# What the f\*\*\* is up with this t-shirt?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-f-is-up-with-this-t-shirt/739027
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [November 30, 2015, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-f-is-up-with-this-t-shirt/739027 "2015-11-30T13:42:25Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2015, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-f-is-up-with-this-t-shirt/739027/1 "2015-11-30T13:42:25Z")
Wasn’t sure if obscenities were allowed in thread titles outside the pit so I erred on the side of caution.
Anyway, I am about the most unoffendable, sometimes downright un PC person I know.
We’ve had discussions here about t-shirts with objectionable images or sayings on them and at worst I’ve thought “what kind of dumb ass would wear such a thing?” but usually I don’t think too much about it.
Over the weekend I saw [this tacky piece of shit](http://g04.a.alicdn.com/kf/HTB1Y2gsIpXXXXaIXpXXq6xXFXXX2/NO-ONE-CARES-2015-Women-Tshirt-Funny-PARIS-COUTURE-Print-Cotton-Casual-Shirt-For-Top-Tee.jpg) and was surprised at the 😕 😕 😕:mad: :mad: :(☹ that washed over me. My first thought was to confront the store clerk but I knew that would be useless. Then I thought about writing a blistering letter to the store’s headquarters, though I doubt that would do anything either. Hell, I don’t even know what I would want / expect anyone to do. Now I’m mostly just perplexed. Am I misunderstanding something?I was easily able to Google the image so it’s obviously a “thing”, but what exactly is it supposed to mean? Surely it can’t be the ignorant, hateful message that it appears??? If so, why would a national retailer carry such potentially controversial merchandise? Mind, I’m not advocating the removal of the shirts; even hateful assholes have the right to free speech, I just find myself taken aback. Is there more to this that my old, unhip self doesn’t know about? What do you all think about the shirt?
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### Author:  [@GoodOmens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GoodOmens)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2015, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-f-is-up-with-this-t-shirt/739027/2 "2015-11-30T13:51:25Z")
I’m honestly baffled as to what you find objectionable about this shirt. I see it as a “culture-jamming” sort of criticism of the fashion world. Sophomoric, maybe.
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### Author:  [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2015, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-f-is-up-with-this-t-shirt/739027/3 "2015-11-30T14:02:47Z")
> [@GoodOmens](#):
>
> I’m honestly baffled as to what you find objectionable about this shirt. I see it as a “culture-jamming” sort of criticism of the fashion world. Sophomoric, maybe.
At the risk of further confusing you, what is “culture-jamming” ? Also, keeping in mind that I having no clue as to what that is, all I saw (for the first time, though apparently it’s not that new) is a shirt parodying a famous French icon, with the saying “no one cares”. This shortly after a pretty horrendous terror attack and prior to global climate talks in said city. _Really_, you cannot possibly understand my confusion?
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### Author:  [@Omega\_Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omega_Glory)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2015, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-f-is-up-with-this-t-shirt/739027/4 "2015-11-30T14:03:31Z")
What, exactly, are you upset about? Maybe I’m missing something.
ETA. Oh. That seems like an extreme response.
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### Author:  [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2015, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-f-is-up-with-this-t-shirt/739027/5 "2015-11-30T14:04:06Z")
first, I think your link is broken.
but from the text of the link…is it a shirt that says “No One cares”? If so, I have no idea why you are bothered by it. Its a play on being #1. as in No One Cares that you claim to be #1.
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### Author:  [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2015, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-f-is-up-with-this-t-shirt/739027/6 "2015-11-30T14:09:43Z")
> [@Sigene](#):
>
> first, I think your link is broken.
> but from the text of the link…is it a shirt that says “No One cares”? If so, I have no idea why you are bothered by it. Its a play on being #1. as in No One Cares that you claim to be #1.
look what it says under it, and consider the events of the past month.
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### Author:  [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2015, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-f-is-up-with-this-t-shirt/739027/7 "2015-11-30T14:12:48Z")
Chanel joke? Are we not allowed to mock the pretentiousness of Haught Couture (no, not looking up spelling) because terrible people have done horrendous things in Paris?
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### Author:  [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2015, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-f-is-up-with-this-t-shirt/739027/8 "2015-11-30T14:12:50Z")
I clicked your link expecting to see something really offensive and was underwhelmed. I’m willing to bet that the shirt existed prior to the attacks in Paris and that they only link between the two is in your imagination.
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### Author:  [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2015, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-f-is-up-with-this-t-shirt/739027/9 "2015-11-30T14:13:05Z")
I think it’s saying that the wearer of the shirt isn’t concerned about fashion. “No one cares about Paris” is much different than “No one cares about Paris couture”
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### Author:  [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2015, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-f-is-up-with-this-t-shirt/739027/10 "2015-11-30T14:13:14Z")
> [@jz78817](#):
>
> look what it says under it, and consider the events of the past month.
I assume the T-Shirt is a play on Channel No. 5, and has nothing to do with the events of the past month.
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### Author:  [@WF\_Tomba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WF_Tomba)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2015, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-f-is-up-with-this-t-shirt/739027/11 "2015-11-30T14:16:01Z")
Never mind. I get it now. It has nothing to do with the terrorist attacks. It would be like if someone was selling a shirt that said “I H8 NY” and then 9/11 happened. Suddenly people would be offended.
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### Author:  [@Memnon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Memnon)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2015, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-f-is-up-with-this-t-shirt/739027/12 "2015-11-30T14:16:13Z")
> [@dalej42](#):
>
> I think it’s saying that the wearer of the shirt isn’t concerned about fashion. “No one cares about Paris” is much different than “No one cares about Paris couture”
I’m pretty sure that’s the intended interpretation, but I think it’s pretty insensitive for the store to keep selling the shirt in light of recent events.
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### Author:  [@Omega\_Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omega_Glory)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2015, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-f-is-up-with-this-t-shirt/739027/13 "2015-11-30T14:21:29Z")
> [@madmonk28](#):
>
> I clicked your link expecting to see something really offensive and was underwhelmed. I’m willing to bet that the shirt existed prior to the attacks in Paris and that they only link between the two is in your imagination.
[This](http://www.ebay.com/itm/Womens-NO-One-Cares-Paris-Couture-Print-T-shirt-Short-Sleeves-Top-Ladies-Casual-/281539043275)seller listed their shirt in January.
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### Author:  [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2015, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-f-is-up-with-this-t-shirt/739027/14 "2015-11-30T14:21:49Z")
> [@jz78817](#):
>
> look what it says under it, and consider the events of the past month.
This is what I see when I’ve searched (your link still doesn’t work for me): PARIS COUTURE
Is that what you are seeing? I don’t get it. I’m not even sure what “PARIS COUTURE” means. If it refers to french styling of some sort…then I take it to read that nobody cares about high fashion from France.
It has nothing to do with recent events in Paris.
This is exactly how our society gets more PC restrictive:
1.Someone sees some minor small connection,
2. gets OUTRAGED!!!
3. Calls the press,
4. they run a story on it saying how terrible it is
5. shirt gets pulled and company apologizes
6. No one can possess or say something similar because its OUTRAGEOUSLY OFFENSIVE!!!
7. rinse/repeat
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### Author:  [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2015, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-f-is-up-with-this-t-shirt/739027/15 "2015-11-30T14:25:22Z")
The “o” in “No” is slightly raised:
**N[sup]o[/sup]**
In that circumstance, **N[sup]o[/sup]** is a symbol for “Number”, sometimes called the “Numero” symbol:
> **[Numero sign](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Numero_sign)**
>
> The numero sign or numero symbol, №, (also represented as Nº, No, No. or no.), is a typographic abbreviation of the word number(s) indicating ordinal numeration, especially in names and titles. For example, using the numero sign, the written long-form of the address "Number 22 Acacia Avenue" is shortened to "№ 22 Acacia Ave", yet both forms are spoken long.
> Typographically, the numero sign combines as a single ligature the uppercase Latin letter ⟨N⟩ with a usually superscript lowercase letter ⟨...
So the shirt can be read as either “No One Cares” or “Number One Cares”
That’s slightly clever. It can be read as saying that nobody cares, or that you (Number 1) care.
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### Author:  [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2015, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-f-is-up-with-this-t-shirt/739027/16 "2015-11-30T14:28:00Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#):
>
> The “o” in “No” is slightly raised:
>
> **N[sup]o[/sup]**
> In that circumstance, **N[sup]o[/sup]** is a symbol for “Number”, sometimes called the “Numero” symbol:
>
> [Numero sign - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Numero_sign)
> So the shirt can be read as either “No One Cares” or “Number One Cares”
> That’s slightly clever. It can be read as saying that nobody cares, or that you (Number 1) care.
I think it is part of the “Paris Fashion” meme. As pointed out in the above reference to Channel No. 5
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### Author:  [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2015, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-f-is-up-with-this-t-shirt/739027/17 "2015-11-30T14:29:34Z")
It appears that you are seeing a shirt that comments on high fashion and reading into it a comment on mass murders. Paris is known for more than being the location of a recent terrorist attack, and has been known for these various things for a long time. Paris haute couture is one of them. Ignoring most of what you see (Chanel “No” layout, “couture” written plainly) and cherry picking the rest to make a connection that’s rather clearly not there is not a good recipe for understanding what others are trying to communicate.
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### Author:  [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2015, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-f-is-up-with-this-t-shirt/739027/18 "2015-11-30T14:30:37Z")
> [@Tithonus](#):
>
> I’m pretty sure that’s the intended interpretation, but I think it’s pretty insensitive for the store to keep selling the shirt in light of recent events.
I think this is closer to what I’m feeling. Obviously these weren’t produced and shipped in a week’s time. And yes, of course we’re allowed to mock Paris couture, or anything else, for that matter. I had just never seen one before so it seemed weird timing. Also, when the hell did people start pretending they don’t care about fashion (in a clothing store, no less)? Not to go all Miranda Priestly on anyone, but just because one doesn’t "get’ or can’t afford high fashion doesn’t mean it has nothing to do with your clothing choices.
**Sigene** , did you read my entire post? I said I wasn’t sure if I was even understanding the shirt correctly; that’s why I started the thread, to get clarification, which I did (thank you to those who didn’t feel the need to jump down my throat). I also said that I didn’t advocate removing the shirts,
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### Author:  [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2015, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-f-is-up-with-this-t-shirt/739027/19 "2015-11-30T14:43:27Z")
> [@Sigene](#):
>
> I think it is part of the “Paris Fashion” meme. As pointed out in the above reference to Channel No. 5
Why would you think it refers to Chanel No. 5? Is there anything specific that suggests this?
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### Author:  [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2015, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-f-is-up-with-this-t-shirt/739027/20 "2015-11-30T14:45:11Z")
> [@Telemark](#):
>
> I assume the T-Shirt is a play on Channel No. 5, and has nothing to do with the events of the past month.
Exactly. It’s supposed to look like the [No. 5 logo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chanel_No._5#/media/File:CHANEL_No5_parfum.jpg). (They got the font wrong, but the “No” is still pretty distinctive). It is supposed to be that the wearer thinks that they’re above fashion, nothing to do with the city itself - just the industry.
It’s a huge jump from that shirt to the Paris attacks.
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