care less how people react.

Emily Hibbern

• Emily Hibbern
• 22
• Student
• Mission Beach

I express my feelings about voting with this shirt. I don't think anybody can really read this shirt when I walk by, so they don't see that it says, "I like to get it on with boys who vote." It can be weird when I notice guys reading it, because it makes them stare. The best thing about it is that it's comfy.

Fernando Rizzo

• Fernando Rizzo
• 25
• Student
• Ocean Beach

I enjoy the irony based on mixing piety and democracy. It's a mockery of various authorities with one simple shirt. There's something to be said about the separation of church and state, but who wouldn't vote for Jesus? I'm not sure if ladies like the shirt; I usually don't get a second look when I'm wearing it.

Chris Carnegie

• Chris Carnegie
• 21
• Assistant Stage Manager
• La Mesa

More than anything, I needed a brown shirt. I thought it was funny when I saw it; the randomness of it caught my attention. I haven't really gotten any comments on the shirt. My friends think it's a cute shirt.

Hichan Yasmimb

• Hichan Yasmimb
• 30
• Clerk
• La Mesa

I got this shirt because I thought it was pretty funny. Where I work, we sell shirts with similar sayings. I got into talking with people about their T-shirt ideas and paying them when their ideas sell. People usually just look at my shirt and tell me that they understand what it's like to have a job that they don't necessarily associate with.

Sandy George

• Sandy George
• 24
• Graduate Student
• Kearny Mesa

I got this shirt at a store called Vagabond, in Austin, Texas. I was going to school there, and one day I was wearing a shirt to class and I hated it. It was an orange tank top, and I didn't realize that I hated it because I was showing too much cleavage. So I went into Vagabond and took the other shirt off in the middle of the store and put this one on.

Paula Johns

• Paula Johns
• 36
• Drama Teacher
• Allied Gardens

I have this shirt because my husband says that I'm the slowest mountain biker in the world. [The shirt] says, "Behold the Turtle." Down the sleeve of the shirt, it reads, "He only makes progress when he sticks his neck out." People always look at my shirt and say, "You have turtles." Most people just ask to read my sleeve. I don't really worry about conversation starters, but I guess this shirt could work.

Jody Patterson

• Jody Patterson
• 26
• Student
• Spring Valley

Part of the reason I got this shirt is that you really can't drink beer for breakfast; it's more appropriate for dinner. I'd be lying if I said that I hadn't drank beer at least once for breakfast, but I usually try to wait until the cocktail hour. It happens when I go into stores; the people behind the counter usually say things like, "I could go for a beer right now," or "It's beer o'clock and I'm buying."

Gavin Bogart

• Gavin Bogart
• 18
• Student
• Del Mar

My sister actually bought me this shirt. I think she got it for me because she thought it would be a good way to start talking to the ladies. It's a good icebreaker to pick up chicks. Usually when I wear this shirt, it makes girls want me that much more. They tend to get all excited that I'm a doctor; I have to have my game face on when I'm wearing this shirt because people will start talking to me about it.

David Di Veroli

• David Di Veroli
• 21
• Student
• University Heights

I like that this shirt celebrates the old-school Nintendo. It takes me back to when I used to play the original video games. When I wear this shirt, I usually get quite a few comments on it. Most people think it's pretty cool that the shirt says, "Keep it real," because it's a nod to the original Nintendo; the original of anything tends to be the best. Already the first Nintendo brings back the feeling for people when they were younger, because there's that sense of nostalgia.

Kim Ball

• Kim Ball
• 26
• Graduate Student
• Clairemont

My roommate gave me this shirt; we're on a dance team together, and she likes the whole '80s aerobics theme. This is actually the first time that I've ever worn this shirt, so I'm not sure whether people will say anything about it. It's a good idea, though: "Have fun. Be fit. Aerobicize!" I wouldn't be surprised if every now and then somebody noticed what it said, but it wouldn't surprise me if no one cared at all.

Florien Mauch

• Florien Mauch
• 23
• Student
• University Heights

First of all, this kind of shirt is cheap, and second of all, I like the phrase "For luck, rub my belly." I'm from Germany, so it seems like a very American kind of shirt. I don't think it makes me look any more American. When I wear it back in Germany, I'll wear it and show off that I wear cool American clothing. A couple times people have told me that they like my shirt, but they never come up to me and ask to rub my stomach. I mean, if a beautiful girl wanted to rub my belly, I would let her.

Adriana Chiu

• Adriana Chiu
• 19
• Student
• University Heights

Of course I got this shirt because I'm awesome -- hello? I think it's just a funny shirt. Who wouldn't want to rock this? A friend of mine said she was going to burn this shirt. She thought she was being funny, but I don't think she's jealous. My friends are pretty awesome too. I don't really get too many snappy comments on it except "Nice shirt."

John Alves

• John Alves
• 32
• Business Owner
• Escondido

This is an awesome shirt because laundry is for suckers, so why not have a shirt that says, "Wear it till it stinks"? Everyone asks me where I got it, because it's a cool saying. There isn't one day that I go out that someone doesn't stop me and ask me where I got this shirt or comment on it. A lot of guys tell me, "That's me" or "I know someone like that." It evokes a response no matter where you're at or who you're with.

Jason Friend

• Jason Friend
• 21
• Music Store Employee
• College Area

The color was what originally attracted me to this shirt. I've never actually been to Maine, and it happened that the logo and slogan were there. A lot of people ask me if I have crabs because the shirt says, "We also got crabs." It's not really a good place to begin a conversation because I usually just say, "No, I do not have crabs." That's pretty much the start and finish of the conversation.

Tonya Yohana

• Tonya Yohana
• 31
• Bartender
• Carlsbad

The shirt I'm wearing is from my work. It has fingers crossed, like I'm telling a lie, and below that, it reads, "I'm not that kind of girl." I'm really not that kind of girl, so the slogan is true even though the implication is that I'm a liar. When I'm wearing it outside of work, people ask me about it all the time. Usually sleazier guys ask me whether I really am that kind of girl. I'm pretty straight to the point telling them that I'm not.

Wes Bellford

• Wes Bellford
• 25
• Construction
• Normal Heights

I've been coming to the bar where they sell these shirts for as long as I've been of legal drinking age. The fact that the sweater says, "After last night, I'll never drink again" is icing on the cake. People tend to find it funny; it's pretty much how I feel every Sunday morning. That's my day of rest, when I chill and try to get my energy back up for the coming week.

Brian Montell

• Brian Montell
• 24
• Bartender/Cook
• Mission Beach

This is the first shirt that my boss gave me. Maybe he was trying to say that I'm a bad influence. It might be because I'm from Boston that I tend to get a little loud and rowdy. I'm the new guy at the bar where I work, and I've already been 86'ed a couple times. I've never heard anyone say anything bad about shirts like these. People for the most part just want to know where they can buy their own.

Mary-Mundy Marsh

• Mary-Mundy Marsh
• 25
• Retail
• North Park

I wear the "Sluts Rock" shirt because of the irony: sluts don't rock. Men are the ones who comment the most on this shirt. It's typical to get a "Hell, yeah" or "Rock on, I agree." They're all ready for the high fives and ass slaps. I wear this shirt for the same reason that I might wear a "Blondes have more fun" shirt, that being, I'm not and it's untrue.

Leah Williams

• Leah Williams
• 18
• Retail
• La Mesa

My shirt is awesome because it says, "Instant slut, just add alcohol." I like that this shirt applies to most women, or at least the ones I've seen after a few cocktails. My parents would think this shirt is cool; they don't have any problem with me wearing shirts that have jokes about sex. I haven't gotten to see if this shirt works, but I hope guys buy me free drinks when they see it. It's hard, though, because guys get the wrong idea too easily.

Joe Cooper

• Joe Cooper
• 23
• Barista
• Valencia Park

Telling anyone that you're going to see them in hell is a pretty powerful statement in and of itself. It's like you're damning someone, but not so much really, because you're more or less saying, "I'll be right there with you." I tell my friends that I'll see them in hell all the time; we'll be holding hands on the way down, in fact. A friend of mine told me last night, "We're going to be holding hands on a first-class, one-way ticket to hell." My friends are the big sinners, where I consider myself a smaller sinner, but they like to tell me that no sin is greater than the next.

Michelle Beard

• Michelle Beard
• 21
• Retail
• Downtown

I have this shirt because I like to be licked. It says, "Lick Me," so I thought it would be pretty self-explanatory. When I'm wearing this shirt, people try and lick me. I've gotten pretty quick at dodging the lick, if you know what I mean. I get a lot of homeless guys trying to talk to me; maybe they think I taste like candy, and they probably haven't eaten in a while. I'm always ready to be licked, so I don't think too much about the shirt when I put it on.

Tawny Prezac

• Tawny Prezac
• 19
• Student
• Mission Valley

I have this shirt because I've lived in California my whole life, and I think that it [the state] is a definite part of me. It's a pretty random shirt, because it's not a brand and I'm not sure if it's even a slogan; it's more of a state of mind. I've never really had anyone comment on it, but it's also cool that I've never seen anyone else wearing a shirt that says "California Soul." It makes my shirt more original.

Sal Guieda

• Sal Guieda
• 27
• Plumber
• Mission Beach

At construction sites, there are workers from all over, and some of them have mullets. You also have to wear red shirts on the construction site, and since this shirt also says "Cut the mullet," I can send a message at the same time. If someone takes it to heart, I could see them getting upset. But you gotta be thick-skinned, because guys are gonna be busting balls on the construction site.

Jeremiah Shaw

• Jeremiah Shaw
• 27
• Headhunter
• Pacific Beach

I was in New York, and I got this at the Big Kmart in the East Village. It was, like, eight bucks, and I needed a gray shirt. Everywhere I go, people make comments on it. It says, "How to get a date," and then below that, "Give her a cheesy line, buy her a drink, and if all else fails, beg." People laugh 'cause it's a pretty stupid shirt. Some girls might be offended about the "giving a drink" line; a couple girls have laughed and bought me drinks.

Jolyn Pinneta

• Jolyn Pinneta
• 23
• Receptionist
• Pacific Beach

This shirt looked really cute, so I bought it. Since it says, "I'll trade you my boyfriend for a beer," I usually get guys asking me, "What kind of beer do you want?" My boyfriend was the one who told me to get it; he thought it was really great. When my boyfriend's not with me, I tell guys that I won't trade my boyfriend for just any old beer.

Lorrie Ruggiero

• Lorrie Ruggiero
• 22
• Entrepreneur
• Pacific Beach

It says, "...like rabbits." It means that I do something like rabbits. I generally don't get many comments on it, even though it is blatantly sexual in nature. I think most people just see a picture of Bugs Bunny and don't pay attention to the words, because it's a phrase you kind of have to think about. My friends think it's a good shirt for me, although I'm not sure what they're trying to imply.

Jacob Krieger

• Jacob Krieger
• 21
• Construction
• University Heights

I used to live in Arizona, and then I moved to Missouri and I saw this shirt for sale and I thought it was ironic. The shirt says, "Arizona: it's not that hot..." It really is that hot though, but no one in Missouri understood that the way I did. No one really said anything to me about it. I think people look at me and think, "Wow, just another lame shirt that somebody spent money on." It's still cool that I actually lived in Arizona, and I'm not just wearing this shirt for some dumb excuse like the color.

Natalie Cobb

• Natalie Cobb
• 20
• Retail
• Hillcrest

I wear this shirt because drugs are bad. I want everyone to know that I feel that way. It was only through experience that I could learn that valuable lesson; to think back to all the stuff I did to learn that lesson the hard way. Besides, who really needs drugs when you have hugs? I mean, if I have someone to love, why would I need to do drugs? Most people I've met who do drugs try to fill some void with the drug. That's why I say, "Kids, don't do crack."

Kate Geissinger

• Kate Geissinger
• 18
• Receptionist
• Rancho San Diego

This shirt says, "Lick it up." I used to work with a friend of mine at an ice cream place, and she bought it for me because it reminded her of this song that always played while we were working. I haven't had any guys say anything creepy yet, but I did have a girl tell me that she liked my shirt.

Rebecca Shaffers

• Rebecca Shaffers
• 23
• Student
• La Jolla

One of my best friends had just gotten this shirt, and he gave it to me. He said that it was more my style. I catch people looking at it thinking, "Oh yeah, it's another 'Don't mess with Texas' shirt," and then they give it a double take and realize that it says "Kansas," not "Texas." I've never been to Kansas, but I'm sure they don't want anybody messing with them either. I'll be one of the first to help stick up for Kansas.

Ida Walther

• Ida Walther
• 22
• Student
• Linda Vista

I like this shirt because it's a brand but the name implies that I'm not associated with a company. So many shirts have words that mean nothing to the people wearing them. I disassociate from cheesy brands by wearing something that's simple yet speaks more with one word. Guys like to talk to me about this shirt because of the woman lying over the words. Sometimes people don't notice the outline of the woman, and other times it's what grabs the eye.

Kelsey Nasso

• Kelsey Nasso
• 18
• Student
• College Area

The shirt says, "Everyone loves an Irish girl," and being that I'm part Irish, it works out pretty well that I own this shirt. You gotta represent for the family. I tend to get a lot of nods from other Irish folk who like my shirt; non-Irish people tend not to say anything about my shirt. I have another shirt that's my favorite. It's a picture of North Carolina and it reads, "We like being on top."

Nicole Touché

• Nicole Touché
• 19
• Barista
• College Area

I went to The Used concert a couple weeks ago, and the "Bert" from the "Bert is my Homeboy" on the shirt is the lead singer of The Used. He dated Kelly Osbourne for a New York minute. I had some girl tell me that she didn't like this shirt because she thought it looked too much like the "Jesus is my Homeboy" T-shirt. It offended her that Bert looked like Jesus, but that was her reading too much of her own baggage into my shirt. I think she got more angry because I really didn't pay much attention to what she was saying.

Chris Marick

• Chris Marick
• 19
• Student
• College Area

I got this shirt at a prescreening of the movie Napoleon Dynamite. "Give me your tots" is a line from the movie. It's probably my favorite line in the movie except for when he talks about the "liger": an animal that's half lion and half tiger. Sometimes people ask me if I have any ChapStick; other people ask me if I'm "Pedro's cousin with all the sweet hookups." I usually tell them, "Pedro offers you his protection," but that's only when Uncle Rico isn't trying to ruin my life.

Sarah Domingo

• Sarah Domingo
• 26
• Student
• La Mesa

I got this shirt in Hawaii. A lot of people look at it and think it's just saying "Hi." It's fun to have people saying hi to you as you walk around. I usually smile a lot too, so I don't think that the shirt is the only reason that people say hi to me.

Joe Ericson

• Joe Ericson
• 24
• Student
• Pacific Beach

This shirt is from Spain. I studied abroad, and it's a good reminder of the time I spent there. People who speak Spanish sometimes give me strange looks because the last word on the shirt -- "cachondeo" -- has a different meaning in Mexican Spanish than it does in the Spanish from Spain. In Spain, this shirt means, "Right here is a big party animal." In Mexican Spanish, the meaning is more like "Right here's a man who's unfaithful." You might say something is lost in translation.

Liz Barret

• Liz Barret
• 24
• Waitress/
• Student
• Mission Hills

I've been a brunette my entire life, so when I saw this shirt at a thrift store, I had to get it. One Halloween I went as a blonde, and it was fun too, but I realized that I got a lot of attention that wasn't for my intelligence. Other brunettes like to tell me "Rock on" when I'm wearing this shirt, but no blondes give me dirty looks or anything.

Paul Eisenhaber

• Paul Eisenhaber
• 22
• Student
• Mission Beach

A friend from home sent me this shirt. This shirt says "lifeguard" in German. There's a popular song in Germany about a guy named Paul, whose occupation is a lifeguard. My friends thought it fit for me to wear this because my name is Paul, although I'm not really a lifeguard. But I am German, and it is a very good song, so I don't mind explaining to people what my shirt means.

Joanne Henderson

• Joanne Henderson
• 28
• Student
• La Mesa

I have this shirt because I'm from Texas; I got it when I still lived there. Originally the saying had to do with littering. By "not messing with Texas," it was one of those sayings like "Put litter in its place" or "Pitch in." Luckily, nobody really associates Bush with this shirt, even though I support him. People usually get that I'm from Texas.

David Long

• David Long
• 19
• Student
• College Area

I gave blood a couple months back and I got this shirt. The phrase "Got Blood" is kind of morbid, but it's for a good cause. Whenever I'm available to give blood, I do. There are a lot of "got" shirts out there, so people don't notice this shirt much.

Gregory Reynolds

• Gregory Reynolds
• 24
• Artist
• Hillcrest

A friend of mine is a clothing distributor, and he gets me shirts that he thinks match my style. This shirt is for a skater and says "Kids skate," but I normally wear shirts for bands. My friend thought this shirt suited me because of this tattoo that I have with a skull to commemorate a great folk-rock guitarist who died. I think people are scared to say anything to me really about my shirt.

John Stockle

• John Stockle
• 22
• Pressman
• Peñasquitos

It's my girlfriend's shirt. She got it to wear to her last job because people were always interrupting her when she was working. Her boss told her she couldn't wear it, because they were pretty strict about what she could wear.

Amber Day

• Amber Day
• 22
• Student/Retail
• La Mesa

Like the shirt says, I actually danced on the bar at Coyote Ugly in Las Vegas. I wanted to remember the experience, so I bought the shirt. It'd be lame if someone bought the shirt without dancing on the bar; you shouldn't just buy it. People ask me when I wear this shirt if I really danced on the bar. The answer is yes.

Robert Park-Hill

• Robert Park-Hill
• 18
• Student
• La Mesa

I was chilling at my friend's house and my clothes smelled, so my friend gave me this to wear. I wasn't even sure what it says. Now I know it says, "People too weak to follow their own dreams always find a way to discourage others." It's a pretty deep statement, bordering on philosophy. You got to admire people who have vision.

Leah Martinez

• Leah Martinez
• 19
• Retail
• El Cajon

Everyone loves Tony Montana; Scarface has to be one of my favorite movies of all time. Guys tend to recognize Al Pacino on my shirt more often than girls do. Most guys think it's pretty cool that I'm the kind of girl who appreciates a good gangster movie.

Alex Ramos

• Alex Ramos
• 22
• Cook
• Chula Vista

A lot of my friends have shirts like this one, so I got it. I don't usually make many decisions on my own about what I'm going to wear. If I get something that I don't show to someone else first, my friends make fun of me. I had this shirt with a cow on it, and every time I wore it, my friends would make fun of me when I wasn't there.

Wilson Stowsky

• Wilson Stowsky
• 23
• Student
• South Park

It says, "Ho-ho-kun New Jersey." No one really mistakes it for anything even though it has the word "Ho." A friend of mine from Ho-ho-kun gave it to me. People who comment on it are usually from New Jersey and ask me if I am. To tell you the truth, I'd never even heard of Ho-ho-kun before I got this shirt.

Lauren

• Lauren
• 20
• Waitress
• Encinitas

I have brown hair, and I have that girl-next-door quality about me. I'm a firm believer that brunettes have more fun. [Wearing this shirt] I want people to think that I'm a nice, wholesome girl. I guess you might say that I have a little bad girl in me.

Lauren Taggart

• Lauren Taggart
• 18
• Office Clerk
• El Cajon

I thought this shirt was ridiculous when I saw it, so I bought it. I have green eyes, but I'm not one of those girls who calls themselves a princess. My friends wouldn't call me a diva or anything like that. It's a little ironic that I wear this shirt, because there are girls out there who think that they're the queen of the world.

Jenn Kelly

• Jenn Kelly
• 30
• Cocktail Waitress
• Ocean Beach

It happened that I was shopping and this shirt caught my eye. No one really asks me about being "Miss Understood"; I think people make up their own mind about the meaning of the shirt and how it relates to me. I hear people say, "Miss Understood?" Then they laugh and say something like, "Oh, that's understandable."

Anna Sanders

• Anna Sanders
• 24
• Student
• Pacific Beach

What more do I need to say than "This is not my shirt"? Okay, I'm not what you might call a "bad girl," but I like to have fun. A good girl wouldn't jump out of an airplane, party in VIP rooms with musicians and athletes, or study law, but I do. If a guy wants to talk to me, he's got to have something better to say than ask me about my shirt.

Lysette Orozco

• Lysette Orozco
• 23
• Food Server/Student
• Pacific Beach

Jesus on a T-shirt is a great idea. No one should have a problem with Jesus being my homeboy. People should ask themselves why Jesus isn't their homeboy. Are they not down with the Lord? Do they not give a big shout out to the Savior? I'm all about people hollering at Jesus when they have a problem. If He doesn't holler back, it's not 'cause He ain't feeling it; it's because He wants His people to know that if they don't start something, there won't be nothing.

Harry Carver

• Harry Carver
• 25
• Internet Gaming
• El Cajon

I got this shirt because I didn't think that many people had them. The next thing you know, that no-talent-ass clown Hilary Duff does a video where she has a bunch of guys wearing a shirt like this to get back at her ex-boyfriend. After that video came out, friends would see me wearing this shirt and ask me if it was me that they saw the other day on TRL.

Matt Brown

• Matt Brown
• 32
• Senior QA Engineer
• North Park

I bought it a few years ago for a party because I wanted to wear something that would break the ice. The funny thing is, I bought it before I got married, so my wife doesn't know I have it. People have told me, "Well, I don't like you either," or "You hear voices too," trying to sound clever — but everybody says the same thing.

David Wilhelm

• David Wilhelm
• 28
• IT QA Analyst
• Clairemont

A guy has got to wear a shirt, so I thought, why not this one? The "introvert" part happens to be true. Most people usually say something like "Nice shirt" or politely chuckle. Occasionally someone takes it as a challenge to make me do something weird -- kind of like trying to make a mime talk, I guess -- but that doesn't seem to work as well as they plan. It's not like you can force someone into public speaking, especially if you just met. One person asked me if I was advertising a new type of cologne. I hope they were kidding, because I laughed a little bit.

Miguel Cabrera

• Miguel Cabrera
• 28
• Quality
• Management
• North Park

It is who I am [an Italian stallion]. I saw it and I loved it. It's a good conversation starter. I'm always being asked if I'm Italian. Once a girl told me to prove it. Around me, I hear people muttering "Italian stallion" under their breaths and I know who they're talking about.

Ronda Hoegenigman

• Ronda Hoegenigman
• 32
• Engineer
• University Heights

It was a part of my softball uniform; it was the jersey for a team I played on a couple years ago. Everybody on the team had one because it was intimidating. It didn't really work because the team went 4 and 16 that season. When I wear it now, people cower in fear, and other women are always wanting to know where to get one.

Dana Weinberger

• Dana Weinberger
• 31
• Scientist
• University Heights

It belonged to a friend's mother. I grew up in California, so it's appropriate. I'm a California girl at heart, but maybe not the girl on my shirt. It's a great shirt to go running in. I don't really get any comments, maybe a laugh here and there. It's funny because the proportions of the woman are pretty silly.

Rachel McVey

• Rachel McVey
• 34
• IT Analyst
• Clairemont

It represents my fears. I'm afraid of clowns, public bathrooms, and giant Christmas nutcrackers. People who dress in clown costumes scare me because they appear happy and look jolly, but in fact you can't be sure who's sweating profusely under there. Anyone who tries to push happiness on you — i.e., Santa and the Easter Bunny — hide who they really are inside. I knew this really creepy guy who earned extra cash as a Santa at Christmas. He had these nasty Fire Marshall Bill teeth, and his perversions were unsettling. I wore this shirt to the airport and received a lot of stares and nods of empathy. Don't get me started on garden gnomes.

Neal Butcher

• Neal Butcher
• 28
• Business Analyst
• Pacific Beach

My girlfriend knows that I'm a huge fan of fried dough, and she let it slip around her dad that I was a fan of the Krispy Kreme. Her dad got me this shirt for Christmas, and it's good for things like cleaning the house, grocery shopping, building model airplanes, driving miniature train sets, and waxing my stick before dropping into some tasty waves.

Howard Harvey

• Howard Harvey
• 81
• Retired
• Pacific Beach

It was given to me by a buddy of mine who I've known for 50 years. Before I retired, I worked as a design engineer for an airline, but I wasn't too scary to work with. I don't really get anyone wondering if I'm a danger to society. It's just a joke.

Carlos Gutierrez

• Carlos Gutierrez
• 54
• Barber
• Pacific Beach

I thought this shirt looked good. It's funny that it explains how to break up with a girlfriend. It says to pick up the phone, leave a message on the answering machine, and go back to watching television. I mostly get guys laughing at it. If only it could be that easy.

Gary Bobson

• Gary Bobson
• 28
• Dentist
• New York

One of my friends gave me this shirt. The scenario, as I see it, was that he's busting my balls. Every time I put on this loud shirt, people are going to look at me and then see the word "stalker" across the front. It's something that's a little different. Girls like a guy who's original.

Steffany Smith

• Steffany Smith
• 19
• Retail
• Ramona

I like what it says on the back: "I would die tonight for my beliefs." What it says on the front -- "No Innocent Victim" -- is the name of the band. They do hardcore screamer music, where you can't really understand what the lead singer is saying. Hardcore music has to do with the band's choice to be straight edge, meaning they don't drink or take drugs. No Innocent Victim tends to be considered more like worship music. Some people think my shirt is cool, and other people just kind of nod their heads. It makes me wonder what a person's beliefs are when they nod their head and smile.

Lidta Inthilath

• Lidta Inthilath
• 18
• Retail
• Escondido

My boyfriend always makes fun of me for how stupid I am, so this shirt reminds me of him. It doesn't hurt my feelings, though. It's not really a joke between us; I'm always acting stupid. It's funny. People sometimes call me smarty-pants, but usually they just make fun of me. They never ask me multiplication tables, long division, or nuclear masses from the periodic table.

Chiu Lee

• Chiu Lee
• 21
• Student
• La Jolla

I was in New York, and I wanted something to remind me of my trip. A lot of people want to know if I've actually been to New York or if I bought the shirt in California. Once this random lady totally yelled at me, "Hey! I love New York too!" I got the idea that she was looking at my shirt when she said that.

Ken Liu

• Ken Liu
• 19
• Student
• La Jolla

I got this shirt as a gift. My buddy gave me this shirt because he knows that I'm a bowler. I wear this shirt bowling, and I get a lot of looks from other bowlers, and a lot of them want to know where I got it. Sometimes girls comment on it, but not really. The worst is when I'm wearing it and I actually bowl a gutter ball, because then everybody I'm with tells me, "Get your mind out of the gutter."

Kavic Ishmary

• Kavic Ishmary
• 21
• Student
• La Jolla

It's a band shirt, and I like the band. "At the Drive-In": they were an indie band before they broke up. If people come up to me and have something to say about my shirt, they usually know the music. It was a pretty small group, and they're broken up now. The name is pretty ambiguous; some people think that it might infer sex, because no one watches movies at the drive-in. Ain't nothing wrong with people getting it on.

Dal Gillcrest

• Dal Gillcrest
• 22
• Military
• Miramar

The movie Dazed and Confused is a classic, and this shirt goes along with my appreciation of the movie. My parents didn't understand what this shirt meant when they saw it. I get a lot of guys coming up to me with quotes like, "I love them high school girls. I get older, they stay the same age." The other thing people tend to say to me is "Hey, man, you got a joint...it'd be a lot cooler if you did."

Rawley Johnson

• Rawley Johnson
• 21
• Military
• Del Mar

My girlfriend gave me this shirt because I normally wear a lot of these kinds of shirts. As long as I'm wearing it, I guess it means that she's allowing me to let my hair down, because the shirt says, "This is my party shirt." My favorite shirt that I used to wear all the time said, "Don't be jealous, not everyone can be me."

Matt Monte

• Matt Monte
• 23
• Mechanic
• Pacific Beach

I'm from Northern California, so I'm just representing for the NorCal now that I'm living in the SoCal. People don't really ask me about my shirt, but I still hear them talking. It's usually SoCal people talking smack, so of course they don't say it to my face; people from SoCal aren't up close and personal. I've never had words with anyone over wearing this shirt, because nobody down here is worth my words. Up north, these shirts and sweaters are hotter than Chargers jerseys during playoffs -- when you see all the wannabe fans come out of the woodwork.

Andrew Unyi

• Andrew Unyi
• 22
• Tire Installer
• Pacific Beach

I love surfing, and I think this shirt speaks about the freedom you find surfing. People often ask me if I've surfed naked, and the answer is yes. It's not a good idea for reasons relating to the wax on the surfboard. Shrinkage is going to happen regardless, but wax chafes when it rubs against bare skin. When I did it, a few drinks and a bet were involved. It comes down to the freedom of the sport and being able to let it all out.

Linda Tobi

• Linda Tobi
• 26
• QA Analyst
• Scripps Ranch

I'm pregnant. It's true -- I have nothing to wear. It's perfect. When I saw it, I had to have it. People laugh, and then they look down at my stomach. I don't get any wiseass comments because I think most people know better than to mess with a pregnant woman.

Aunae Moore

• Aunae Moore
• 23
• Pharmacy Tech
• National City

It pertains to my personality and my qualities. I'm young, I have lots of goals, and I'm very independent. It shows my confidence. Boys like to ask me what it means. Guys like to start conversations with me in order to find out whether I'm naughty or nice.

Jogene Lagasby

• Jogene Lagasby
• 21
• Bus Driver
• Chula Vista

I like how you can read what my shirt says and even though it's not written correctly, you still understand that it says, "Hooked on phonics done good for me." I've never gotten any negative comments on it. No one's ever come up to me all pissed off because they've used Hooked on Phonics. I hope no one ever does.

Steffany Ricker

• Steffany Ricker
• 22
• Student
• Pacific Beach

I like the slogan. Boys come and talk to me when I'm wearing it. It says, "I like my cocktails like I like my men: Strong and sweet." Guys say, "Nice shirt." When a guy is creepy and I don't want to talk to him, I'll tell him, "Yeah, well, my boyfriend likes this shirt too."

John Bushar

• John Bushar
• 29
• Architect
• Pacific Beach

I grew up in Connecticut, so I feel like I'm showing love for the East Coast when I wear this shirt. I wouldn't say that I'm representing New York: we all represent New York. When I wore this shirt before 9/11, no one said anything or thought twice. Now, there's that awareness, and we all support New York.

Christian Thames

• Christian Thames
• 33
• Construction
• Pacific Beach

A friend bought this for me today, because I usually wear pink Izod polo shirts. My neighbors all seem to be narcs, so this shirt fits because it says, "Neighborhood Watch: We'll get you suckas."

Steffany Love

• Steffany Love
• 22
• Teacher
• Clairemont

I got it from an ex-roommate. She had the same one, and I always liked it, so she got me one. I'm a very, very small percentage Irish, but I think that everyone can be Irish, like on St. Patty's Day. People sometimes ask me where I got this shirt. I tell them, "I stole it."

Meg Riley

• Meg Riley
• 22
• Unemployed
• Pacific Beach

I'm a big fan of the Tootsie Roll Pop. The world may never know how many licks it takes to get to the middle of a Tootsie Roll Pop. It has nothing to do with how many licks it takes to get to the middle of a Blow Pop. Some people think this shirt is kind of perverted, but I don't. I'm a wholesome girl.

Zack Price

• Zack Price
• 16
• Retail
• Rancho Bernardo

I wear the "Jesus Freak" shirt in order to show people my belief in Jesus Christ and my love for Him. [Christian music group] DC Talk had a song called "Jesus Freak," where they say that they don't care if people call them Jesus freaks; they don't care because it's true. People call me a freak when I wear this shirt and try to make fun of me and give me a hard time about being Christian. But I respond to them with love and pour hot coals on their head.

Marie Abesamis

• Marie Abesamis
• 23
• Account Coordinator
• Bankers Hill

My group of friends, we call ourselves the Ponies. One night we were all drunk, walking down the street in Pacific Beach, and I told my friend, "Let's gallop, like a pony, like a pony, like a pony." And from then on, we've always called ourselves the Ponies. The shirt says, "Ponies are Pretty," and all of my friends have one. We'll call each other Ponies when we're in public, and guys will be, like, " 'Pony'?" Sometimes when we're dancing together, all of us girls will pull each other's hair and start slapping each other like ponies.

Maria Mello

• Maria Mello
• 23
• New Graduate Recruitment Specialist
• Pacific Beach

My father bought it for me. It says, "It's all about me." He was visiting San Francisco and he saw this shirt and he said, "It's perfect for you. I thought of you when I saw it." I like it because it's real simple: a black tank top with white writing. The first time I wore it, I thought it was harmless. I was in a bar, and some guy pointed at my shirt and said, "That's your problem." I was completely appalled. A friend of mine wore this shirt another time, and she got similar responses.

Brian Bonelli

• Brian Bonelli
• 22
• Student
• Mission Beach

I dig the Asian characters because they seem to represent so much while maintaining a purity in their simplicity. This shirt says, "Good fortune," but I don't wear it for myself; I like that other people read it and walk away with a positivity that they might not have had. There're a lot of opportunities that we have in the course of our days to change other people's lives for the better without making grandiose efforts. I wish you good fortune.