Developed as a way to ‘identify’ with ones clothes, the brand ‘429 Life’ uses the touchtone phone alphabet to create a subtle sign about one’s sexuality. On a phone the numbers 429 spell out gay, something you’re unlikely to have known if you don’t, you know, actually ever spell it out. The t-shirts tastefully, in tiny writing, have slogans like ‘Are You 429′, ‘429 You Wish’, ‘429 Boy’, and ‘Absolutely 429′. If you’re unsure whether you’re 429 or not, you can buy the ‘premium soft cotton’ t-shirts without any label.
Unless you’re looking it’s unlikely that you’ll see these labels, but if you know where to look for the labels from this brand - currenly only sold in three stores in the world - you’ll be in on the joke.
These are definitely Patrick t-shirts!
Subtle…
You know, when I saw the site, I actually was looking for the big slogan. I was clicking all around for the tees that have 429 in big bold letters across the front. I don’t think anyone, anyone who isn’t gay would know what it’s about. There are so many random and completely pointless ‘it just looked good’ t-shirts around right now that one with 429 on the front won’t make a splash. I didn’t know what it meant until I read about it. I don’t know what other people think.
As you say, so many random slogans around, this one would definitely be an ‘in’ message. Using numbers to sell something isn’t new though, but because we don’t look at the letters when we dial - we just use the number - it gets disassociated.