Marilyn Monroe is the Heat’s #1 Fan?
Ever since LeBron James announced he was taking his talents to South Beach, clothing brands are working to capitalize on the new big three. The most popular shirts are decidedly anti-LeBron and basic plays on words like Quitness and Miami Hate. Where's the wardrobe love for the Heat?
Enter Purple Heart Clothing based out of Miami. The company makes locally influenced gear including the "Miami-Wade County 3" tee that Dwyane Wade wore after re-signing with the Heat. He's worn their other 305 centric gear to events and models for their website. Purple Heart came out with a "3 Kings" shirt earlier in the season to celebrate the free agency signings, but Wade is usually the focus of their NBA designs.
Their most recent offering entitled "#1 Heat Fan" has Marilyn Monroe in a Dwyane Wade jersey getting a little lippy. I understand the use of D-Wade (although Mario Chalmers or Joel Anthony would be much funnier) - but why Marilyn? Well, perhaps because back in her day, she was a bit of jersey chaser - after all she was married to Joe DiMaggio. She's a timeless beauty but most would associate the blonde bombshell with the west coast and perhaps the Lakers, rather than the Heat. If she was alive and young during this generation and not the 50's and 60's, would she be competing with Kim Kardashian for most valuable backside and picking up a few championship rings without playing a game? Would she be a bandwagon fan and cheer on the Heat? I can picture Ms. Monroe as Jimmy Goldstein's date court side in Los Angeles rather than hanging out with Lil' Wayne and Gabrielle Union in Miami. But maybe Marilyn enjoyed purple drank with her pills?
Purple Heart used Marilyn Monroe's image in the past, but instead of in a jersey, she's fully inked up on a previous shirt. Marilyn is a pin-up icon and her image works well with the tattoo culture in Miami, but basketball seems like a stretch. While the drawing is nice despite the "HEAT" logo looking a little boxier than on the jersey, the image would look better as a graphic for a website or a sticker but a girl in a jersey on a shirt, is a lot for a simple tee.
The graphic shirt is available on the PurpleHeartClothing.com website in both a men's and women's sizes for $29.99 if you want to show your love for pin-ups and post-ups.