1/24/2018 Roughneck Fashion Copy -

Roughneck Fashion Copy

EVANGELISM FASHION SEO
July 17, 2017

The Roughneck is singular in the Spectra Apparel lineup,

they do not make another t-shirt quite like it. In fact, I’d
http://www.curiositorium.org/content-copy-seo/roughneck-fashion-writing/ 1/11
1/24/2018 Roughneck Fashion Copy -

take a guess that nobody does. This is a t-shirt which

hearkens back through the murky history of t-shirt
design’s roots; when a edgling print and promotions
industry was rst nding its feet in America and the only
thing you were likely to nd printed on a t-shirt was a
Budweiser logo. At rst blush the roughneck seems to be
one of those if-it-was-good-enough-for-grandad-then-its-
good-enough-for-me items. It reeks of nostalgia, history,
heritage. I am immediately concerned about where to
place this in any critique of the SpectraUSA range. Is the
Roughneck a yardstick? Possibly a gold-standard? Or is it
just a nice-to-have, but not a have-to-have? Or maybe
even a “special-duty” kind of garment?

The Roughneck: An Excursion

Through Early T-Shirt History
To slip a 2001 Roughneck over your head is to take a long,
slow cliff-dive into one’s own personal pool of t-shirt
nostalgia. It reminds me of the rst “cool” t-shirts I ever
swiped from my father’s closet, or the rst oversized
printed tee I bought at a rock concert, as well as every
damn t-shirt I ever loved that every damned girlfriend
ever stole from my damned wardrobe. Ever. Damn. The
heavy, textured 18 singles fabric of the Roughneck appeals
http://www.curiositorium.org/content-copy-seo/roughneck-fashion-writing/ 2/11
1/24/2018 Roughneck Fashion Copy -

to the practical part of oneself. I can almost hear the

dialogue from the Russian Gangster, Boris “The Blade”
Yurinov, pitching that massive handgun to a clueless
Tommy in Guy Ritchie’s Snatch, “Heavy is good, heavy is
reliable… If it doesn’t work you can always hit them with it.”
No really, it’s that kind of t-shirt. Artillery-grade. As ballsy
as a bank robber. Bullet-proof vests put one of these on
when they’re feeling insecure. I’ve heard an
unsubstantiated rumor that Navy Seals hang 2001’s in
their lockers to remind them what “tough” looks like. The
Roughneck is a t-shirt with heritage and, you might say,
more than a pair. (For more on t-shirt history follow our
on-going series here).

But it’s not all testosterone, beer and scar tissue. The
minute I’ve got it over my head I’m thinking of Jean
Seberg in Godard’s 1960s classic Breathless. With her
impish haircut and (gent’s) t-shirt with the sleeves rolled
up. However, the SpectraUSA Roughneck is a far more
sophisticated beast than its ancient cousin from the days
of Breathless. Gone is the blanket-thick double ply cotton
knit that Seberg had to feminize with rolled up sleeves.
Gone is the oversized 1960s collar which does double duty
as a polar-neck, and gone is the 1960s sack-like
formlessness–the very pinnacle of post-war t-shirt design
and mass-production. Things weren’t meant to be pretty
back then, so much as they were simply meant to be.
http://www.curiositorium.org/content-copy-seo/roughneck-fashion-writing/ 3/11
1/24/2018 Roughneck Fashion Copy -

Utilitarian is a word which describes this best. Sensible

another. The roughneck harnesses this function-over-
form aesthetic and adds to it with smart design touches
and considered fabric selection to turn out a garment
Seberg would have thrown the elbow to call her own.

The 2001 Roughneck may take its cue from early t-shirt
history but it is a far more re ned beast we are dealing
with here. What you have in place of frumpy 60s t-shirt, is
half a century of re nement in textile production and
aesthetic design. This amounts to an 18 singles cotton knit
which is not only more svelte than it’s older cousin, but is
stronger and better spun. Open-end yarn spinning is a
more sophisticated creature in the hands of modern
technology, which means this garment could take a
beating all day and come up smiling after a quick dip in
the sink. One almost looks forward to punishing it in the
washer and drier for years until it is worn smooth as a
haiku pebble.

http://www.curiositorium.org/content-copy-seo/roughneck-fashion-writing/ 4/11
1/24/2018 Roughneck Fashion Copy -

Still from Goddard’s Breathless (1960)

The Roughneck: Historically

Rooted In Classic Design
As I’ve said, the Roughneck takes it’s cues from the roots
of t-shirt history, where you will nd it knee-deep in two
simple Vitruvian design principles: Firmness, and Delight.
The Firmness comes from the fact that there is a real
sensation to wearing this shirt, you truly feel it, it is present
http://www.curiositorium.org/content-copy-seo/roughneck-fashion-writing/ 5/11
1/24/2018 Roughneck Fashion Copy -

with you and on you. It envelops your form and holds you
close. Sliding the Roughneck on and stepping through
the front door for the rst time, one imagines that this is
the way Superman must feel as he exits the phone booth,
which would account for the ‘Delight’ part. This shirt feels
“coiled,” ready for action. Sharp and contoured. T-shirts
were originally items of underwear and the Roughneck is
unapologetic about these origins. It is snug and sweet,
tough and practical. Like a roll in the hay with the farmer’s
daughter. No nonsense, strictly business, but jolly good
fun all the same.

Now a word to the wise: If you have fallen into the bad
habit of allowing your clothes to wear you, then this shirt
is not for you–it will dominate you and send you home to
mama with your tail between your legs. The 2001 is a shirt
which pushes back. You might say that it doesn’t start
ghts, but it does know how to nish them. To be
completely chauvinistic and un-politically correct about it,
this is a man’s t-shirt (and for those women who don’t feel
right without a bit of muck under the ngernails). This
garment was made for grease, gristle, blood, sand, balls of
all kinds and colorful language. However, pay close
attention to the subtle taper to the torso shape, the
painstakingly stitched shoulders, the neck tape and
double-stitched hem lines suggest it is a carefully crafted
and considered piece of design. The Roughneck is no
http://www.curiositorium.org/content-copy-seo/roughneck-fashion-writing/ 6/11
1/24/2018 Roughneck Fashion Copy -

mass-produced “stock” item mindlessly churned out of a

t-shirt mill. No sir. It is a sleek and understated classic
fashion element nished in tough 18 singles 100% cotton
knit, built to be hard-wearing and without pretense.
Grandad wishes he had had a few of these in the kit bag
on that beach in Normandy; for both the battle, and for
relaxing after.

Roughneck 2001 in Fire-engine Red

http://www.curiositorium.org/content-copy-seo/roughneck-fashion-writing/ 7/11
1/24/2018 Roughneck Fashion Copy -

The Roughneck: Functional And

All Details
Beyond the little details the Roughneck 2001 t is
functional which really gives this garment its charm and
classic sensibilities. The sleeve length falls a respectful and
modest halfway down the upper arm. If you have spent
the week in the gym polishing “the guns” to a giddy
luster, there are few garments which will augment the
well-honed bicep quite like a Roughneck. The tough
cotton weave contrasts strongly against smooth skin and
you can almost hear the all-cotton knit stretching to
accommodate exing muscle. The torso length is
generous and falls a whisker longer than one would
anticipate. Most modern shirts come up short at their
base for only one reason-to account for manufacturer’s
pro t margins–and, after a few seasons in the drier, these
same shirts are typically re-gifted as “cut-offs” or “shrank-
offs” to girlfriends, but not the Roughneck. The length is
practical but the feeling of it being just a little longer than
most mass-produced promotional apparel affords it a
little whimsy, and understated style. The collar ts
beautifully and there is no chaf ng or ‘riding up,’ it is as
smooth and snug as the rest of the shirt. There is a
shoulder-to-shoulder reinforcing neck-tape stitched into
the underside of the garment’s neck and shoulder-line

http://www.curiositorium.org/content-copy-seo/roughneck-fashion-writing/ 8/11
1/24/2018 Roughneck Fashion Copy -

which gives it the feeling of being built like a tank. The 18

singles knit is a sensation, and just coarse enough to let
you know you are wearing a classically styled t-shirt, but
with modern taste, re nement and design sensibilities.
The 2001 Roughneck is a very clever piece of kit.

The Roughneck: Conclusions

There are a lot of t-shirts out there which purport to be
“modern,” try to claim “designer” status or worse, pretend
to be a “high fashion” item. The Roughneck does not.
What you have here is, by every de nition, a practical,
hard-wearing and deeply functional t-shirt, de ned by the
details and considered design behind it. When I think of
the Roughneck 2001 I think of other classics of design like
the paperclip, the q-tip, the Helvetica typeface, and the
legendary shape of the Porsche automobile. These items
haven’t changed much over the years because they are as
re ned as they are going to get. Every now and then we
jazz them up a little but the basic styling and shape are
unmistakable, timeless. This is equally true of the
Roughneck, a garment embedded in pure simplicity and
honesty of construction. A testament to great American
design and raw function over frills. The Roughneck is
easily one of my favorite SpectraUSA t-shirts, hands-down.

http://www.curiositorium.org/content-copy-seo/roughneck-fashion-writing/ 9/11
1/24/2018 Roughneck Fashion Copy -

If you are thrilled by the idea of a tough, hard wearing t-

shirt, the Roughneck which will last forever and t like a
glove, then is the shirt for you my friend.

COLOPHON & NOTES

Client SpectraTees, June 2017

Picture 1) Header: A composite image created from stills
taken from the catalog the author produced for the client,
and manipulated in Illustrator 2) Movie still from
Goddard’s Breathless via Wikipedia, 3) Product still of
2001 shirt shot by the author.
Notes This was the rst in a series of on-going SEO and
evangelism pieces for the client which focused on the
design, utility and experience of the garment. What
began with a short conversation about who was the
typical consumer and wearer of this particular style
evolved into a piece which aimed at a broader SEO ‘target’
surrounding that audience, and associating the garment
with those sorts of ideas and keywords.

← Previous Post Next Post →

http://www.curiositorium.org/content-copy-seo/roughneck-fashion-writing/ 10/11
1/24/2018 Roughneck Fashion Copy -

Contact The Curiositor

 
Copyright © 2014 All Rights Reserved. This Website And Its Contents, Unless Otherwise Speci ed, Remain The Sole Property Of The Owner.
Unauthorized Use And/Or Duplication Of This Material Without Written Permission From The Author Is Strictly Prohibited.

http://www.curiositorium.org/content-copy-seo/roughneck-fashion-writing/ 11/11