Instagram is awash with brands making colourful and often limited edition shirts featuring anything and everything.
Rare and retro artwork, clever bootlegs and intricate, colourful designs - plus shmaltzy visual tributes to obscure pop-culture icons - are the order of the day, and this booming corner of IG industry shows no sign of slowing down.
Metal bands, horror movies, minor celebrities (and dead ones), it’s never been a better time to buy a T-shirt - well if you're a total sloth like us here at Sinister Isles HQ. It's not a lie to say our idea of 'getting dressed up' is the one time a month we go out wearing a pair of jeans instead of joggers.
If you’re a long-sleeve lover or prefer a standard T-shirt, here’s some of our favourite makers, complete with links to their shops and socials.
Homage Tees
The pioneers of the celebrity tribute genre, Princess Diana, Louis Theroux and um, Mother Theresa have all been the focus of a 90s style design makeover.
The ultimate 'hipster's choice', their huge array of designs is bound to have something niche enough to tell the world how kooky and specific your interests are.
Click here to buy, click here to follow on Instagram - and see some of their designs snapped out and about.
Hell on Shirts
Arguably one of the most creative brands, their shirts are packed full of iconic quotes, extra detailing, and incredible colours. With Hellraiser, The Burbs, Gremlins and Demolition Man all being reimagined, every drop makes you wonder what’s coming next.
Bonus points for being UK-based - none of those annoying 'you must pay £12 taxes on top of crazy postage prices' cards from Royal Mail here!
Click here to buy, and they're here on Instagram (prepare to want everything!)
Bob Zeddon
Metal nerds love Bob’s limited edition designs, which often use a pop of pastels to make black and thrash bands just a little bit more ‘fun’.
Click here to buy, click here to follow him on Instagram and find out what's coming up next.
Forever Street Metal Bitch
This was one of the first bootleg brands I found (and bought) via Instagram. Run by Anna, her limited edition shirts use hair metal bands’ original 80s artwork but in neon colours. A true metal purist, she always makes sure bands give her permission before using their designs.
All funds raised go towards staging her annual band showcase, Street Metal Massacre. Sadly she’s in the US so we’ve never been.
Her shop is here, but follow her on IG for random dead stock sales and updates on new releases (and amazing content if you're a fan of hair metal and horoscopes).
Cavity Colors
If you like your 80s slasher flicks and want the world to know, then Cavity Colors have your back... and front. Obscure titles are celebrated with bright colours and artwork that will make you miss begging your mum to rent you a video nasty from your local video shop even more.
Follow them on Instagram (and prepare to get very jealous of US horror cons!) or check out their shop here, which has got some awesome Night of the Living Dead designs (and pins!).
Meth Syndicate
I'll be honest, I am including these guys as they are absolutely hilarious, rather than for their designs!
They post a lot of spoof or parody shirts which sadly AREN'T for sale - these include the most honest Mrs. Doubtfire representation EVER.
Meth boss Eric and his girlfriend also made a hilarious parody of MTV Cribs for their IG Stories which had me howling.
Check out their shop here, and funny AF insta here.
Rucking Fotten
The Japanese text used on this US brand's shirts can sometimes leave you wondering what the hell the film is - meaning only true purists (and people who can read Japanese) will know what cinematic treasure you're toting'.
Yes I know the example above has English on the sleeve, I just wanted an excuse to put a picture of a cat in the article, OK?
See how many films you instantly recognise here, and their full store is here.
Toysnobs
A frequent collaborator of Rucking Fotten, Toysnobs usually re-make retro toys but every now and then veer in to T-shirt territory.
At the end of last year they caught our interest with this 'Nick Cage' T-shirt. So wonderfully bad, and destined to go down in history. Very much like the works of the great man himself - and more specifically, latest DVD release PRIMAL.
See their Instagram here, and their shop - complete with some rad pins - is here.
