Looking For Custom Car T-Shirts? Here Are 10 Things You Should Know Before Buying

Welcome

I see a lot of people buying shirts online that look cool in the picture but then they show up and they feel like paper or the print peels off after one day in the garage so I wanted to share some wisdom on what to look for when you are buying hot rod apparel or lowrider clothing brand gear so you don't get ripped off.

1. The Fabric Matters for Garage Life

When you are working on a car or even just hanging out at a show you want a shirt that can take a beating and I always tell people to look for heavyweight cotton because thin shirts just don't last in this industry. Most of my custom motorcycle shirts and car tees are printed on high-quality stuff that won't shrink up into a midriff after one wash because I know us car guys like a shirt that fits right and stays that way.

2.Look For Authentic Artwork

A lot of people just grab clip art off the internet and slap it on a shirt but when you buy pinstriping t shirts from a real artist you are getting lines that were actually drawn by hand. I spent 35 years pulling lines with a brush and when I design a shirt like the Cadi Daddy tee it comes from real pinstriping I did on a real car so the proportions and the flow are actually correct for the culture.

4. Supporting The Chicano Car Culture

If you are into the chicano car culture apparel scene you know it’s about respect and history and you can’t get that from a big mall store that doesn’t know a bomb from a glasshouse. My designs come from my time working on lowriders and hot rods right here in the Phoenix Metro Area and I try to put that soul into every piece of lowrider clothing brand gear I sell.

5. Check The Sizing

Car guys come in all sizes and nothing is worse than a "large" that fits like a "small" so you should always ask if the shirts are pre-shrunk or if they run true to size. I make sure my custom truck t shirts like the C10 designs have a good fit for guys who actually move around and work on their rigs because comfort is just as important as looking cool at the Saturday night cruise.

6. The Story Behind The Design

A good shirt should have a story like my Taildragger Retro tee which is inspired by the old school kustoms I see at shows. When you wear an automotive lifestyle brand you aren't just wearing a logo you are wearing a piece of the culture and I think it’s important to know who designed it and why they did it.

7. Durability In The Sun

Living in Phoenix the sun is brutal and it eats through cheap ink like crazy so you need rat rod t shirts that use high quality dyes that won't turn purple after two days at an outdoor show. I use the best materials I can find because I want you to be able to wear my shirts for years and have them still look like the day you bought them from me at a swap meet or online.

8. Hand-Painted Details

One thing that makes my pinstriping t shirts stand out is that I often incorporate actual scans of my hand-painted work so you see the little imperfections and the thickness of the paint lines. It gives it a "handcrafted" look that you just can't get with a computer-generated design and it's what separates the real gear from the generic stuff.

9. Price vs Quality

You might find a cheaper shirt elsewhere but usually you get what you pay for and if a shirt is $10 it probably won't last through the weekend. I keep my prices fair for the level of artistry and the quality of the garment because I want my customers to be happy and come back when they need more hot rod apparel or maybe even some custom work on their actual car.

10. Local Connection and Service

When you buy from a local guy like me you know exactly who you are dealing with and I am always around to talk about cars or design something custom for your club. I offer mobile service for pinstriping in the Phoenix area and I bring that same personal touch to my custom car t shirts business because I value the community and the friends I've made over the last 35 years.

Get In Touch
If you want to see the gear in person or talk about a custom order for your car club or shop please give me a call or send me a text.

Call or Text Cell: (602) 397-7134
Email: Tony@astripe.com
My Location: 75th Ave and Union Hills, Phoenix, AZ

Thank you for supporting a local artist and checking out my work I really appreciate it and I hope to see you out at the next car show or cruise night.

Tony Perez
Tony's Pinstriping