Clothes for the nation: T-shirts in Mexico

Linda and Lawrie are Canadians, and they have been full-time residents of Isla Mujeres for nearly 10 years now.

They have a colorful and entertaining blog called “Notes from Paradise” (You can read their blog here), and last week they came up with this interesting point of view about T-shirts in Mexico that is worth reading:

Mexico is kinda unique in North America.

Unlike its northern neighbours, who seem to love t-shirts emblazoned with sports team logos or various rock stars – Mexico relies heavily on political events to clothe the nation.

A favourite giveaway during election time is a t-shirt with the name and slogan of a political candidate featured prominently, perhaps accompanied by a photograph. Even though we are residents, not citizens, and therefore cannot vote in the elections we have on numerous occasions been offered a t-shirt from a political party, but we can’t wear them. As non-citizens we are not allowed to be involved in anything political.

Many of the tour boats or fishing charter boats outfit their crews in white, long-sleeved t-shirts emblazoned with the name of the boat. It’s a great way to keep the crew looking professional, and to advertise the boat to tourists.

The long-sleeved style is the preferred shirt when working out on the sun-reflecting water. They are a hotter to wear, but do a better job preventing sunburn. We know from the half dozen or so times we have gone fishing with friends. We usually returned in late afternoon hot and sweaty, and relatively burn free.

There are the standard white fishing shirts for the regular tournament and the prettier pale pink shirts for the ladies only annual tournament that took place this last weekend.

A boat load of our friends participated in the ladies’ tournament last year and judging by the photographs it looked like they had a heck of a fun time. Of course with fishing, there is always copious quantities of cold cerveza, bringing smiles to all of the participants.

With the political giveaways, the locals are pretty savvy. It’s a fairly common strategy to profess support for a number of different candidates until the t-shirts have been handed out.

We were out walking the other day, and spotted a clothes line with a number of t-shirts drying in the sun.

Wow! We could go back at least nine years of political candidates, from all parties. And best of all they are free.

We have amassed our own personal collection of free t-shirts gifted by business friends who wanted to spread the word about their company: restaurants, bars and brewery.

Hey great! Free clothes. Thanks.

Hasta Luego

Lynda & Lawrie

Source: http://lynda-notesfromparadise.blogspot.mx/