When I saw a tweet go by asking for bloggers to review a T-shirt from the Force 18 store, I went to have a look but I was expecting the same old same old. They say : "From a print and design shop far far away (well Stevenage in
Hertfordshire to be precise) is a machine which churns out amusing
apparel of the wry, profane and esoteric kind. They are not the normal
sort of clothes you would expect to see at your local shopping precinct
or on the High Street. The difference is ours are funny t shirts designed to raise a smile. Some of them are rude t-shirts,
best unworn at your grandparents' home. Some of them are offensive
t-shirts, designed to be worn anywhere apart from church services or
formal gatherings. Others are created especially for Computer Geeks and
Nerds, Dads, Mums and Mums-to-be (or those suffering through
pregnancy)." Don't let that put you off though - they also have some very "safe" inoffensive designs to choose from too !
Well, I headed off to see what they had on offer and, I must admit, I couldn't help chuckling at some of the designs, even if I'd never dare wear them myself. Firstly, because Juliette is at that "just learnt to read" stage where she keep reading at the top of her voice everything she sees when we're out and about. Secondly, because I'm a teacher and the kids would have a field day if they saw me with a rude slogan on my shirt at the weekend !
I very nearly decided to go for this bright orange, retro Spacehopper design, which really made me nostalgic for my childhood bouncing around the garden on one ! However, while I have the belly for it at the moment, once I've reached my weight loss target, it wouldn't look so good !! I was impressed that it's a design I've never seen anywhere else before, but a quick glance at the homepage explains why. They say : "All of the t-shirts on this site are original creations and are
exclusive to Force 18. If you see the designs for sale on other sites,
they are illegal copies and you should contact us as soon as possible."
In the end I went for this funky Angry Birds design. As you can see from the website photo, it's a vibrant red colour but for some reason, every time I take a photo of it, it comes out orange !
The T-shirt is really high quality - it's thick, soft cotton and keeps it shape really well - and the transfer is good quality too, looking thick and robust, unlike the cheapy ones that crack as soon as they've been through the wash a few times. My only slight niggle is the sizing. I went for a L, expecting it to be on the tight side, but it's actually big and baggy so I would say it is more of an XL. They have a size guide on the website so have a good look at the size you need before ordering. They actually stock T-shirts from S (34-36") to XXXL (54-56") which is great news if you need larger sizes.
The only regret I have about the website is that they don't do kids' sizes. It's great to find quirky, cheeky (but not rude !), original designs for kids to wear and the high quality of the shirts would make them ideal for kids to run riot in.
Another great plus point is that they offer free delivery on all UK orders. If you like outrageous designs and bright colours to make you stand out from the crowd, you're bound to find just what you're looking for at Force 18.
star rating : 4.5/5
RRP : £13.99
for more information : http://www.force18.co.uk/index.php
Disclosure : I received a free T-shirt of my choice in order to write an honest review.
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The Angry Birds t-shirt looks great!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea - I especially like the 'space hopper' T - very retro :)
ReplyDeleteOh oh I want that space hopper tshirt!!
ReplyDeleteAnd the Don't Panic one.
love to get my partner angry birs t-shirts hes addicted to that game x
ReplyDelete