fiftyseven-thirtythree

I love the fiftyseven-​thirtythree brand. Their apparel is so awesome and they make them all by hand. Well worth the extra money.

First things first: My father really likes 5733’s designs. He bought a hoodie for himself, and a «…stop asking for permission» t-​shirt for my sister. I guess it makes sense because he’s a union guy from NY, but it did catch me off guard.
I also admire 5733’s shirts; the only reason I didn’t give 5 stars is that there are too many tight or see-​through shirts. It was a tent at a festival, but they didn’t have anything that I liked in my size. Besides, I still have my «stand up against h8» with the sexy people kissing on it.

Picture this beauty: A’s-green t-​shirt sporting Ricky Henderson in his A’s uniform «Everything I know about stealing, I learned in Oakland». Score!
Oldman has been obsessed with getting his grubby hands on this shirt, ever since he spotted someone donning it at an A’s/Yankee’s game we attended a few months ago. A’s games are pretty much the only reason we venture in Oakland on purpose. Oh, and now we have another reason… this cool little spot! He could have ordered this shirt online, but going in person turned out to be quite the treat. I, for some reason, thought this place was a dive bar since Oldman has procured quite the collection of cool tee’s from watering holes we’ve visited.
Yeah, not a dive bar. And, I was pleasantly surprised — Score for me! It’s a part clothing/​accessories/​jewelry/​cool-​thingys, and part art gallery. The owner was very friendly, and it was nice chatting with her. Y’all should check it out!

They have a Rickey Henderson A’s t-​shirt that says
«Everything I know about stealing I learned in Oakland.»
HILARIOUS
Don’t care that it was over $ 25 for a t-​shirt. Had to have it.

I have a ton of their shirts. Chic funny politic non cookie cutter statement /​nonstatement shirts. Made ethically. Original designs. Love them!

One of a kind wearable Art that makes a statement. I bought a zip up hoodie, so comfy. I was over the moon when they were in Mnt view for Art n Wine festival. They stood out in the crowd. Pleeeeaaase come back!

I am wearing a 57 – 33 tee right now! I love it. Their customer service rocks and I love wearing original art made in the East Bay. Also, this t-​shirt is just so comfortable. I’m gonna buy another one for sure.

I LOVE this place! everything is made in the East Bay and quite frankly that’s a sign that some people care about American made production. I love the art work… it reminds me of real art back in the day (not this crap that I’ve been seeing lately). Support the cause!

Amazing service, had to make an exchange and they were very helpful.
Awesome/​rare 1 of a kind stuff!

Funky ass clothes… saw them at a fair, and gravitated towards their booth. I never buy crap at fairs because it’s usually tacky. All the t-​s we got from them get compliments, and they are super well priced. Great independent stuff that must be supported!

I love the people here, I met the owner [Loretta] and she is so friendly and awesome. The designs of the shirts are mega and I like the messages or statements they give out.

Modern Mouse is easily the hippest store in Alameda’s Southshore mall, aka «Alameda Towne Centre.» :p It’s got an Etsy feel (many of their designers do have an Etsy store), and lots of stuff you never knew you needed but, once you see it, can’t live without: Fuzzy monster purses by Ghoulie Girls. Repurposed bicycle parts from Alameda’s Reinhardt Designs. Living moss cuff links. And the coolest Ts from The Girl & Rhino, and fiftyseven-​thirtythree.
I was particularly taken with fiftyseven-thirtythree’s «Bike Girl,» which made me nostalgic for Hopey from the Hernandez Brother’s «Love and Rockets» comic books.
The label read, «We make all our gear in East Oakland using water based, solvent free inks. No art directors, consultants, or teleconferencing were used in the production process. We hope it makes you look good, feel good, get laid… whatever makes you happy. Cheers.» Clearly these people have my best interests at heart. They are looking out for me. They have my BACK.
5733 had operated out of an online store as well as doing the street fair circuit. I met owner Loretta Nguyen at Alameda’s Webster Street Jam Festival in September 2010 and learned that she had recently opened a brick-​and-​mortar store in Oakland. And finally, last week, I took a deep breath and left Alameda to check it out.
If you didn’t know they were there, you would walk right past their store. Armed with their address and a map… you’d probably still walk right past their store. They are wedged between a flower stand and Chinese herb store at 4125 Piedmont Ave. 2^nd Floor in Oakland, atop a picturesque wooden staircase. Now you know.
You’ll find everything from skate decks to dresses, including lots and lots of Ts and hoodies, with a bargain bin of items with slight printing errors. The store is small but packed with product, much of which bears political slogans advocating such radical objectives as equality and peace. «Love Ain’t the Problem» is inspired by Eddie Colla’s «Just Married,» and supports equal marriage rights for same-​sex couples. I bought a hoodie bearing the text «Rage is not revolution,» and wore it proudly in the days following the shooting of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and 18 others. And one with the stenciled words «If you want to achieve greatness stop asking for permission» was purchased as a gift.
If you’re in the Bay Area I encourage you to check out fiftyseven-​thirtythree (and Modern Mouse). They’re open Tuesday — Saturday, noon (slackers!) — 6:00pm. Their digits are 510−547−5733, as the cool kids say. They’re also on Facebook. Duh.

I purchased a single t-​shirt. My order arrived with a hand written, personalized thank you note. Nuff said.

The first time I saw 5733 products, I was shopping at alameda’s Modern Mouse (reviewed), and I fell hard and fast. I was doing so Xmas shopping, so I only bought one piece from the 5733 collection that day, but I promised my self to get more.
A few day later, at the Oakland Holiday Shopping nigths at the Jack London Market, I am giving a hand at the gift wrapping booth, took a break, and found 5733 booth. Bad, bad, bad… Ended up with a couple of hoodies and a couple fo Tshirts.
During the Opening Night of Loretta’s brick and mortar boutique on Piedmont, here we go again: a dress, a hoodie …
I just love the designs!

The Bay Area is filled with raw fashion talent, but Fiftyseven-​thirtythree stands above the rest!
From one-​of-​kind and unique designs, to top notch costumer service –this company is out to represent! Their clothing is hand-​made, unmatched by any generic designs you’ll see in any boring mall. They’re also a staunch supporter of community events: I have seen them in local SF street festivals, thread shows, and even found them in the SF Bicycle EXPO. These folks are awesome!
I can’t wait for the new line-​up –but be sure to check what they have now, cuz you wont see them again!

I first came across 5733 at the Treasure Island Music Festival in 2008. My friend bought a dope hoodie from them. It’s nothing we’ve seen before. The hoodie was finely crafted and was well worth the money when it became a chilly night on the island.
Then the week before Christmas rolled around, and I decided to buy the same friend a hoodie he was eyeing through 5733’s Etsy website. The procrastinator that I was, I was scared that it wasn’t going to ship to me on time, so I left a comment, pleading that I can get this before Christmas. Thankfully, Lo wrote me back saying that she will look into it for me. And indeed, I received the package within a couple of days. Yay!
Fast forward, me and another friend of mine went to New People in Japantown and 5733 was showcasing their work there. My friend bought a Wan Chai women’s T. She loves it! I wanted to get the Peace Girl men’s T as a gift for my friend, but Lo said she didn’t bring the size I was looking for and would email me the sizes and colors they do have available when she gets back to the warehouse and would not charge for shipping if I do decide to purchase one. A day or two later, Lo emailed me with the availability of the merchandise and kept her word for not charging on shipping.
This goes to show that 5733 has some awesome customer service. They’re getting customers like me going back for more of their unique stuff because they care that you’re satisfied. Their stuff may be a little bit expensive, but it’s nothing you’d find elsewhere. So check them out!

First, Shout out to Lo, she was dope, I approached her in a Chinese restaurant after recognizing her off their blog. She was like «we have fans in LA?»
I’ll post the picture.
Here is how i discovered 5733, I was feeling a bit homesick one day and wanted to score some authentic Oakland Apparel from my hometown. Luckily I came across their website with their dope ass designs.
This is no Target generic «let’s try to mimic what those kids are wearing» shit, 5733 has some deep esoteric well thought out meaning behind every image.
I ordered their Anna May Wong Sweatshirt. As I’m sure you guys know, Anna May Wong was the first Asian American Actress in the 1930’s to make it into Hollywood to become a big star. She had to take racist casting and was passed over by white actresses in Yellow-​face for many parts which eventually led her to leave hollywood for europe and asia. She was ahead of her time, she went against chinese family norms and the dominant white culture to establish herself as an Icon of the era. On the back of the Sweatshirt it spells out «Rebel» in chinese because she was unafraid to be herself.
I believe you should wear clothing primarily because how it makes you feel. The price seems steep but how many sweaters feel like you are raw defying norms and honoring brave women of the past just by putting it on? Plus its sweatshop free (my people usually are the ones in sweatshops) so there is no guilt associated with this new clothing. Clothes that make you think as opposed to worried about what people think of you, what a revolutionary idea.
This sweater will not be hanging in the closet, but draped across my shoulders and I bike through the streets of LA Pasadena Long Beach and Whittier. Peace and Respect.

These guys have the dopest shit around!!! Underground street vibe, original and politically oriented, their shirts and sweatshirts are silk screened by hand at their warehouse location in Oakland by Loretta and James.
They can usually be found selling their shit here:
Or at your local street fair. They were at the Fillmore Jazz fest this weekend.
This ain’t no smash and grab, ya’ll.

Marie Antoinette has always been an icon for me, marrying smarts with an opulent taste of style that changed fashion and how we look at the concept of, «What is need?» Her statement of «Let them eat cake.» although misquoted has stoked the interest of many for centuries, and finally I CAN ROCK THAT!!! What’s more rockstar than two hot women getting their love fest on next to Miz Antoinette all dressed in full garb saying, shit man, let them eat cake. I find this such an important statement right now, especially with the whole prop 8 concept and all.
Their clothes are well made, thought provoking and just plain well executed. Obviously screened by hand and stitched well and creatively, tfiftyseven-​thirtythree is a name that I believe will be soon recognized as it bubbles up from the underground. I know my Japanese schoolgirl hoodie they just made me will be rocked in the studios and on the streets. It’s warm and toasty, with fuzzy interior sleeves. My Anna May Wong dress is definitely a statement, and it’s sexy, inciting a by-​gone era.
Support your local creative underground artists, make a statement that all should be created equal and that maybe things aren’t all what we seem. Take your power back ya’ll, one beater at a time.

Hello, Loretta. How are you? Fine I hope. I would like to publicly thank you for the awesome job that you did on my hoodie. The one with the Japanese girl on the back that reminds me of Battle Royale minus the blood and the crazy teen kids offing one another to be the last one left so they can leave the island. Oh, for those that haven’t watched the movies, tough shit!
It all started when Berna was talking about where she was going to working at the Haight Street Fair. She mentioned a booth that she was affiliated with but wasn’t gonna work there. Linked up their site and I browsed their wares. I fell in love with their designs. So I researched where they were situated at the fair so I could visit Berna and go see Lo at the fiftyseven-​thirtythree booth. When I got to the booth, I saw Lo there. Luckily, the business cards said she was Lo so that was confirmed. We discussed a little because she was the only one there at that time and she was trying to help everyone she could. She told me they didn’t have the size I wanted but if I emailed her we could work something out. I took a card and continued my day at the fair. Stupid me misplaced the card in my mess of a room and eventually found it… A few months later but I found it. We chatted, we laughed, I paid, she made. What else can be said?
I waited patiently for my hoodie to arrive, anticipation growing with each day. Just when I was about to email you about when I could expect the package, it was here… Deep breath in! Deep breath out… Now I do the Dance of Joy! I looked at it with joy. I slowly opened the package on one side, then slowly pulled out the hoodie. This took a little time because I am quite husky. Ordered the 3xl. I unfolded the item slowly, taking in the simplistic design that was carefully sewn onto the hoodie. A piece of art!
After the near orgasm, I put my new jacket on and smiled from ear to ear. Fits like a glove and it looked great on me. A little tight around the cuffs but they will slowly expand with extended wear. I like it… I like it ALOT! I am not going to wear this as an everyday jacket. Oh, no. I shall wear this on my days off… Maybe. I know I will wear it out to non-​fancy outings with friends. It’ll make a great conversation piece.
To those that are reading this, do not be put off by the price of their items. You are paying for original designs that are not available outside of the Bay Area. Support your locals and buy from fiftyseven-​thirtythree. I am glad I made the right choice. Now go! Whatcha waiting for? ORDER!!!