 "Bowling
Shirts"
by Joe Tonelli & Marc Luers,
1998
There
is nothing more important to the wardrobe of a bachelor than a healthy
selection of bowling shirts. These shirts, which at one time were never
seen out of the confines of a bowling alley, have become pop culture icons.
Next to the Hawaiian shirt, nothing says "swinger" like a short-sleeve
bowling shirt with your name embroidered over the front pocket. These flamboyant
shirts fit in perfectly with the "bigger-is-better" mentality of the 1950's.
These shirts were worn by real men playing a real man's game. All good
fashion sense be dammed. "Bowling Shirts" showcases the collections
of two men, Joe Tonelli and Marc Luers. These two have spent years going
through thrift stores and flea markets gathering up vintage bowling shirts
from the 1950's and 60's. Most of these shirts come the American's heartland
where bowling was the one sport any working-class Joe could be a star in.
Bowling was relaxation, socialization, and competition all rolled into
one neat package. What other sport encourages its participants to drink
a beer while their playing?
Out of all the shirts,
none are so cool as those from the Minneapolis-based Air-flo Sportswear
Company from the 1950's. Although bowling shirts have been around since
the 1930's, the look that we all have come to know didn't gel until the
early 1950's. The hallmarks of an Air-flo shirt is their sparkling letters
and their bowling pin buttons.
Beyond being a history
book, "Bowling Shirts" is also a price guide for those in
the market for these gems of the Eisenhower era. Most shirts are valued
at around $50, but to true hipsters, a vintage bowling shirt is worth their
weight in gold.
Below are some of the shirts featured
in "Bowling Shirts."
Book Shelf Archives>>>
|
