salomeU2000
The Fly
Auction Block : Going, going . . . but not gone: U2 on Ebay #2
[SIMG]http://bonovox.interference.com/auction/u2pinthumb.gif[/SIMG]
By Chenoa Marquis
Hello again, Messieurs et Mesdames - haven?t seen you in quite a while, as someone or other once said. Blame my beloved English thesis, now quite complete, but formerly a jealous consumer of tout mon temps. This week, we take a look at the many ways in which you can display your love for our favorite Irish Fab Four while shopping at your local PopMart, gathering ?Wild Honey,? or buying Lemons . . . in short, the vast array of vintage and not-so-vintage U2 apparel that abounds on Ebay.
I?ve been researching this one for a while, watching the listings vigilantly for trends and such, and have discovered that, for the most part, no matter how rare sellers claim a clothing item is, especially a t-shirt, they?re probably bluffing. I haven?t seen a single shirt listed without finding at least one duplicate within ten days or less of that item?s listing. That having been said, there are some shirts that are harder to acquire than others, and new is always better than used.
Here?s a nice example from the Joshua Tree-era, complete with a sepia-toned Joshua Tree outline on the front and an appropriately moody black-and-white group picture on the back. I prefer older tees on the whole because they really are more likely to be ?rare? or ?hard to find?, and I?ve never been one to wear what everyone else is wearing. The only thing with shirts like this one is it can be a little difficult to determine their authenticity when they?re not from a specific tour (with dates and so on printed on them).
This next one demonstrates what I mean about authenticity - it?s an Outside Broadcast Zoo TV number, with a really popping colour scheme. This is one of my favourites so far.
It?d be really cool to have a set of these, one from each leg of the tour, don?t you think?
The T-shirt colour palette really exploded with Zoo TV, didn?t it? Dig this fabby Trabby tee, also from the Outside Broadcast tour:
Look, Ma, actual flesh-toned (sort of) people! Who?da thunk it? - my , my, the difference a change of decade can make.
Keeping with the colourful trend, I offer you this ravishing Achtung Baby shirt, which puts my own sober black-and-white ?symbols? version to shame.
Those are a couple of my favourite pictures, too - all in all, quite a beauty. I?d never seen this one around on Ebay much, but there are about five this week for some reason, so feel free to comparison shop. They all seem to be extra-larges, though . . .
The next item is available in a wider range of sizes, and there were three or four of them floating around as well - I give you the Elevation/ All That You Can?t Leave Behind baby-doll tee!
For those of you who don?t really want to declare yourselves ?PopTarts? (though why wouldn?t you?) this more recent tee is less flamboyant but still sexy. (By the way, if anyone knows where I can get an orange PopTart tee, please email me!)
Now that you?ve got your top half all worked out, you?ll want something for the bottom, right? You ought to, anyhow. Unfortunately, U2?s merchandising has not achieved NBA or Paul Frank proportions to date, and that means - no pants. No shorts, no track pants, no jammies, no jeans, no nothin?. My personal opinion is that U2 bottoms are pretty much a free-for-all - leather pants with studs, gold lam? trousers (I own a pair!), those ridiculously expensive designer camouflage pants, sarongs, and, of course, the dependable rock-star-casual blue jean (holes optional). If you do feel the need for something a little more definitive, I recommend patches. Sew ?em down the legs, or iron one huge one onto the seat, or make a skirt out of them, if you want - here?s a couple to get you started.
Now you?re ready to accessorize - how about a hat? Here?s a PopMart pair - a standard baseball cap, in classic black and red, and its slightly more ornate counterpart, complete with lemon-coloured globe.
Or what about an Elevation Tour number, that comes with its own baggage?
We could stop here - but you know what they say - Too Much Is Not Enough. Onward to the merely decorative - first, a belt buckle that rivals Larry?s beloved Harley Davidson one:
If only I hadn?t had bills to pay that week . . .
Good luck and happy bidding to all - it?s back to the listings with me!
Next time: Eat Your Heart Out, Martha Stewart - Decorating With U2
[SIMG]http://bonovox.interference.com/auction/u2pinthumb.gif[/SIMG]
By Chenoa Marquis
Hello again, Messieurs et Mesdames - haven?t seen you in quite a while, as someone or other once said. Blame my beloved English thesis, now quite complete, but formerly a jealous consumer of tout mon temps. This week, we take a look at the many ways in which you can display your love for our favorite Irish Fab Four while shopping at your local PopMart, gathering ?Wild Honey,? or buying Lemons . . . in short, the vast array of vintage and not-so-vintage U2 apparel that abounds on Ebay.
I?ve been researching this one for a while, watching the listings vigilantly for trends and such, and have discovered that, for the most part, no matter how rare sellers claim a clothing item is, especially a t-shirt, they?re probably bluffing. I haven?t seen a single shirt listed without finding at least one duplicate within ten days or less of that item?s listing. That having been said, there are some shirts that are harder to acquire than others, and new is always better than used.
Here?s a nice example from the Joshua Tree-era, complete with a sepia-toned Joshua Tree outline on the front and an appropriately moody black-and-white group picture on the back. I prefer older tees on the whole because they really are more likely to be ?rare? or ?hard to find?, and I?ve never been one to wear what everyone else is wearing. The only thing with shirts like this one is it can be a little difficult to determine their authenticity when they?re not from a specific tour (with dates and so on printed on them).
This next one demonstrates what I mean about authenticity - it?s an Outside Broadcast Zoo TV number, with a really popping colour scheme. This is one of my favourites so far.
It?d be really cool to have a set of these, one from each leg of the tour, don?t you think?
The T-shirt colour palette really exploded with Zoo TV, didn?t it? Dig this fabby Trabby tee, also from the Outside Broadcast tour:
Look, Ma, actual flesh-toned (sort of) people! Who?da thunk it? - my , my, the difference a change of decade can make.
Keeping with the colourful trend, I offer you this ravishing Achtung Baby shirt, which puts my own sober black-and-white ?symbols? version to shame.
Those are a couple of my favourite pictures, too - all in all, quite a beauty. I?d never seen this one around on Ebay much, but there are about five this week for some reason, so feel free to comparison shop. They all seem to be extra-larges, though . . .
The next item is available in a wider range of sizes, and there were three or four of them floating around as well - I give you the Elevation/ All That You Can?t Leave Behind baby-doll tee!
For those of you who don?t really want to declare yourselves ?PopTarts? (though why wouldn?t you?) this more recent tee is less flamboyant but still sexy. (By the way, if anyone knows where I can get an orange PopTart tee, please email me!)
Now that you?ve got your top half all worked out, you?ll want something for the bottom, right? You ought to, anyhow. Unfortunately, U2?s merchandising has not achieved NBA or Paul Frank proportions to date, and that means - no pants. No shorts, no track pants, no jammies, no jeans, no nothin?. My personal opinion is that U2 bottoms are pretty much a free-for-all - leather pants with studs, gold lam? trousers (I own a pair!), those ridiculously expensive designer camouflage pants, sarongs, and, of course, the dependable rock-star-casual blue jean (holes optional). If you do feel the need for something a little more definitive, I recommend patches. Sew ?em down the legs, or iron one huge one onto the seat, or make a skirt out of them, if you want - here?s a couple to get you started.
Now you?re ready to accessorize - how about a hat? Here?s a PopMart pair - a standard baseball cap, in classic black and red, and its slightly more ornate counterpart, complete with lemon-coloured globe.
Or what about an Elevation Tour number, that comes with its own baggage?
We could stop here - but you know what they say - Too Much Is Not Enough. Onward to the merely decorative - first, a belt buckle that rivals Larry?s beloved Harley Davidson one:
If only I hadn?t had bills to pay that week . . .
Good luck and happy bidding to all - it?s back to the listings with me!
Next time: Eat Your Heart Out, Martha Stewart - Decorating With U2
