Hello fellow Fashionistas and greetings from post-graduate life! Since completing my internship as style guru for CollegeFahshionista.com and graduating from the University of Iowa, I have managed to remain gainfully employed, a great feat in this economy. Currently, I work at Raygun, or, as one of their unique T-shirts puts it, "The store formerly known as Smash until some A-holes in California made us change it," in my hometown of Des Moines, Iowa.
At five years old, this one-stop-T-shirt-and-everything-in-between-shop is slowly taking over the great state of Iowa, and, perhaps, the world? Raygun is located in the east village and includes an entire floor of merchandise and screen printing studio. With shirts paying homage to Iowa, Des Moines, the Midwest, and selected political topics, Raygun manages to simultaneously poke fun at and celebrate its grassroots reputation.
Additionally, Raygun’s online store offers homesick Iowans and online shoppers alike a chance to partake in the fun. Find everything from coffee table photo books, jeans, scarves, and of course, their infamous T-shirts. An added perk of Raygun’s small business frame of mind is its attention to detail and customer service. Orders are shipped out daily all over the world.
What’s next for Raygun? Why, Iowa City’s very own store of course! Raygun #2 opened its doors this September and is sure to be a hit with Hawkeyes young and old. New shirt designs to look for? Chicago suburbs, Ann Arbor, and Iowa State are just a few communities Raygun is sure to commemorate in cotton.
Check out a few of my favorite pieces online right now! The Raygun printed zip hoodie, the rainbow convertible boot by BC Shoes, and of course, Des Moines: the greatest city in the world T-shirt are just a few of my wishlist nominees.
Do you have an idea for a shirt? Raygun NEVER gets requests for new designs. Shoot owner Mike Draper an email with your cleverly conceived T-shirts day or night at contact@raygunstie.com. He patiently waits at his computer every day for inbox to fill up. Ok, not really, he'd probably fire me for saying that. But questions and comments are always appreciated.