All my best vintage tees are Florida tees! ❤️ now which one do I add to the collection?? This has to be one of my all time favorite RFC posts. Zigzag! lol
As a native Floridian and former Brooklyn resident who recently moved back to the sunshine state / my hometown after 16 years elsewhere- I feel very seen and echo all your love and conflicted feelings! It feels so rare to read positive representations about this special and complicated place. And my most fave vintage tees are all Florida related. ❤️🍊🐊
Oh this is making me tear up, you write so beautifully abt this feeling. Seconding BF, this is immediately an all time fave RFC post for me too💗Literally have a whole 1000-tab window for AZ (mostly Tucson) shirts on eBay for whenever I get nostalgic, maybe I need to bite the bullet on my fave!!
My husband is a Miami Dolphins fan, so we have a lot of merch in our house (a kitchy clock found in Saskatchewan, little statues of Dan Marino), but of course, a million tees. I’ve been to Florida twice, once for a game and once for a work conference. It’s a weird place, but beautiful.
I grew up in a California beach town and had an identity crisis last year when I realized I had been gone longer than I had lived there. I wrote an essay about it, and grief over the ways climate change have impacted my hometown was a recurring theme. I suspect those of us who come from costal towns are forced to grapple with this in a way inland folks may not. And I also went on a t-shirt buying spree, though specifically for Santa Cruz and Monterey, not the whole state. There is such a specific comfort in a nostalgic vintage tee.
I think you’re right ❤️ also grappling with the opposing desires of wanting my parents to stay in the home and community they love versus wanting them to move before property values plummet (or before a hurricane destroys the house!)
Sent this immediately to my Floridian husband because I know it is gonna really pull at his heartstrings and have him Zillowing property outside of Gainesville. <3 <3 <3
such a perfect summation of the heartbreak of leaving and loving florida — my personal grail is a vintage tampa bay rowdies tee but they’re hard to find in good sizes at a fair price. the search continues! ⚽️
omg girl I will find you one if you want... I went on a Rowdies tear on eBay last year after I went to a game and there were some decently priced options out there!! I know for some people the hunt is part of the fun though...
This was great. Honestly very moving. Really interesting to consider “home is a state of mind” but also “you can never go home again” (but you CAN get a T-shirt!)—I hope that tracks! 😎
I've been to Florida only once, on a hectic business trip. But I've read a lot of Edna Buchanan and Carl Hiassen, and I just watched “Where the Boys Are” (1960) for the first time (“Are you a _good_ girl?”), and I'm feeling a certain fondness for the state. Would I declare my love in a T-shirt? Probably not, but I'm enjoying your collection!
I live in Brooklyn, but grew up in Florida and I really relate to your sentiment about Florida/being a New Yorker/alligator. Really appreciate all the cool second hand finds with the tees!
I’m also a 100% cotton tee snob, they just feel so much nicer than a blend. I have some florida tees in the collection I should show you, including a rare 1950s kids weeki wachee mermaids terrycloth one! I wore my not-quite-vintage heat (lebron, wade, bosh so circa 2011!) shirt at the beach during the heatwave last week & thought of you haha!
Such great timing. California girl here, but I just happened to finish two Florida-themed novels ~ *Say Hello to My Little Friend* and *The Float Test*!
All my best vintage tees are Florida tees! ❤️ now which one do I add to the collection?? This has to be one of my all time favorite RFC posts. Zigzag! lol
wow can't wait to see what you choose if you do!!!
As a native Floridian and former Brooklyn resident who recently moved back to the sunshine state / my hometown after 16 years elsewhere- I feel very seen and echo all your love and conflicted feelings! It feels so rare to read positive representations about this special and complicated place. And my most fave vintage tees are all Florida related. ❤️🍊🐊
wow that must have been quite a move! I have so much love for Florida and anyone who grew up there ❤️
Oh this is making me tear up, you write so beautifully abt this feeling. Seconding BF, this is immediately an all time fave RFC post for me too💗Literally have a whole 1000-tab window for AZ (mostly Tucson) shirts on eBay for whenever I get nostalgic, maybe I need to bite the bullet on my fave!!
do it!!! we need a DF: Arizona t-shirt edition!
My husband is a Miami Dolphins fan, so we have a lot of merch in our house (a kitchy clock found in Saskatchewan, little statues of Dan Marino), but of course, a million tees. I’ve been to Florida twice, once for a game and once for a work conference. It’s a weird place, but beautiful.
how did he become a Miami fan!
He started watching in the 80s when Dan Marino was at his peak. You should see Logan’s aqua satin bomber jacket! 🐬
I also married into Dolphins fandom and have two incredible vintage Dolphins sweatshirts from my husband. They have the best NFL merch!!
I have a bunch of merch going back to the 90s. I have my own jersey, in addition to my Carolina Panthers team shirts.
I grew up in a California beach town and had an identity crisis last year when I realized I had been gone longer than I had lived there. I wrote an essay about it, and grief over the ways climate change have impacted my hometown was a recurring theme. I suspect those of us who come from costal towns are forced to grapple with this in a way inland folks may not. And I also went on a t-shirt buying spree, though specifically for Santa Cruz and Monterey, not the whole state. There is such a specific comfort in a nostalgic vintage tee.
I think you’re right ❤️ also grappling with the opposing desires of wanting my parents to stay in the home and community they love versus wanting them to move before property values plummet (or before a hurricane destroys the house!)
Sent this immediately to my Floridian husband because I know it is gonna really pull at his heartstrings and have him Zillowing property outside of Gainesville. <3 <3 <3
<3 but also … not Gainesville 😂
such a perfect summation of the heartbreak of leaving and loving florida — my personal grail is a vintage tampa bay rowdies tee but they’re hard to find in good sizes at a fair price. the search continues! ⚽️
omg girl I will find you one if you want... I went on a Rowdies tear on eBay last year after I went to a game and there were some decently priced options out there!! I know for some people the hunt is part of the fun though...
This was great. Honestly very moving. Really interesting to consider “home is a state of mind” but also “you can never go home again” (but you CAN get a T-shirt!)—I hope that tracks! 😎
thanks, Angela!
from another floridian turned brooklynite—thank you for your service! i'm very inspired to start a florida-tee collection.
do it! If you ever go back to visit you should definitely spend some time in the t-shirt section of your favorite thrift store there
I've been to Florida only once, on a hectic business trip. But I've read a lot of Edna Buchanan and Carl Hiassen, and I just watched “Where the Boys Are” (1960) for the first time (“Are you a _good_ girl?”), and I'm feeling a certain fondness for the state. Would I declare my love in a T-shirt? Probably not, but I'm enjoying your collection!
A Bay Area t-shirt collection would be so cool!
I live in Brooklyn, but grew up in Florida and I really relate to your sentiment about Florida/being a New Yorker/alligator. Really appreciate all the cool second hand finds with the tees!
hi to a fellow Floridian Brooklynite!
I’m also a 100% cotton tee snob, they just feel so much nicer than a blend. I have some florida tees in the collection I should show you, including a rare 1950s kids weeki wachee mermaids terrycloth one! I wore my not-quite-vintage heat (lebron, wade, bosh so circa 2011!) shirt at the beach during the heatwave last week & thought of you haha!
omg yes I want to see that weeki wachee one!!! I can't believe I've never been able to find one with a mermaid on it--have looked for years!
Such great timing. California girl here, but I just happened to finish two Florida-themed novels ~ *Say Hello to My Little Friend* and *The Float Test*!