Drawn to Simpson Shirts
DEAR HOT: Where do you get off suggesting we readers might want to shop for back-to-school wardrobes without Simpsons T-shirts in them? That’s all my kids talk about, especially my 9-year-old daughter, whose Bart Simpson T-shirt is so worn out she needs a new one for school. Is there anything out with Lisa Simpson on it?
--R.T., Bellflower
DEAR R.T.: We have nothing against Simpsons T-shirts. We particularly like the designs on some of the bootleg versions out there, such as the T-shirt with family of black Simpsons wearing dreadlocks and the caption “Simpsons Go Funky Reggae.”
We’d just like to see similar daring and a little more variety from the official manufacturer. We’re happy to report there will be some new shirts out in mid-September, when fresh, authentic Simpsons duds are scheduled to hit department and specialty stores.
One upcoming item you might want to pick up for your daughter is a “Lisa Simpson, Overachiever” sweat shirt from the authentic Simpsons’ line. You may recall the flap earlier this year regarding the “Bart Simpson, Underachiever” T-shirt that was banned at some schools and yanked from J.C. Penney stores.
Lisa’s new sweat shirt is the flip side of Bart’s. It features her skipping rope and counting: “11,101, 11,102, 11,103 . . .” The word overachiever is at her feet. And on the back of the sweat shirt is the phrase “And proud of it.”
Matt Groening, creator of the characters, has noticed, “Kids across the country are making their own Simpsons’ shirts. I’m charmed (by the knockoffs) until people start telling me this is a huge business and (illegal) shirts are being delivered by the truckloads.”
READ THIS: We thought someone was trying to tell us something when the book “Shopaholics: An 8-Week Program to Control Compulsive Spending” mysteriously appeared on the Hot to Shop desk. (A co-worker just thought we could use it for research. Sure.)
Anyway, the paperback by Janet E. Damon (Avon Books, $3.95) is a serious look at a subject often treated with flippant remarks and humorous bumper stickers. But for some, addictive shopping is as real as drug or alcohol addiction, and it can be ruinous financially and spiritually. Damon explores the reasons for the behavior and offers a program to help stop the addiction. While some may require more extensive counseling, this is a start.
That said, excuse us for also recommending “America by Mail,” (Avon Books, $14.95), a paperback catalogue of catalogues with one difference--this one offers rebates of $15 to $75 on purchases from Clifford & Wills, Spiegel, Honeybee, Hanna Anderson and more, including home furnishings, gifts and cooks’ catalogues. A brief description of each catalogue’s merchandise and order forms are also included.
