Japan

Jackie’s Collection of Engrish – Part 2: Clothing Edition

August 30, 2013

The English language is chic. Let’s face it–if you don’t own a piece of clothing with random phrases of the language, you’ve just got no sense of style.

Clothing is probably where I find the most Engrish. Most of it is nonsensical and just entertaining…but perhaps some truly do have deep and significant meanings. Meanings so deep, they’re incomprehensible even to a native speaker. We must open our minds. Open our minds to the profound messages of Engrish.

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I didn’t notice until I was posting these pictures that the last sentence in the shirt before is the same sentence used in the center of the next shirt. I guess it must be an important and well-known phrase in the Engrish community. Let’s take careful heed. By the way, can anyone tell me what goes on at the Florida Activity Center?2013-02-02 16.43.532013-03-27 17.01.10

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Reaching out to Mexicans with Engrish2013-06-03 17.08.13

British-American? There must be a deeper message here and not just a geographical mistake…2013-08-15 13.53.28FxCam_1345891086618FxCam_1345891104088FxCam_1345890977997

If you ever get confused about whether to use its or it’s, just remember this shirt:2013-03-16 14.11.16

You can find the most uplifting Engrish on children’s clothing2012-12-08 18.45.49

Handbags are a great way to show off Engrish. It’s also very trendy to throw on a bunch of rhinestones, sequined patches and bows to help illustrate the meaning!2013-03-02 19.00.282012-12-08 18.31.40

Even the all-American Tommy Hilfiger has embraced Engrish:2013-02-23 19.53.38

We should learn from the Japanese when it comes to thinking up new clothing brand names2013-02-10 16.42.54

On to hats: the best way to creatively express how you truly feel.2013-06-14 16.47.512013-06-14 16.48.122013-06-14 16.59.47

Is this a colorful brand name, racially charged, or just a dark way to yell? Only Engrish knows…2013-06-14 16.50.05

And remember…when life gets too crazy….2013-03-12 20.49.12

The funny thing is, I used to wear shirts with plenty of Engrish on them when I was little. Every now and then, my sister and I would receive a big box of hand-me-downs in the mail from my cousins in Japan. I was always so excited for the cute, only-available-in-Japan clothes. I never could make out what the shirts were supposed to say, but I just thought that was because I didn’t know enough English.

Anyway, more to come!!

In case you missed it, here’s part 1 of my Engrish collection.

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2 Comments

  • Reply Kern February 21, 2016 at 7:07 pm

    This made my day :) thank you

    • Reply Jackie Watanabe February 21, 2016 at 11:44 pm

      I’m glad! Thanks for reading! By the way, how’d you come across this post?

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