What Happened to Weird?
Somewhere along the way, streetwear got really good at looking good. And we’re not loving it.
When you look at old snowboard, skateboard and surfing graphics, you see a pretty stark contrast to what exists today. Some of the old school designs were really great, some were bad and some barely made sense.
There’s one common thread though, and it’s that a lot of those were just plain weird. And weird was good. Looking back now, those weird designs were part of the cool factor.
Listen to this Story on the 1923 Main Street Podcast
There was a character, a bizarre (human made) illustration, a slightly-off color combination, a ridiculous slogan, or some completely unexplained visual that made you stop and look twice. It was awesome.
Today, a lot of streetwear just looks… good.
Really good, actually.
Clean typography. Perfect colour palettes. Carefully considered graphics. Beautiful photography. Everything is polished, clean and artistically sound.
Which makes it completely forgettable.
We brought back this original vintage t-shirt design from the late 1990s when Three Sixty Spins magazine was in its prime. The skateboard, snowboard and music magazine started in Toronto and grew to become a nationwide staple in skateboard shops and snowboard shops from California to the East Coast.
If you love skateboard and snowboard history, you can grab a piece of it right here. This is the original skateboarding t-shirt design from 1997.
See the snowboarding version.
Read the entire story about the rise and fall of Three Sixty Spins Snowboard and Skateboard Magazine.
• Base Item: Gildan 5000
• 100% cotton
• Ash Grey is 99% cotton, 1% polyester
• Fabric weight: 5.0–5.3 oz/yd² (170-180 g/m²)
• Open-end yarn
• Tubular fabric
• Taped neck and shoulders
• Double seam at sleeves and bottom hem
• Blank product sourced from Honduras, Nicaragua, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Bangladesh, Mexico
Disclaimers:
• Due to the fabric properties, the White color variant may appear off-white rather than bright white.
• Dark color speckles throughout the fabric are expected for the color Natural.
This product is made especially for you as soon as you place an order, which is why it may take us a bit longer to deliver it to you. Making products on demand instead of in bulk helps reduce overproduction, so thank you for making thoughtful purchasing decisions.
Please note: since all orders are custom created, all sales are final and we do not accept returns, refunds or exchanges. Please check sizing carefully using the guide.
When Did Streetwear Get So Serious?
Part of what made skateboarding, snowboarding and surf culture interesting historically was that nobody seemed really concerned about whether everything matched.
A snowboard graphic could be funny. A skate shirt could be ugly on purpose (or by accident). A surf brand could look like it had been designed in someone's garage (it probably was).
That kind of imperfection was pure gold. You could tell there was a real person behind it.
Now, streetwear has become a massive fashion category. What started around board sports, music, art and youth culture has been absorbed by luxury fashion, major retailers and just about every clothing brand imaginable. Layer AI artwork on top of that and you get the slick soulless slop that you see everywhere now.
The question becomes: When everybody is making "streetwear," what actually makes something streetwear?
Show love for the places and people that shape the culture.
The Respect Local, Splatter T-Shirt by 1923 Main Street® features a bold paint-platter graphic with the words “Respect Local” front and center. Designed for travelers, surfers, skaters, and anyone who moves through communities with intention, this tee is all about honoring the local customs, creativity, and individuals that make every spot unique.
Crafted from a premium, ultra-soft cotton blend, this streetwear tee offers a relaxed fit built for everyday wear—whether you're rolling through a new skatepark, catching a sunrise session, or exploring a city for the first time. Durable print, clean lines, and a timeless graphic make it a go-to staple in any lineup.
Perfect for: streetwear lovers, world travelers, surf and skate culture, and anyone who knows respect is always in style.
Also available as a hoodie so you can bring respect with you wherever you go.
• Base Item: Gildan 64000
• 100% ring-spun cotton
• 4.5 oz/yd² (153 g/m²)
• Shoulder-to-shoulder taping
• Quarter-turned to avoid crease down the center
• Blank product sourced from Bangladesh, Nicaragua, Honduras, Dominican Republic, Haiti or Guatemala
Disclaimer: Due to the fabric properties, the White color variant may appear off-white rather than bright white.
This product is made especially for you as soon as you place an order, which is why it may take us a bit longer to deliver it to you. Making products on demand instead of in bulk helps reduce overproduction, so thank you for making thoughtful purchasing decisions.
Please note: since all orders are custom created, all sales are final and we do not accept returns, refunds or exchanges. Please check sizing carefully using the guide.
A Big Problem is that Everything is Optimized
Modern brands have access to better designers, AI creation, better printing techniques, better photography and better data than ever before.
They know what colours sell. They know what graphics get clicks. They know which silhouettes are trending. They know what people are searching for.
And they use all of that data to produce very good clothing that fits a target.
But good clothing created that way isn’t necessarily memorable.
Sometimes, the best graphic is the one that makes you ask: "What the hell is that?"
You might not even like it. But you remember it and you can respect that someone’s wearing it.
Built from Defiance. Worn for the Ride.
Snowboarding has always carried a streak of rebellion—and this hoodie wears it proudly. Built on the freedom-first attitude of the 1980s and ’90s, when riders were pushed to the margins but never backed down, the Once an Outlaw Skull Spades Hoodie from 1923 Main Street® Snowboarding pays tribute to the outsiders who carved their own path.
Designed as a go-to mid-layer or everyday staple, this hoodie delivers warmth, comfort, and attitude in equal measure. The bold skull spades graphic reflects the risk-takers who helped shape snowboarding culture, while the relaxed fit makes it ideal for cold chairlift rides, post-session hangs, or streetwear wearability.
For riders who remember where snowboarding came from—and those still pushing it forward—this hoodie carries the legacy.
Also available as a snowboard t-shirt.
• Base Item: Gildan 18500 • 50% pre-shrunk cotton, 50% polyester • Fabric weight: 8.0 oz/yd² (271.25 g/m²) • Air-jet spun yarn with a soft feel and reduced pilling • Double-lined hood with matching drawcord • Quarter-turned body to avoid crease down the middle • 1 × 1 athletic rib-knit cuffs and waistband with spandex • Front pouch pocket • Double-needle stitched collar, shoulders, armholes, cuffs, and hem • Blank product sourced from Bangladesh, Nicaragua, Honduras or El Salvador
Disclaimer: Due to the fabric properties, the White color variant may appear off-white rather than bright white.
This product is made especially for you as soon as you place an order, which is why it may take us a bit longer to deliver it to you. Making products on demand instead of in bulk helps reduce overproduction, so thank you for making thoughtful purchasing decisions.
Please note: since all orders are custom created, all sales are final and we do not accept returns, refunds or exchanges. Please check sizing carefully using the guide.
The Best Stuff Often Had a Little Personality Problem
Think about the t-shirts and hoodies you‘ve owned for years, or that your favorite band or rider is wearing in a vintage photo.
Chances are, the ones you remember aren’t the most sophisticated pieces in your closet. It’s more likely that the graphic was a little strange and somehow off or imperfect.
That’s the interesting thing about clothing connected to subcultures. It can become a record of where you have been, what you were into and who you were hanging out with.
A perfectly designed shirt can look great. A weird shirt can tell a story.
Does Streetwear Need to Get Weird Again?
Yes it does. But not random weird. Not weird for the sake of weird (that’s basically just as bad as the perfect designed graphics).
Authentic weird. Real people weird. The kind that comes from somebody having an idea and not immediately asking whether everybody will like it.
That’s one reason board-sports culture has always been so interesting to us at 1923 Main Street. Skateboarding, snowboarding and surfing have never really been about getting the look right. They’re about doing something, going somewhere and hanging with your people. And for better or worse, making questionable decisions along the way.
Streetwear clothes need to reflect a little more of that.
What Do You Think?
Has streetwear become too polished? Are today's graphics better, or just safer?
And when was the last time you saw a t-shirt or hoodie that was really weird enough to make you stop and look?