If you haven’t seen American AF Shirts, you’re probably living under a rock.
Take a stroll through any strip mall, flea market, pawnshop, or Trump rally, and they’ll be there.
Nah, you probably won’t find them on Sak’s 5th Avenue, but who cares?
And while I haven’t seen too many of the flambitious American AF Shirts, I have seen the flags, mugs, ties, hats, shorts, swimsuits, etc. I mean, these images are on everything! (Especially the Trump shirt image, which I’ll get to in a minute.)
So, if you’re in the market for a savage statement you can wear during this heated political season, read on.
I think you’ll be interested in what I have to show you.
The Trump Shirt That Rocked the World
Dang, that’s a cool shirt. Even if you disliked the man you’ve gotta admit, it’s an awesome piece of work.
And what I really like is the detail that’s in the image, too. It’s almost like looking at a “Where’s Waldo” picture. There are so many particulars related to the President’s life that you could spend an hour looking at it. (An easy one to spot are the words “You’re Fired” on the barrel of the tank.)
Of course, that’s not the only product that American AF Shirts have that will blow your mind. They have apparel of Ronald Reagan riding a Velociraptor brandishing an Uzi.
In the mood for some solid American history? How about George Washington holding a rail gun with an American bald eagle is perched on his arm?
Don’t want to make a political statement? American AF Shirts has a beautiful shirt with Elon Musk driving a Tesla across the Mars landscape.
The Man Behind American AF Shirts
At last count, this company was pulling in about $40 million a year. (Source: American Military Times)
The driving force behind these radical products is former Marine Corps Captain Shawn Wylde. Wylde joined the U.S. Marines after attending Virginia Military Institute, where he went toe-to-toe with the administration.
“I was happy because I could start working on my own company. I knew I was onto something special.”
Source: American Military News
Standing up for what is right is a trait Wylde has cultivated over the years, and it served him well during his time in the military.
Without going into too much detail on the different episodes of his military career, the former marine captain…
- Served a tour of duty in Iraq, suffering PTSD from actions that occurred there.
- Exposed a Chief Warrant Officer in the Marine Corps finance office who sexually assaulted a female sergeant.
- Aided and defended the same female marine after the finance office tried to sue her for almost $100,000 in revenge.
- Fought the finance office when they demanded that he pay $100,000
- Got into a melee with a group of men who were trying to attack a female marine. (Wylde got a brain injury from this.)
- Wound up going to federal prison after coughing up $92,000 to the U.S. government.
From Prisoner to Millionaire Entrepreneur
The inspiring part about Shawn Wylde is the fact that nothing seemed to slow him down. He started working on building his company, American AF shirts, while he was in prison for over a year.
Instead of sitting in his cell sulking, Wylde decided to spend the time planning out his apparel company. He sketched pictures, planned out his social media strategy, and took as much action as he could muster.
(Prison as entrepreneurial therapy? Who knew?)
With hardly any money left, Wylde knew he could start an online business on a mere shoe-string.
As he told American Military News, ” I figured I couldn’t get a regular job with a felony. So when I got out, I was happy because I could start working on my own company. I knew I was onto something special.”
Outsourcing Incredible Artists for Fast Growth
While Shawn Wylde came up with some incredible ideas, he needed to move with a purpose and speed. So, instead of doing all the drawing himself, he outsourced a lot of the work.
One of the artists that he contracted to bring his visions to life was the incredible Jason Heuser.
Jason is the artist who really brought the infamous Trump Shirt to life. Recently, his image of president Reagan riding a velociraptor made its way into a Senate hearing on the Green New Deal package. Yeah, I’m not kidding.
Even though it could be debated that the image had no relevance to the hearings, it still is a great opportunity for an artist like Jason to shine.
Mr. Heuser’s art isn’t just confined to Shawn Wylde’s company. A graduate of two art schools, Ferris State University and Kendal College of Art and Design, Jason has worked for some of the most prominent companies on the planet.
Microsoft, GameStop, Ubisoft, and nationally known publications like the Washington Post, The Boston Globe, Huffington Post, and a horde of others too long to list.
Not only does he create loads of incredible art for his clients, he also sells his art on his own Etsy store under the name “Sharpwriter“.
Wylde’s Other Shop – Not Selling Just Another Trump Shirt
Jason Wylde is somewhat of a serial entrepreneur; American AF isn’t the only company he runs. He has a very similar patriot themed apparel store called “Semper Silkies“.
This store is different because it features silk shorts with all kinds of different designs, from military slogans to Hawaiian shirt patterns. (Being a Hawaiian shirt fan myself, I think I need some of these for Christmas.)
Even if you don’t want to buy apparel from one of these sites, they sure are entertaining to visit. If the apparel doesn’t crack you up, the staff surely will.
For example, here is a picture of Semper Silkies Chief Executive Officer, Chris White during a major league baseball game.
(Actually, I think the security guard is the real dynamo of this picture. Good thing he had a big enough labonza to land on, otherwise he’d be in the hospital.)
Christmas Is Coming Kiddies – Get Your American AF Shirts or Silkies Now
I know your grandma would probably love the Trump shirt. But if you want to surprise your grandmother ger her with a nice pair of leggings from American AF Shirts. She’ll never forget them, that’s for sure!
Actually, the company has something for everyone, from toddlers to kid sizes and they have a special category called “Rug Rats”. I thought this Porky Pig “Eat Me Isis” shirt was cool, but I wondered how the company secured the rights from Warner Brothers or whoever it is that owns the company now. Especially when the character is holding onto a firearm.
I could just imagine Johnny running around on the playground wearing this hummer. I’ll bet his teachers would just LOVE it.
But hey, we’re almost a quarter of the way into the 21st century now, so anything goes!
So, if you want to give someone in your family a gift for Christmas that really makes a statement, get them something from American AF Shirts.
Before I sign off, here’s a tasty little video from Chris White CEO of American Silkies and owner of his own company Freedom Hard.
