Amy Zerner's Fashion Sense: Wordplay

Slogan t-shirts have been around since the 1960s. I remember the designer ‪Howard Gossage put sweatshirts with the faces of famous classical composers. And so was born the famous  Beethoven Sweatshirt fad.  One of my first jobs was painting T-shirts in 1972 with psychedelic words and images. Vivienne Westwood made T-shirts punk in the late ’70s. The ’80s had slogans to convey a heart and a cause. And the ’90s and early 2000s were all about branding.

The trend of words adorning everything from handbags to jewelry continues into spring and summer 2014. Wear what you believe in and say say it loud and clear. The message can be witty, spiritual or political, and the key is: the more interesting and wise, the better.

From odd messages and slogans, to attitude-filled comments and clever word-plays, wearing a bold statement, a lettered article of clothing is a great conversation starter. The slogans can be motivating or ironic, some are there for novelty and to grab attention. Depends on what mood you are in that day.

One of my favorite quotes is from Oscar Wilde: “One should either be a work of art, or wear a work of art.” I designed a necklace so this quote could be in a cool, wearable form.

Amy Zerner is the Hamptons’ number one fashion blogger and designer.