It Goes to 11 — classic 80s

As some of you reading this are most likely aware, Found Item Clothing was accidentally inspired by a late-night screening of the 80’s cult classic, Real Genius. Chris Knight, the film’s rakish and eccentric lead (portrayed by a young Val Kilmer), exhibits some real sartorial flair; every one of his assorted tees is offbeat and sui generis, a perfect distillation of his character’s personality, quirks and all. In any case, the initial success of two shirts from that flick — I Heart Toxic Waste and Surf Nicaragua — yielded two more — International Order For Gorillas and Summer Games 1984. 50 shirts (give or take a few) and three...

An obvious antecedent to today’s so-called “bling,” the ostentatious dookie chain (gold ropes of varying length) emerged as the fashion prop of choice for hip-hop artists — both aspiring and established — in the 80’s, thanks in large part to the growing influence of Yo! MTV Raps (which yours truly watched with some regularity as a teenager from the safety of his parent’s suburban living room). Like other messy historical conundrums, it is difficult to pinpoint or establish the true origins of this phenomenon/trend, but certain figures, long associated with this look, come to mind as possible candidates. Below, I’ve embedded five...

Bikes are fun; bikes are fast; bikes are timeless, simple and beautiful. Bikes also have a universal appeal that registers with both children and adults. For these reasons and a multitude of others, filmmakers have long used bicycles for everything from basic props to eye-candy to plot vehicles for self-improvement and self-advancement. With these thoughts in mind, I’ve compiled a list of the 5 Best Bike Movies/Scenes from the 80’s. Let the spirited, nay spoked, debate begin… 5. Goonies (1985) Bikes don’t figure long in the plot here, but our unlikely heroes use their BMX’s to stage an early escape after they...

Loyal readers of It Goes to 11 know that we heart 1985’s Teen Wolf here at FIC. The implausible story, the inspired comedic performances, the side-splitting dialogue, the feel-good conclusion — this fine flick has it all in spades. Michael J. Fox is certainly the star of the film, but in many ways Jerry Levine’s Stiles character (pictured below) steals the show with his self-assured preening, cocky chutzpah, entrepreneurial spirit, and rich, fantastically colored wardrobe. (Shameless reminder: we sell two of his attention-grabbing tees here and here.) For a more in-depth discussion of Stiles’ cultural significance, I urge you to read this informative, expertly deconstructed piece of film criticism that I stumbled...

Flying swordsmen? Chinese magic? Explosive martial arts battles? All this, plus a swaggering, wise-cracking Kurt Russell playing a parody of his popular “tough guy” character? What in God’s name is this movie? That’s what American audiences and critics thought of director John Carpenter’s Big Trouble in Little China when it hit theaters in 1986. To put it mildly, the movie tanked like an anvil pitched into a well. But in the years since, this flick has gathered the audience it deserves, and has in fact become a bona fide cult phenomenon. Fans even quote Jack Burton’s (Russell’s) lines to each other and...