I’m in denial that it is snowing like mad here in Michigan, and in hopes of inspiring Mother Nature to bring me some warm weather, I listed all new spring wear this week! C’mon, even 40 degrees and rain would be acceptable…pretty please?
Rock over London, Rock on Chicago!
I’m so excited to have been featured in MetroMode’s article “Metro Detroit’s Homeprenuers” today! Reporter Amy Kuras was so great to talk with – it was one of the easiest, most fun interviews I’ve ever had, more like a conversation with an old friend than an interview, really and photographer Marvin Shaouni was fantastic (and so are his photos!). Kona and I had a great time, and I’ve never seen my home look so great in pictures before. Kona adored him to no end, and was a perfect model that afternoon.
Thanks so much Amy and Marvin! And welcome to my labor of love to all our new visitors from the MetroMode website!
Although IOU is often thought of as “80′s clothing”, IOU sales were really at it’s peak from 1989-1992. Produced by Merry-Go-Round Enterprises, which owned many different chains of stores – mostly found in shopping malls – such as DeJaiz (or DJ’s), Ship N Shore, Chess King, and many others, IOU was Merry-Go-Round’s first private label.
Coveted by the high school crowd, the IOU brand made all types of mens and womens apparel – jeans, jackets, T shirts, but it’s most famous and lucrative was the IOU Sweatshirt. Sold often for 2 for $48 (then less and less as the brand lost it’s cool factor) the sweatshirt style was fairly similar in style over the years and a staple in teenager’s closets. At one time the IOU brand accounted for 30% of all sales in the company, which grew to over 1000 stores before declaring bankruptcy in 1994 and closing the majority of it’s stores in 1996, ending it’s 20+ history of being the cool place to shop in the mall.
Of all the trends that were big in IOU’s heyday (Z Cavaricci, BUM Equipment, Hypercolor, Cross Colors, LA Gear) the IOU sweatshirt is what I get customer requests for the most. What is it about IOU?
Some of our favorites over the years:
Luckily, it’s never difficult to date an IOU sweatshirt – I’ve never seen one that didn’t have the year screenprinted somewhere on it…therefore, I won’t bother showing you the tags.
Right now, we have only one IOU sweatshirt in stock
but don’t worry, we’re always on the hunt for you!
If you wanna have some flashback fun, I highly recommend checking out the Merry-Go-Round Enterprises Alumni Facebook page and looking at the pictures!
Did you have a favorite IOU sweatshirt? Tell me about it!
Look Magazine – November 3, 1970
Found in my Grandparents house, and I’ve saved it for years.
My father won grand prize in a Look Magazine contest when he was in college. We hoped while looking through the stacks of their magazines (found in a spare bedroom of the farmhouse) to find that issue. While it wasn’t there, I took home a tall stack of fantastic articles and images pulled from the magazines. Now I am re-rediscovering them all over again, and I will slowly share some with you!
Is it a T shirt, a sweatshirt, or a jersey? You decide, but to me it’s simply one of my most prized possessions.
I’m also proud to say I’ve never seen another one. Ever.
This shirt was brought into a vintage store I used to be a buyer for years and years ago. I came into work the next day, and there it was. The sky opened up, trumpets played, and angels came down from heaven to sing about the gloriousness of this shirt. Ok, I made that part up, but in my head that’s what happened.
I would have turned over my entire next paycheck for it, but was shocked at how little the boss was asking for it. I didn’t even try it on, didn’t care. It was mine. The man who owned it before me traded it in with some other clothes, and if I had been there when he had done it, I would have kissed him.
It’s made of a thin sweatshirt material, and surprisingly warm. My favorite out of all my Depeche Mode shirts, I hardly wear it anymore for fear that I might stain it, but I still wear it very occasionally. One morning I wore it to the local record store to pick up Depeche Mode tour tickets, and a woman in line with me asked to buy it right off my back, price going up and up like we were at an auction. Each time I smiled and declined. I’m not sure I could ever part with it, really.
For 4 years I’ve had a saved search daily search on Ebay for “Vintage Depeche Mode Black Celebration”. And every day when I get my ebay email I hope to see another one, just to see it, but it has never happened. A couple of days ago, my heart dropped when I saw this auction, though.
It’s not the same, but it is another Black Celebration sweatshirt, similar style. Oddly enough, this is being sold by someone who lives just a 30 minute drive away from me! I am incredibly excited just to see something else similar after all these years, and also crazy tempted to bid on it. Right now, I’m going to patiently wait and see, and take it as a sign to make this shirt my “T shirt Tuesday” post this week.
The Shirt: Depeche Mode Black Celebration 1986 Tour Jersey
The Tag: Bravado Heroic Clothing (England)
Estimated Value: $400? Hard to say, as I’ve never seen another. Better idea after that Ebay Auction closes, though I think mine is cooler!
If you want to watch this auction it is here. (If you see rewarevintage winning it, please don’t outbid me!)
The same seller also has a Violator sweatshirt for sale here.
