Post #71194 by gustw on Tue, Jan 20, 2004 12:24 PM

Wow...my stupid hats getting a complete and total critique...you're right, I'm not marketing the right crowd...BUT probably the reason the tiki hats haven't sold like gangbusters is that most mesh hat buyers are 16 year olds scared of what people will think. They want something safe like a beer brand or Von Dutch...and maybe the general "tiki" crowd, in all its manifestations, wouldn't wear mesh on a bet. But, I thought I'd throw it out there, and at least it wasn't totally ignored.

As I look up at the "Tiki Central" blinking logo, and look down at the "Lotta Livin'" banner, with some consideration of what has been written here (exceptin' J. Dollar and a few), I can't help but think some people are taking things a little too seriously. Jimmy Buffett and plastic tiki mugs don't make for much intellectual discourse. Yes, the Maori culture is well worth conversation, but most of what I see is pretty kitschy...no?

My WHITE HOT TRASH design might offend rural folk, JIVE TURKEY could piss off african-americans for assimilating their slang dialect, and my JESUS IS MY HAIRDRESSER (a reaction to the JESUS IS MY HOMEBOY phenomenon) needs not be explained.

On another note...I am a fan of tiki, own a couple Shag prints, various tiki-related carvings, and I like Fleetwood Mac and Fugazi. I don't hate Ashton Kutcher, but I think Kid Rock sucks.