The Basil Shirt: The "Jack" print has a handsome cousin named "Basil"

A version of this print was originally part of a group called "Acid Trip", you can read more about it below.

I wanted to twist that pattern which is traditionally so clean & sharp into something edgier & more free-form. I was inspired by graffiti & tie dye - art forms that helped people form community & gain the power to "RESIST".

If you have spent any time at the dog park, you know that it can become a lot like a high school cafeteria... Cliques of cool kids vs. oddballs, dog owners secretly competing with each other & gossip.... lots & lots of gossip.

Blade's best friend at the park is Jesse - who looks like a little snowball. 

Blade, Gavin (my dachshund) and I have formed a mini clique with Jesse and her guardian named Jack Martin. Jack is 82 years old, full of San Francisco history and the epitome of the word "RESIST".

Jack was 29 years old during the famous Summer of Love and he describes a San Francisco that rebelled against a culture that censored ideas, silenced expression and oppressed alternative forms of self-identity. 

The more I listened to him talk, I realized that his fight made it possible for me to come here & resist against the pressures I was experiencing nearly 20 years ago. It's almost as if he and his friends passed the baton on to the next generation of 'resisters'. 

I live for making shirts & I am a real fanatic about it. So much detail & care has been put into the making of each Blade + Blue piece. I want this to be your new favorite shirt.

What Makes a Blade + Blue Shirt So Special? 

- MADE IN USA: Blade + Blue shirts are made in limited runs here in the USA. I work with master craftsmen whose family has been making shirts since the 1950's. 

- TOP OF THE LINE FABRIC:  Blade + Blue sources premium Japanese fabrics from some of the finest textile mills in the world.

- A GREAT FIT:  I set out to create a shirt that was both comfortable & flattering. No more feeling like you are stuffed into a super-skinny fit or feeling frumpy in a big, boxy fit. The Blade + Blue cut was designed to provide room for comfort in key areas like the chest & shoulders but is then slightly nipped at the waist to give you a most flattering shape. You will also notice that the lengths of Blade + Blue shirts are designed to make you look great tucked in or out. Please take a look at our FIT GUIDE for more specific measurement information.

- 'NITTY-GRITTY' GOOD STUFF: Let me share a few more details that make the Blade + Blue extra cool:

• Collar Shape: Nothing is worse than seeing an otherwise handsome shirt ruined by a big, floppy collar. The wrong collar shape can instantly ruin your look. I have slightly trimmed the height on Blade + Blue collars, then created a semi-spread shape for a very sharp & modern effect.
• Placket Construction: The slimmer center placket shape of the Blade + Blue shirt is sewn in with a stitch right at the edge of the placket. This technique creates a more streamlined look and eliminates the distracting, 'rumpled' effect that occurs with most other shirts.