#weekendtage

Currently in a good mood (regarding music) yet super stressed.

Fever for the Flava, 2003

In 2009, Ryan O'Connor started screen printing t-shirts in the garage of his mom's house. Little did he know that one day Skrillex would be wearing his shirt on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine. The increase in popularity of O'Connor's clothing brand, Rip N Dip, has allowed him to move from Florida to Los Angeles, California.

When I was younger, the Rip N Dip team would come to my local skate park do things like host a cookout, sponsor contests, and give away products. I remember receiving one of their earlier shirt designs on my way home from the park. Although O'Connor is the founder of the company, he surrounds himself with a fun group of characters that help promote the brand.

The inspiration behind the brand's creation was the desire to wear something more stylish than the gear provided at the skate camp O'Connor and his friends were attending. At first, O'Connor simply wrote "RipNDip" on his skateboard and watched how contagious the name became. The next year, he returned with shirts and sold them. This did not fly too well with the camp. O'Connor was scolded about selling his clothing because half of the camp was sporting RipNDip shirts instead of the camps!

RipNDip is a brand that is all about fun and hanging out with friends. Despite having moved to L.A. and gaining a luxurious office for themselves, they still find the time to skateboard regularly just like they used to back in Florida. RipNDip continues to sponsor uniquely talented individuals. The touring of skate parks has not stopped since the brand's success. There are tons of entertaining videos created by RipNDip to be found on YouTube.

One of the many reasons for the brand's success is, in my opinion, the graphics that take on a home made, DIY look. Each product tends to have some element of humor embedded in it. Whether it be a design involving a cartoon-looking alien or a plethora of cats, Rip N Dip has found their niche in subtle clothing humor. If you follow their Instagram, you will be updated frequently with hilarious sketches like this one: