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Strip Tees: A Memoir of Millennial Los Angeles
Sweetbitter
meets Valley of the Dolls in Strip Tees: A Memoir of Millennial Los Angeles, the extraordinary true story of a young woman who arrives in shiny LA with a new job at upstart American Apparel, only to find that not all that glitters is gold.
At the turn of the new millennium, LA is the place to be. Hipster is a new word on our cultural tongue. Lauren Conrad is living her Cinderella story in the “hills” on millions of television sets across the country. Paris Hilton tells us “That’s hot” from behind the biggest sunglasses imaginable, while beautiful teenagers fight and fall in love in The O.C.
Into this most glittering of supposed utopias, Kate Flannery arrives with a Seven Sisters diploma in hand and a marketing job at an upstart clothing company called American Apparel. The company’s mission is to make the coolest short-shorts and T-shirts for Americans, by Americans. Led by charismatic founder Dov Charney, American Apparel is much more a job. It’s a lifestyle.
Kate throws herself into work, living with the other young, suspiciously beautiful women at a house together. Having a marketing job at American Apparel also means being a part of the marketing campaigns themselves. Stripping down in the name of feminism. But as is true in film, what the camera captures looks much better than real life. The casting couch culture is alive and well, and the corporate ladder is climbed at considerable cost.
Strip Tees is a fever dream of a memoir—Hunter S. Thompson meets Gloria Steinem—that captures a moment in our recent past that’s already sepia-toned in nostalgia, and a fearless portrait of a young woman who must choose between what business demands and self-respect deserves.
At the turn of the new millennium, LA is the place to be. Hipster is a new word on our cultural tongue. Lauren Conrad is living her Cinderella story in the “hills” on millions of television sets across the country. Paris Hilton tells us “That’s hot” from behind the biggest sunglasses imaginable, while beautiful teenagers fight and fall in love in The O.C.
Into this most glittering of supposed utopias, Kate Flannery arrives with a Seven Sisters diploma in hand and a marketing job at an upstart clothing company called American Apparel. The company’s mission is to make the coolest short-shorts and T-shirts for Americans, by Americans. Led by charismatic founder Dov Charney, American Apparel is much more a job. It’s a lifestyle.
Kate throws herself into work, living with the other young, suspiciously beautiful women at a house together. Having a marketing job at American Apparel also means being a part of the marketing campaigns themselves. Stripping down in the name of feminism. But as is true in film, what the camera captures looks much better than real life. The casting couch culture is alive and well, and the corporate ladder is climbed at considerable cost.
Strip Tees is a fever dream of a memoir—Hunter S. Thompson meets Gloria Steinem—that captures a moment in our recent past that’s already sepia-toned in nostalgia, and a fearless portrait of a young woman who must choose between what business demands and self-respect deserves.
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First published July 18, 2023
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About the author
Kate Flannery
1 book130 followersKate Flannery was born and raised in northeastern Pennsylvania. She holds a BA in creative writing from Bryn Mawr College and currently works for the Emmy Award-winning RuPaul’s Drag Race. She is the lead singer and frontwoman for LA’s premier Little Richard tribute band, Big Dick. Strip Tees is her first book.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,007 reviews
July 30, 2023
This memoir does a fantastic job describing how a young, smart woman gets entangled in a system build on sex and the abuse of power until, much too late, she realizes what she got herself into - so while Flannery's coming-of-age happened in the aughts, the content is highly relevant (here in Germany, the Rammstein scandal has been ruling the news for weeks, with quite some people arguing that as long as the 20-ish women did not object to the sexual wants of a 60+ international rock star, there was no abuse of power). Young Kate has just graduated college and gets hired at the hip, growing company American Apparel, a fashion brand that prides itself not only with ethical production, but also frames its semi-pornographic marketing as part of a sex-positive revolution, which would be a simple question of taste did the founder Dov Charney not routinely have sex with his employees, hire due to looks, jerk off in stores or in front of journalists, encourage employees to have sex with each other etc. pp. you get the idea.
Kate, trained in feminist theory, is insecure: Isn't Dove's sexual libertinage a crusade against puritanism, and the people objecting are prudes? Kate becomes a hiring manager, traveling the States and selling young attractive people the cultish company pseudo-agitprop to hire them as employees for new stores. Looking back, the author does a fantastic job describing how her younger self tried to find her own identity, enthused by the allure of L.A., excited to be part of a company that (allegedly) fights for good and dabbles in the sexually verboten, desperate for acknowledgement from Dov, competing with other "American Apparel girls", trying out modeling and even being a music video girl.
And Kate is highly relatable, even for people like me who never had the slightest interest in entering the fashion industry or living in L.A. and meeting Lindsay Lohan: This young woman wonders what turbo-capitalist feminism is actually trying to convince her of, while she also longs for excitement, joy, and belonging, and due to her age and the high skill of Dive's ploy, she is vulnerable and makes bad decisions in good faith - until she makes bad decisions in bad faith, driven by fear and guilt, realizing that what Dov calls sex-positivity is actually exploitation. After several lawsuits in which Charney was accused of sexual harassment, he was fired from the company.
Flannery expertly evokes the atmosphere of the early 2000's, with its music, fashion, tv, and general vibe. This is a great memoir that discusses cycles of harassment by showing how they function instead of theoretically dissecting them. It's also highly absorbing and a real pageturner.
Kate, trained in feminist theory, is insecure: Isn't Dove's sexual libertinage a crusade against puritanism, and the people objecting are prudes? Kate becomes a hiring manager, traveling the States and selling young attractive people the cultish company pseudo-agitprop to hire them as employees for new stores. Looking back, the author does a fantastic job describing how her younger self tried to find her own identity, enthused by the allure of L.A., excited to be part of a company that (allegedly) fights for good and dabbles in the sexually verboten, desperate for acknowledgement from Dov, competing with other "American Apparel girls", trying out modeling and even being a music video girl.
And Kate is highly relatable, even for people like me who never had the slightest interest in entering the fashion industry or living in L.A. and meeting Lindsay Lohan: This young woman wonders what turbo-capitalist feminism is actually trying to convince her of, while she also longs for excitement, joy, and belonging, and due to her age and the high skill of Dive's ploy, she is vulnerable and makes bad decisions in good faith - until she makes bad decisions in bad faith, driven by fear and guilt, realizing that what Dov calls sex-positivity is actually exploitation. After several lawsuits in which Charney was accused of sexual harassment, he was fired from the company.
Flannery expertly evokes the atmosphere of the early 2000's, with its music, fashion, tv, and general vibe. This is a great memoir that discusses cycles of harassment by showing how they function instead of theoretically dissecting them. It's also highly absorbing and a real pageturner.
May 26, 2024
“I was in Los Angeles for less than a month before I got scouted by a cult.”
honestly, with an opening line like that, how could you possibly put this one down?
the memoir I didn't know I needed, Strip Tees exposes the story of the rise and fall of LA-based clothing company American Apparel told through the lens of an educated shop girl-turned-hiring manager/photographer/babysitter/everything in between. it’s like NXIVM meets…well, American Apparel…the American Apparel we all thought we knew, at least.
talk about a tsunami of nostalgia. I felt like I should be playing Hilary Duff‘s Come Clean on repeat the whole time I was reading this book. I found myself reverting back to phrases like “dunzo” and “that’s hot.” my mind was transported back to middle school — wearing my cropped leggings under a mini skirt with my Teen People in hand wondering how I got *so* cool. I wouldn’t go as far as to call it a love letter to the 2000s, but it’s an incredibly immersive journey back in time. I could practically smell the store-bought suntan lotion and Ralph Lauren’s Ralph Hot perfume in the air.
for those who don’t remember the explosion of American Apparel on the scene, this memoir is a time capsule of knowledge about a company that swept the nation off its feet by touting its ethical capitalism and effortless coolness. it’s also a vivid example of a man exploiting women while packaging it as feminism — the millennial wave of feminism twisted and tainted for his gain. Strip Tees serves as a reminder that anyone can be vulnerable to predators — even self-aware, self-proclaimed feminists.
there were a couple times I found myself questioning Kate’s actions, but ultimately, I remembered that’s not the point of this memoir. it’s the story of someone’s lived experiences, and it’s not meant for my input; it’s meant for my awareness. it’s easy as a person living in 2023 to read Strip Tees and know right away the American Apparel culture screamed 🚩RED FLAG🚩, but let’s not forget the climate of that time period. it was the height of the millennial sexual awakening, featuring declarations of bodily freedoms and unashamed sexuality. but in the end, Dov was exactly what he proclaimed to hate: an opportunist — one who used women and girls to get what he wanted while making them believe it was another way for them to show how independent, progressive, and sexually autonomous they were.
as much as we all want to be different and “not like the other girls”, Strip Tees highlights the truth that we are all products of our own generations…good and bad! that means it’s our responsibility to learn from what’s happened before us and what’s happening now in order to take action and make every day better for ourselves and those around us.
BEWARE THE REVOLUTION!
read if you like:
♡ 00s nostalgia
♡ immersive memoirs
♡ driven women
♡ startup culture
♡ Los Angeles
♡ hilarious male-stripper mishaps
♡ lyrical writing styles
trigger warnings:
♡ exploitation
♡ predators
♡ sexual assault
quotes to convince you to read this book:
“I was in Los Angeles for less than a month before I got scouted by a cult.”
“I was nothing but a sexually inexperienced, tamale husk-eating good girl, and not the the type to have a threesome with Caralee for tickets to Berlin.”
“It seemed like this obsolete Gen-Xer was going to need a dose of feminist reckoning. Millennial-style.”
"I rolled so many joints on the onion-skin pages of hotel Gideons Bibles, I could papier-mâché my own staircase to hell."
“The Year I Fvckəd Everybody was an era.”
“Free English lessons, fair wages, and free sex toys—a 2000s rebranding of the American Dream.”
thank you to Henry Holt for sending me an early copy of Strip Tees!
—
♡ find me on Instagram!
honestly, with an opening line like that, how could you possibly put this one down?
the memoir I didn't know I needed, Strip Tees exposes the story of the rise and fall of LA-based clothing company American Apparel told through the lens of an educated shop girl-turned-hiring manager/photographer/babysitter/everything in between. it’s like NXIVM meets…well, American Apparel…the American Apparel we all thought we knew, at least.
talk about a tsunami of nostalgia. I felt like I should be playing Hilary Duff‘s Come Clean on repeat the whole time I was reading this book. I found myself reverting back to phrases like “dunzo” and “that’s hot.” my mind was transported back to middle school — wearing my cropped leggings under a mini skirt with my Teen People in hand wondering how I got *so* cool. I wouldn’t go as far as to call it a love letter to the 2000s, but it’s an incredibly immersive journey back in time. I could practically smell the store-bought suntan lotion and Ralph Lauren’s Ralph Hot perfume in the air.
for those who don’t remember the explosion of American Apparel on the scene, this memoir is a time capsule of knowledge about a company that swept the nation off its feet by touting its ethical capitalism and effortless coolness. it’s also a vivid example of a man exploiting women while packaging it as feminism — the millennial wave of feminism twisted and tainted for his gain. Strip Tees serves as a reminder that anyone can be vulnerable to predators — even self-aware, self-proclaimed feminists.
there were a couple times I found myself questioning Kate’s actions, but ultimately, I remembered that’s not the point of this memoir. it’s the story of someone’s lived experiences, and it’s not meant for my input; it’s meant for my awareness. it’s easy as a person living in 2023 to read Strip Tees and know right away the American Apparel culture screamed 🚩RED FLAG🚩, but let’s not forget the climate of that time period. it was the height of the millennial sexual awakening, featuring declarations of bodily freedoms and unashamed sexuality. but in the end, Dov was exactly what he proclaimed to hate: an opportunist — one who used women and girls to get what he wanted while making them believe it was another way for them to show how independent, progressive, and sexually autonomous they were.
as much as we all want to be different and “not like the other girls”, Strip Tees highlights the truth that we are all products of our own generations…good and bad! that means it’s our responsibility to learn from what’s happened before us and what’s happening now in order to take action and make every day better for ourselves and those around us.
BEWARE THE REVOLUTION!
read if you like:
♡ 00s nostalgia
♡ immersive memoirs
♡ driven women
♡ startup culture
♡ Los Angeles
♡ hilarious male-stripper mishaps
♡ lyrical writing styles
trigger warnings:
♡ exploitation
♡ predators
♡ sexual assault
quotes to convince you to read this book:
“I was in Los Angeles for less than a month before I got scouted by a cult.”
“I was nothing but a sexually inexperienced, tamale husk-eating good girl, and not the the type to have a threesome with Caralee for tickets to Berlin.”
“It seemed like this obsolete Gen-Xer was going to need a dose of feminist reckoning. Millennial-style.”
"I rolled so many joints on the onion-skin pages of hotel Gideons Bibles, I could papier-mâché my own staircase to hell."
“The Year I Fvckəd Everybody was an era.”
“Free English lessons, fair wages, and free sex toys—a 2000s rebranding of the American Dream.”
thank you to Henry Holt for sending me an early copy of Strip Tees!
—
♡ find me on Instagram!
September 23, 2023
I found this overall an engaging and well-written memoir. Kate Flannery writes about her time working at American Apparel and how she witnessed the blurring of lines between sexual liberation and outright exploitation. There’s an entertainment factor in this memoir that’s derived from the kind of glitzy glamor LA millennial lifestyle, intersecting with the struggle to make it as a young woman in a corporate world still dominated by men.
I think one theme that this book addresses particularly well is the pressure between adhering to your values or loosening up on your values so you can get money to feed yourself and pay rent. Without a doubt Dov, the CEO of American Apparel, created a misogynist, exploitative work environment. At the same time, Flannery reflects on multiple points throughout the book about her own perceived complicity in the American Apparel system (e.g., recruiting other young women to this hostile environment) – though it’s not like she just had another job that could sustain her at a whim’s notice. Perhaps it’s a testament to how capitalism can intersect with other systems of power such as patriarchy.
I give this four stars instead of five because the writing, while relatively engaging, didn’t wow me at any point. I liked it though and I can see people who came of age in the 2000’s resonating with this one.
I think one theme that this book addresses particularly well is the pressure between adhering to your values or loosening up on your values so you can get money to feed yourself and pay rent. Without a doubt Dov, the CEO of American Apparel, created a misogynist, exploitative work environment. At the same time, Flannery reflects on multiple points throughout the book about her own perceived complicity in the American Apparel system (e.g., recruiting other young women to this hostile environment) – though it’s not like she just had another job that could sustain her at a whim’s notice. Perhaps it’s a testament to how capitalism can intersect with other systems of power such as patriarchy.
I give this four stars instead of five because the writing, while relatively engaging, didn’t wow me at any point. I liked it though and I can see people who came of age in the 2000’s resonating with this one.
May 3, 2024
A memoir of Indie sleaze that will leave you feeling grimy. 2.5 stars.
Spring 2010. I bought a Kelly green overalls romper and a pair of blue-and-white seersucker bloomers at the American Apparel store in New Orleans. I really have no clue what I was thinking, running around looking like a "sexy toddler." Little did I know then that the CEO of the hippest store was already long-embroiled in allegations and lawsuits regarding sexual misconduct. If I'm being honest, as much as I loved their basic V-necks, dyed in every color you could possibly imagine, and wore a much-loved little black cotton dress until it was threadbare and faded, something always made me feel a little "off" when I shopped there. Although the basics were well-made and impressive, the more "trendy" clothes felt like it was meant to only look flattering on the thinnest bodies, which made me self conscious because I was a "big titty bitch."
I'm mentioning these anecdotes, which might seemingly have nothing to do with the book, but I think they actually do, or they at least speak to a company ethos that probably should have been more obvious to everyone in retrospect. Kate Flannery describes her rise through the ranks of the company as a young 20-something, and the material where she's engaging with the other female employees is the strongest aspect of the book. It's an engaging story, told very conversationally.
Some aspects of the book become grating. Flannery goes out of her way to illustrate the disconnect between her 20-something self and her vantage point today. Yes, we get it. You now recognize that your behavior was problematic and are finally putting your Bryn Mawr (drink every time she mentions the school and you'll be wasted) education to use. She wants to convey that she was young and dumb, but she was also manipulated by a skilled predator.
For all of the surface-level lip service to her personal growth or acknowledging past problematic behavior, there's not really deeper analysis than that, and this is most glaring near the end, when she's horrified and moved to tears to see her first (underage) recruit for the company featured in sexually provocative ads (implying the girl is having sex with Dov). There doesn't seem like enough REAL reflection about her own role in placing this girl--and potentially other girls--in this position. And this isn't even the catalyst for her quitting! She stays on for several more years . . . I was left feeling kind of icky about Flannery after that*. She scratches the surface of addressing her own potentially predatory behavior when she admits to sleeping with recruits, but she mostly lets herself off the hook, citing that it was culture of the company--an explanation that leaves something to be desired.
She keeps comparing Dov to a cult leader, but here's the thing about cults: sure, there might be a leader, but leaders always have their lackeys, and there are hierarchies of power within cults. She doesn't do enough to acknowledge her own complicity, and she rose to a pretty high position within the company, leaving me wondering how many people were victimized by Flannery, and if that's the case, why reward her with a nice book deal?
This is a compelling and precise portrayal of the early aughts--one it's clear that many of us look back on with a mix of nostalgia and disgust--but I have mixed feelings about the author's actions and ability to reflect on her role in writing.
* when reading creative nonfiction, I almost never judge an author's actions if they show adequate analysis of their behavior. Flannery, quite simply, does not. I do not require that narrators be "good" or even "likable," but when topics like grooming and workplace harassment are part of the story, and the author is downplaying her role . . . I side-eye that heavily.
Spring 2010. I bought a Kelly green overalls romper and a pair of blue-and-white seersucker bloomers at the American Apparel store in New Orleans. I really have no clue what I was thinking, running around looking like a "sexy toddler." Little did I know then that the CEO of the hippest store was already long-embroiled in allegations and lawsuits regarding sexual misconduct. If I'm being honest, as much as I loved their basic V-necks, dyed in every color you could possibly imagine, and wore a much-loved little black cotton dress until it was threadbare and faded, something always made me feel a little "off" when I shopped there. Although the basics were well-made and impressive, the more "trendy" clothes felt like it was meant to only look flattering on the thinnest bodies, which made me self conscious because I was a "big titty bitch."
I'm mentioning these anecdotes, which might seemingly have nothing to do with the book, but I think they actually do, or they at least speak to a company ethos that probably should have been more obvious to everyone in retrospect. Kate Flannery describes her rise through the ranks of the company as a young 20-something, and the material where she's engaging with the other female employees is the strongest aspect of the book. It's an engaging story, told very conversationally.
Some aspects of the book become grating. Flannery goes out of her way to illustrate the disconnect between her 20-something self and her vantage point today. Yes, we get it. You now recognize that your behavior was problematic and are finally putting your Bryn Mawr (drink every time she mentions the school and you'll be wasted) education to use. She wants to convey that she was young and dumb, but she was also manipulated by a skilled predator.
For all of the surface-level lip service to her personal growth or acknowledging past problematic behavior, there's not really deeper analysis than that, and this is most glaring near the end, when she's horrified and moved to tears to see her first (underage) recruit for the company featured in sexually provocative ads (implying the girl is having sex with Dov). There doesn't seem like enough REAL reflection about her own role in placing this girl--and potentially other girls--in this position. And this isn't even the catalyst for her quitting! She stays on for several more years . . . I was left feeling kind of icky about Flannery after that*. She scratches the surface of addressing her own potentially predatory behavior when she admits to sleeping with recruits, but she mostly lets herself off the hook, citing that it was culture of the company--an explanation that leaves something to be desired.
She keeps comparing Dov to a cult leader, but here's the thing about cults: sure, there might be a leader, but leaders always have their lackeys, and there are hierarchies of power within cults. She doesn't do enough to acknowledge her own complicity, and she rose to a pretty high position within the company, leaving me wondering how many people were victimized by Flannery, and if that's the case, why reward her with a nice book deal?
This is a compelling and precise portrayal of the early aughts--one it's clear that many of us look back on with a mix of nostalgia and disgust--but I have mixed feelings about the author's actions and ability to reflect on her role in writing.
* when reading creative nonfiction, I almost never judge an author's actions if they show adequate analysis of their behavior. Flannery, quite simply, does not. I do not require that narrators be "good" or even "likable," but when topics like grooming and workplace harassment are part of the story, and the author is downplaying her role . . . I side-eye that heavily.
December 26, 2022
Strip Tees is a captivating, humorous and humanizing memoir about a young woman's new career at a budding retail company-slash-aspiring revolution called American Apparel.
Hey, remember American Apparel? I bet a vague recollection of their sexually-fueled minimalistic ads came to mind. You know the ones - strategically posed photos that were all skin and little to no clothing that made you wonder what was actually being advertised. A lot of blank space and Helvetica that always made the point of reminding you their clothes are American-made and sweatshop-free. Then the op-ed article from a journalist subjected to, uh, unethical behavior by the man at the helm of the company and the allegations of sexual misconduct by current and former employees. Then the decline in popularity and quality. Then a buy-out from retail giant Gildan and the brand's subsequent quiet descent into, "American Apparel's still around? Huh."
Strip Tees is one of the most enthralling memoirs I've read. I'd put it alongside I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy - a huge comparison, I know, but this deserves just as much attention. As a fan of the brand at the height of millennial/Tumblr popularity circa early 2010's (the ombré tennis skirts! The wooden-heeled sandals! The plunging, coochie cutting one-piece swimsuits!), this book caught my eye and an unexpected wave of nostalgia came flooding through me. I came for the tea about company culture and a glimpse into the design and manufacturing process, but I stayed for the writing.
Flannery's soul-sucking years at American Apparel kept the world from seeing her true talent - writing. Flannery's voice is refreshingly evocative and memorable. There's a perfect balance of humor, frustration and moral quandaries and the pacing never skipped a beat. Even if you're not interested in reading about a retail brand's attempt at a revolution and the cult-like work culture centered around a creepy, emotionally-regressed man-child, read it for Flannery's writing. You won't be disappointed.
Thank you Henry Holt & Company and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Pub date: July 18, 2023
Hey, remember American Apparel? I bet a vague recollection of their sexually-fueled minimalistic ads came to mind. You know the ones - strategically posed photos that were all skin and little to no clothing that made you wonder what was actually being advertised. A lot of blank space and Helvetica that always made the point of reminding you their clothes are American-made and sweatshop-free. Then the op-ed article from a journalist subjected to, uh, unethical behavior by the man at the helm of the company and the allegations of sexual misconduct by current and former employees. Then the decline in popularity and quality. Then a buy-out from retail giant Gildan and the brand's subsequent quiet descent into, "American Apparel's still around? Huh."
Strip Tees is one of the most enthralling memoirs I've read. I'd put it alongside I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy - a huge comparison, I know, but this deserves just as much attention. As a fan of the brand at the height of millennial/Tumblr popularity circa early 2010's (the ombré tennis skirts! The wooden-heeled sandals! The plunging, coochie cutting one-piece swimsuits!), this book caught my eye and an unexpected wave of nostalgia came flooding through me. I came for the tea about company culture and a glimpse into the design and manufacturing process, but I stayed for the writing.
Flannery's soul-sucking years at American Apparel kept the world from seeing her true talent - writing. Flannery's voice is refreshingly evocative and memorable. There's a perfect balance of humor, frustration and moral quandaries and the pacing never skipped a beat. Even if you're not interested in reading about a retail brand's attempt at a revolution and the cult-like work culture centered around a creepy, emotionally-regressed man-child, read it for Flannery's writing. You won't be disappointed.
Thank you Henry Holt & Company and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Pub date: July 18, 2023
September 11, 2023
“i was in los angeles for less than a month before i got scouted by a cult.”
as a recent college grad who lived in LA for a long time, the premise of this memoir was for me. as a tumblr girl in my early teens, i know just how much of a cultural phenomenon american apparel was in the early 2000s to 2010s. flannery is such a talented storyteller and i could not put the book down from start to finish. this book read more like a novel—it was such a gripping pageturner and so easy to immerse myself into flannery's story.
from the get go, flannery makes it very blatant what sort of company american apparel really is (was). near the start, ivy, the girl who scouts flannery, describes the company's business model as 'ethical capitalism'—an oxymoron in itself. one cannot help themselves from feeling the anticipatory dread as kate inches closer and closer into the horrific heart of the company. for a company that ran its marketing and publicity on sexual empowerment and bold clothing pieces, it's ironic and tragic to see what went on behind the scenes.
it's honestly jarring and interesting at the same time to retrospectively view 'the' clothing brand of the last decade (that has now faded into oblivion) from a 2023 perspective to also just benchmark just how much society and fashion and culture has evolved since then, as well. this is such an important archive of the influence of american apparel in the early 2000s.
what a fantastic memoir.
thank you to henry holt for the arc!
August 5, 2023
I stumbled upon this book by sheer chance, without the faintest idea of what to expect from it. I thought I might just leaf through the first few pages and then maybe leave it unattended like so many other books on my reading pile. However, once I opened it, there was no putting it down. I ended up devouring it on the spot. It reads like very gripping fiction—it’s hard to believe it all really happened! There’s even graphic evidence to support it. Amazing, disgusting, disheartening. Very exciting to read, though.
March 18, 2023
If 'Wild' was set in American Apparel.
Recent college graduate Kate was working hard and miserable at Urban Outfitters until she was approached oh-so-casually by a young woman who appeared completely comfortable in her own skin--skin that she was showing a lot of. She is wooed into a dream job at American Apparel, the then rising star of the retail fashion industry. American Apparel was domestically-produced, sexy, and carefree; they were the anti-establishment, indie band brand of the early aughts. Hipsters, I guess.
Kate is romanced by what we can easily predict is a sort of cult, at the feet of their Canadian (funny) fearless leader Dov Charney. Our heroine witnesses firsthand the insidious toxicity that leads to her departure and American Apparel's subsequent downfall.
When our heroine finally powers off her work phone, it manages to hit us harder than even Anne Hathaway's soft-quit-phone-fountain-toss a la Devil Wears Prada.
This book inspired me to reconcile with my deep fomo and envy for the hot, confident, 100%-cotton-only employees at A.A. that I would slouch past on my way to Urban Planet.
Sweet revenge for someone who had once both yearned for and resented a $60 white tee.
Recent college graduate Kate was working hard and miserable at Urban Outfitters until she was approached oh-so-casually by a young woman who appeared completely comfortable in her own skin--skin that she was showing a lot of. She is wooed into a dream job at American Apparel, the then rising star of the retail fashion industry. American Apparel was domestically-produced, sexy, and carefree; they were the anti-establishment, indie band brand of the early aughts. Hipsters, I guess.
Kate is romanced by what we can easily predict is a sort of cult, at the feet of their Canadian (funny) fearless leader Dov Charney. Our heroine witnesses firsthand the insidious toxicity that leads to her departure and American Apparel's subsequent downfall.
When our heroine finally powers off her work phone, it manages to hit us harder than even Anne Hathaway's soft-quit-phone-fountain-toss a la Devil Wears Prada.
This book inspired me to reconcile with my deep fomo and envy for the hot, confident, 100%-cotton-only employees at A.A. that I would slouch past on my way to Urban Planet.
Sweet revenge for someone who had once both yearned for and resented a $60 white tee.
October 14, 2023
I loved everything about listening to this memoir. Kate Flannery narrated it and she was so good - she should really consider narrating other books! I would listen.
Kate Flannery moves to LA after college and quickly gets scouted by someone from American Apparel. I was a huge American Apparel fan at the time Kate was working for them, and all the talk of their clothes made me so nostalgic. Kate also uses so many other cultural references that felt so familiar.
American Apparel's founder came under a lot of scrutiny and I remember when that happened. Kate writes about all of it -- the good, the bad, and is so open and honest about her experiences with the company and with him.
Overall such a good memoir and I loved the candidness and all the details that were included. Highly recommend.
Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book!
Kate Flannery moves to LA after college and quickly gets scouted by someone from American Apparel. I was a huge American Apparel fan at the time Kate was working for them, and all the talk of their clothes made me so nostalgic. Kate also uses so many other cultural references that felt so familiar.
American Apparel's founder came under a lot of scrutiny and I remember when that happened. Kate writes about all of it -- the good, the bad, and is so open and honest about her experiences with the company and with him.
Overall such a good memoir and I loved the candidness and all the details that were included. Highly recommend.
Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book!
July 26, 2023
I loved this memoir! I opted for the audio book and I am so glad I did; the author reads it and it felt like she was a girlfriend telling me about her wild experience. It was nostalgic, and frustrating, and beautiful to hear about Kate's experience as a 23 year old in 2003 LA with American Apparel. She lets herself fully immerse into who she was at that age with reflective retelling instead of beating herself up through a 2023 lens. She also does a really good job of telling this story so that you can reflect on what has changed in our culture and what is the same. I also love that she doesn't try and justify her experiences or offer commentary other than the thoughts she was having at the time.
August 23, 2023
Sort of like American Apparel garments themselves, this book was a bit slight perhaps, and you know, cut a bit on the short side, but also vivid and surprisingly well made.
In these dusty old dressing rooms you’ll find lots of truths almost stranger than fiction, and another loathsome and unhinged cult leader of a CEO to be aware of if you weren’t already.
The era of American Apparel is a time when we were in the early stages of figuring some serious shit out, and sure there were some steps forward with the brand’s vertical integration, made local, ethical manufacturing anti-sweatshop stance, as well as its promotion of diversity in terms of beauty and body types.
However, it’s also kind of sad how a superficial pretense of promoting women’s empowerment and sexual liberation was wielded exploitatively and ended up contributing to a reductively sexist corporate culture in which women’s sexual availability became a presumption and constituted their primary value.
The author does a great job portraying all this honestly from her youthful viewpoint, including how she and others first were desensitized to the normalization of expected female hypersexuality; next were persuaded that any insistence on fundamental principles of consent represented a capitulation to “victim culture”; and then finally became complicit through activities such as “recruiting” new girls to add to what became an essentially “harem-like” environment. I was impressed how she resisted the urge to editorialize after the fact from the perspective of her present-day wisdom, or otherwise Monday morning-quarterback the whole tale in any way (her presumably formidable thigh-high athletic tube sock wardrobe notwithstanding).
Instead, she lets the whole thing just unravel in retrospective real time, crashing along the show-don’t-tell track like a series of Polaroids of a trainwreck full of sheer tees, and the result is an important portrait of a brief but critical moment when Indie Sleaze originally reigned supreme.
Totally worth the wait and the read.
In these dusty old dressing rooms you’ll find lots of truths almost stranger than fiction, and another loathsome and unhinged cult leader of a CEO to be aware of if you weren’t already.
The era of American Apparel is a time when we were in the early stages of figuring some serious shit out, and sure there were some steps forward with the brand’s vertical integration, made local, ethical manufacturing anti-sweatshop stance, as well as its promotion of diversity in terms of beauty and body types.
However, it’s also kind of sad how a superficial pretense of promoting women’s empowerment and sexual liberation was wielded exploitatively and ended up contributing to a reductively sexist corporate culture in which women’s sexual availability became a presumption and constituted their primary value.
The author does a great job portraying all this honestly from her youthful viewpoint, including how she and others first were desensitized to the normalization of expected female hypersexuality; next were persuaded that any insistence on fundamental principles of consent represented a capitulation to “victim culture”; and then finally became complicit through activities such as “recruiting” new girls to add to what became an essentially “harem-like” environment. I was impressed how she resisted the urge to editorialize after the fact from the perspective of her present-day wisdom, or otherwise Monday morning-quarterback the whole tale in any way (her presumably formidable thigh-high athletic tube sock wardrobe notwithstanding).
Instead, she lets the whole thing just unravel in retrospective real time, crashing along the show-don’t-tell track like a series of Polaroids of a trainwreck full of sheer tees, and the result is an important portrait of a brief but critical moment when Indie Sleaze originally reigned supreme.
Totally worth the wait and the read.
August 3, 2023
I've been mentally drafting this review since I got about 25% of the way through this audiobook. I thought that I would really relate to a fellow millennial graduating college in the early 2000s and finding her place in the working world; however, I found the book insufferable. It's overly descriptive and the author over-articulates every single word. You will get whiplash as the author vacillates back and forth between touting herself a "Seven Sisters" feminist and then behaving like a vapid, naive imbecile in order to get ahead. This is a Devil Wears Prada-esque tale written in the pre-Me Too era. While it's awful that these types of exploitive working environments flourished for so long, the author clearly recognizes the myriad of red flags in her working environment (she's a graduate of Bryn Mawr, which she'll tell you 45,000 times, so she's VERY smart) and then talks herself into believing everything is completely normal and that she's a savvy businesswoman (nope). The first 3/4 of the book explores her first YEAR at American Apparel. That's five hours and fifteen minutes of listening. Then she realizes it's a completely toxic environment and continues working there for several more years. That's the whole book. And I hated all of it.
July 31, 2023
Ate this book UP. Despite not having the honor of being an American Apparel girl myself, I could experience the war flashbacks of my best friend who worked the Palo Alto store throughout our high school years. The rise and fall of American Apparel is a wild story as is and Flannery’s voice makes it all the more riveting.
August 17, 2023
I’ve read 3 great memoirs this year (this one, A Heart That Works, and I’m Glad My Mom Died) and I have to say that this one hit me so hard! I was obsessed with American Apparel about 10 years ago. Sure, I knew Dov Charney was a creep, but I tried justifying it because American Apparel didn’t airbrush its models, paid a fair wage for the factory workers, and the clothes were made in the USA.
After reading this book, I learned Dov’s behavior was so, so much worse. There is nothing consensual between a CEO and an employee because of the power dynamic at play. I won’t go into the details but Kate does in this book.
I love how Kate took ownership of her role at American Apparel and accepting Dov’s inappropriate behavior and I loved reading about how American Apparel challenged her idea of feminism and being sex-positive. Ultimately it is such a well-written memoir and the author did a great job at both exposing the problematic sides of American Apparel while also taking ownership of her time spent there.
I think it’s possible to hold space for the positive things about American Apparel while still acknowledging that the CEO was incredibly gross and problematic.
After reading this book, I learned Dov’s behavior was so, so much worse. There is nothing consensual between a CEO and an employee because of the power dynamic at play. I won’t go into the details but Kate does in this book.
I love how Kate took ownership of her role at American Apparel and accepting Dov’s inappropriate behavior and I loved reading about how American Apparel challenged her idea of feminism and being sex-positive. Ultimately it is such a well-written memoir and the author did a great job at both exposing the problematic sides of American Apparel while also taking ownership of her time spent there.
I think it’s possible to hold space for the positive things about American Apparel while still acknowledging that the CEO was incredibly gross and problematic.
July 3, 2023
This book was a fun and informative read that transported me back in time. The early 2000’s were a weird time when feminism was wrapped in very little clothing, and those in the know were clothed in American Apparel. I was never an American Apparel girl, but I have a bunch of American Apparel clothes in my closet. Not only did I dig the simple quality vintage-like clothing that they sold but I also liked what the company stood for; but I had no idea what was going on behind the scenes. Kate Flannery gives readers a chance experience at what it was really like to be an American Apparel girl. She tells her stories with candor, even though it paints a not so pretty picture of her past. She offers the readers a chance to see what it is like to get sucked into company ideals, while finding ways to twist your head around to believing that what you’re doing is good. I was shocked to learn the depths of the companies’ problems, and I’ll admit I went back and looked at some of the advertisements and am kind of disgusted in myself for not seeing them as exploitative as they were. I acknowledge that I was also sucked into the misogyny that bastardized the feminism of that time, just like she was. I appreciate that Kate opened up to tell her story and I really enjoyed this book. There were moments that I related to her so much that it caused me to reflect on my own past in a similar manner. So, Kate if you’re reading this, Thank You for telling your truth and for showing us the fun and chaos that was your life as an American Apparel girl. I’m glad you made it out alive.
Thank you to NetGalley and Henry Holt & Co. for giving me a chance to read an advanced copy of this book. If your looking for your next fun, informative and honest memoir then pre-order this book now. This book is set to be released July 18th 2023
Thank you to NetGalley and Henry Holt & Co. for giving me a chance to read an advanced copy of this book. If your looking for your next fun, informative and honest memoir then pre-order this book now. This book is set to be released July 18th 2023
June 30, 2023
9/10 rating
This memoir gripped me from the first sentence and I finished it in one go. I honestly was never a huge fan of American Apparel, though I owned a few things from there, but I knew that it took the world by storm. Thus, I hadn’t heard much about Dov and the way he treated women in the empire that he built. The things that Kate described here didn’t surprise me at all, though. I had seen many of the more risqué ads and there often seemed to be something a bit exploitative about them.
I love Kate’s storytelling style and her voice. I was hoping to get a bit more about her life outside of Dov and American Apparel, but that might be more suited to a story for another time. Kate is a lovely writer and narrator, and I would absolutely pick up another book by her, whether fiction or nonfiction. I’m glad she has found her way out from Dov’s influence and can’t wait to see what she does, she’s obviously very talented and smart.
Thanks to Macmillan Audio for the review copy!
This memoir gripped me from the first sentence and I finished it in one go. I honestly was never a huge fan of American Apparel, though I owned a few things from there, but I knew that it took the world by storm. Thus, I hadn’t heard much about Dov and the way he treated women in the empire that he built. The things that Kate described here didn’t surprise me at all, though. I had seen many of the more risqué ads and there often seemed to be something a bit exploitative about them.
I love Kate’s storytelling style and her voice. I was hoping to get a bit more about her life outside of Dov and American Apparel, but that might be more suited to a story for another time. Kate is a lovely writer and narrator, and I would absolutely pick up another book by her, whether fiction or nonfiction. I’m glad she has found her way out from Dov’s influence and can’t wait to see what she does, she’s obviously very talented and smart.
Thanks to Macmillan Audio for the review copy!
July 29, 2023
I absolutely do not want to invalidate Kate Flannery’s experience. And if you’re a millennial “writer” who’s documenting systemic sexual abuse of women in the early 2000s but writing it post-#metoo, you might actually want to do a bit of reflection about what you learned (you know, since young women will be reading your book) and not shame other women for being victimized. You might also consider not calling other women “ditz” and otherwise shaming them for their bodies, faces, etc. I wonder what this book would have looked like had her editor done their job and the author gotten some guidance about what exactly constitutes good memoir.
July 17, 2023
Format Read: Audiobook from NetGalley (Releases 7/18/23)
Review: This was a well told story with good narration. It mostly covers the authors time while working for American Apparel.
Recommended For: Millenials.
July 15, 2023
Strip Tees by Kate Flannery. Thanks to @henryholtbooks for the gifted copy ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
At the start of the millennium, Kate graduates college and begins work from a new clothing company, American Apparel. Having a job there means not only does she work at the store, but acts as their model in their campaigns as well. As she loses herself in the sex positive culture, she takes notice of the sexual harassment rumors surrounding the CEO and Founder.
I remember the American Apparel ads from the early 2000’s and how they shaped style and even my shopping aesthetics at the time. I enjoyed this look into the inner circle and counter culture of working there. I think anyone who worked fashion retail during that time period will appreciate this one. It’s also a story of a young woman trying to find her career and herself after college, but being caught by an unlikely group … which certainly happened to me as well.
“Here, the wolf wasn’t wearing sheep’s clothing, he was completely naked. And naked honesty was as what the sex-positive revolution of the new millennium was all about, right?”
Strip Tees comes out 7/18
At the start of the millennium, Kate graduates college and begins work from a new clothing company, American Apparel. Having a job there means not only does she work at the store, but acts as their model in their campaigns as well. As she loses herself in the sex positive culture, she takes notice of the sexual harassment rumors surrounding the CEO and Founder.
I remember the American Apparel ads from the early 2000’s and how they shaped style and even my shopping aesthetics at the time. I enjoyed this look into the inner circle and counter culture of working there. I think anyone who worked fashion retail during that time period will appreciate this one. It’s also a story of a young woman trying to find her career and herself after college, but being caught by an unlikely group … which certainly happened to me as well.
“Here, the wolf wasn’t wearing sheep’s clothing, he was completely naked. And naked honesty was as what the sex-positive revolution of the new millennium was all about, right?”
Strip Tees comes out 7/18
June 28, 2023
"I was in Los Angeles for less than a month before I got scouted by a cult."
Wow, talk about a way to start a book! 🤯 It was SO GOOD!
This was an unexpected 5⭐ read for me as I am newer to the world of memoirs but from the moment I opened the cover, I could not put it down.
Strip Tees is Kate Flannery's story of working for American Apparel in the early 2000s. I had not heard about the downfall of the company so this was a very interesting read.
Addicting, upsetting, and brutally honest.
The whole time your reading, the thought that something isn't quite right is in the back of your mind. I loved the story telling and Kate's writing. The feminism theme was so strong and so well done. I felt so many emotions while reading this, shock, horror, joy, it was a roller coaster.
I can't recommend this enought! Read this if you love memoirs, are into fashion, are familiar or unfamiliar with the American Apparel/ Dov Charney downfall, or are just looking for the next good book.
Thank you so much to Holt for sending me an arc, I really enjoyed this thought provoking story.
Wow, talk about a way to start a book! 🤯 It was SO GOOD!
This was an unexpected 5⭐ read for me as I am newer to the world of memoirs but from the moment I opened the cover, I could not put it down.
Strip Tees is Kate Flannery's story of working for American Apparel in the early 2000s. I had not heard about the downfall of the company so this was a very interesting read.
Addicting, upsetting, and brutally honest.
The whole time your reading, the thought that something isn't quite right is in the back of your mind. I loved the story telling and Kate's writing. The feminism theme was so strong and so well done. I felt so many emotions while reading this, shock, horror, joy, it was a roller coaster.
I can't recommend this enought! Read this if you love memoirs, are into fashion, are familiar or unfamiliar with the American Apparel/ Dov Charney downfall, or are just looking for the next good book.
Thank you so much to Holt for sending me an arc, I really enjoyed this thought provoking story.
February 7, 2024
As I read this book all I could think about was my own naïveté at ages 17-20… Wearing my red hot American Apparel terry shorts & posing in the mirror of my LA apartment. The fact that American Apparel wasn’t a sweat shop was something I held dear at the time shopping at the retail level of The Factory downtown getting garments for dirt cheap discounts. I had no idea the scandal happening behind closed doors. Sexual misconduct by CEO Dov Charney, numerous lawsuits, ICE audits & just an unsafe work environment in general… Honestly them not being a sweat shop was the ONLY redeeming quality about this now dissolved company. This memoir is not only a bit of a tell-all about what it was like to be an “American Apparel girl” in the early 2000’s, but it was also a brutal reminder of the lengths we go as young women to make sense of the predators tainting our lives & in Kate Flannery’s case— Her work place. There is a fine line between sexual liberation & sexual exploitation & she walks it while explaining both sides in a way a twenty-something would. She wrote scathing assessments about herself contributing to the “anti-feminist” feedback loop of her job which was the recruitment of more AA girls. My heart hurt for her because I probably would’ve stayed too. This book reminded me of all the hard decisions you make as a young woman living on your own. The reasoning & the bargaining… Is it worth it to go to a club run by a predator? Maybe if I’ll have fun with my friends! That is the type of mentality (one I used to have) Kate tries to explain in this memoir. Despite her feminist background & women’s studies at Bryn Mawr she too got eaten up by the misogyny of it all. I thought this was a really well-written book that I unfortunately related to a lot having spent many of my formative years (17-21) in Los Angeles surrounded by men just like Dov. Kate’s story reminded me that it’s ok to speak up, remember who you are, what you once wanted & maybe even have the bravery to go live it. Loved this & highly recommend it to any young woman navigating early adulthood.
August 7, 2023
This was SUCH a fascinating, fast read! I picked it up because I grew up in the 90s/00s in Los Angeles and was curious about the trip down memory lane. What I got was so much more interesting, though. Kate was an insider at American Apparel, and this cinematic memoir shares her perspective on "what happened" and how Dov Charney created a cult-like, harem environment for young women in LA. I never say this, but this book needs to be a movie.
August 14, 2023
Wow! My fav memoir of the year so far. I burned through this in a day because it was so compelling. If you didn’t know it was a memoir you might think it’s a fictional read because of the writing style and narrative flow.
Kate Flannery was a small town girl who moved to L.A. in the early 00’s hoping to make something of herself. She was chilling at a bar when a young woman approached her and asked if she wanted to work at American Apparel. Very quickly Kate was submersed into a world of fast fashion and faux feminism.
The book recounts her experience working at the company and what she witnessed behind the scenes including the countless sexual harassment cases. She addresses the provocative ad campaigns, strict hiring practices and employee exploitation. She also does an excellent job outlining the rise and fall of CEO, Dove Charney.
What I find so fascinating about this era is the commercialization of this second wave of feminism. Remember those mid 00s? Everyone had a sex tape and flashing your cookie to the paps was common. These young starlets believed that selling a sex positive image empowered women. This narrative was packaged and sold to millennial women which fed into the cult-like culture at American Apparel. Dove decided to take that philosophy and use the women in his stores/office as the models.
But his vibe is 70s right?? Yes! Dove grew up in the hyper sexual Hustler era. He took his masturbatory fodder and made it into a business and sold it through the lens of feminism. It was all an illusion of power and control.
I think this would be a great book club select as there is a lot to dissect and debate.
Kate Flannery was a small town girl who moved to L.A. in the early 00’s hoping to make something of herself. She was chilling at a bar when a young woman approached her and asked if she wanted to work at American Apparel. Very quickly Kate was submersed into a world of fast fashion and faux feminism.
The book recounts her experience working at the company and what she witnessed behind the scenes including the countless sexual harassment cases. She addresses the provocative ad campaigns, strict hiring practices and employee exploitation. She also does an excellent job outlining the rise and fall of CEO, Dove Charney.
What I find so fascinating about this era is the commercialization of this second wave of feminism. Remember those mid 00s? Everyone had a sex tape and flashing your cookie to the paps was common. These young starlets believed that selling a sex positive image empowered women. This narrative was packaged and sold to millennial women which fed into the cult-like culture at American Apparel. Dove decided to take that philosophy and use the women in his stores/office as the models.
But his vibe is 70s right?? Yes! Dove grew up in the hyper sexual Hustler era. He took his masturbatory fodder and made it into a business and sold it through the lens of feminism. It was all an illusion of power and control.
I think this would be a great book club select as there is a lot to dissect and debate.
July 12, 2023
a really interesting look at the 'cult' of american apparel in the mid-2000s. this was very NXIVM coded, with girls recruiting other girls to be exploited for company marketing, all under the helm of dov charney. flannery details her experience with the knowledge of more modern views on feminism and grooming, but also acknowledges that she was operating within the post-9/11 'post-feminism' mindset of not playing into victimhood. a really compelling read all around, i was hooked from the opening line.
July 18, 2023
4.5 stars and a pleasant surprise, definitely check CW and heed, especially toxic work environments including on page sexual harassment and SA
I had basically no expectations of this book, and I ended up loving it. This combines a loss of innocence narrative with some amount of nostalgia for the author's carefree twenties in the early 2000s really well. The subject matter is intense at times, and the author has clearly done enough reflecting and processing to critique her own actions, as well as the injustices she was surrounded by. This moves at a good pace and is engaging throughout.
I had basically no expectations of this book, and I ended up loving it. This combines a loss of innocence narrative with some amount of nostalgia for the author's carefree twenties in the early 2000s really well. The subject matter is intense at times, and the author has clearly done enough reflecting and processing to critique her own actions, as well as the injustices she was surrounded by. This moves at a good pace and is engaging throughout.
April 25, 2024
It was like a flashback of my early 20s, no judgements! I had fun and had cringe experiences and this brought me back. I did love but the ending ugh the ending. I know harsh to judge on a memoir but being honest…..
July 24, 2023
The author is a good writer with a flair for interesting phrasing and she's got a bunch of disturbing anecdotes up her sleeve. It's the story of a young woman navigating early 2000s LA at a "disruptive" company where the boss likes to drop his pants at staff meetings and bang his employees in dressing rooms at its retail clothing outlets.
One anecdote: The author gets cast in a Rolling Stones music video by her agent. She'll earn $250 for the day for kissing a young man on camera — or $500 if she agrees to kiss another young woman. She needs the money and agrees to kiss the "girl." During the video shoot where she's basically wearing a bikini while making out with the other woman, they're sprayed with a hose with freezing cold water over and over. On the last take, water from the hose knocks her top off, exposing her right breast. The male Swedish director and male crew all immediately turn their backs out of respect. Everyone apologizes. The other woman helps her get resituated and they finish the shot. The video comes out and to her shock, it includes her naked breast. She thought everyone realized this was not something she agreed to, and she protests to her female agent, who tells her not to rock the boat.
It's just one of countless examples of men taking advantage of women in often creepy sexual ways, often under the guise of "sex positivity" and chastising anyone as a conservative prude who doesn't go along.
The author is nearly raped by a co-worker before escaping out a window — and her boss financially blackmails her into sending a letter to HR that it was all a misunderstanding and no big deal.
The book — mostly about the sexist culture at American Apparel — captures being a millennial in the Aughts. The author has a way with describing the sex-charged atmosphere and the drugs. The elation and fun that she felt after having sex with someone she liked was being "tipsy on f--- joy." In another case, she was being rammed "with all the finesse of a teenager trying to learn a stick shift."
Her attempts at putting a feminist spin on her experiences often felt forced, as in phrases like "the boot print of the patriarchy stamped on my forehead."
This is a good book that will speak more to some readers than it did to me. It's got a fast-paced narrative going from one messed-up aspect of her company's culture to the next. But for me, it would've been better to either leave the feminist theory out and focus even more on the author's thoughts, which I never really got a handle on, or make an attempt at more substantial commentary about misogynist business culture.
Or here's another way to say it: The author does a lot of internal monologues about how messed-up the things are going on around her, but they all seem vetted by a committee in 2022. I didn't get the feeling I truly understood what she was thinking at the time. Better to say what she was thinking at the time and then how she thinks about it now, instead of merging those two things.
But maybe I'm bring my own biases to the book. It is good and an interesting look at how men misuse the banner of sex positivity.
My favorite recent look at misogyny in American culture comes from Chavissa Woods' "100 Times: A Memoir of Sexism." I'd try it first.
#netgalley
One anecdote: The author gets cast in a Rolling Stones music video by her agent. She'll earn $250 for the day for kissing a young man on camera — or $500 if she agrees to kiss another young woman. She needs the money and agrees to kiss the "girl." During the video shoot where she's basically wearing a bikini while making out with the other woman, they're sprayed with a hose with freezing cold water over and over. On the last take, water from the hose knocks her top off, exposing her right breast. The male Swedish director and male crew all immediately turn their backs out of respect. Everyone apologizes. The other woman helps her get resituated and they finish the shot. The video comes out and to her shock, it includes her naked breast. She thought everyone realized this was not something she agreed to, and she protests to her female agent, who tells her not to rock the boat.
It's just one of countless examples of men taking advantage of women in often creepy sexual ways, often under the guise of "sex positivity" and chastising anyone as a conservative prude who doesn't go along.
The author is nearly raped by a co-worker before escaping out a window — and her boss financially blackmails her into sending a letter to HR that it was all a misunderstanding and no big deal.
The book — mostly about the sexist culture at American Apparel — captures being a millennial in the Aughts. The author has a way with describing the sex-charged atmosphere and the drugs. The elation and fun that she felt after having sex with someone she liked was being "tipsy on f--- joy." In another case, she was being rammed "with all the finesse of a teenager trying to learn a stick shift."
Her attempts at putting a feminist spin on her experiences often felt forced, as in phrases like "the boot print of the patriarchy stamped on my forehead."
This is a good book that will speak more to some readers than it did to me. It's got a fast-paced narrative going from one messed-up aspect of her company's culture to the next. But for me, it would've been better to either leave the feminist theory out and focus even more on the author's thoughts, which I never really got a handle on, or make an attempt at more substantial commentary about misogynist business culture.
Or here's another way to say it: The author does a lot of internal monologues about how messed-up the things are going on around her, but they all seem vetted by a committee in 2022. I didn't get the feeling I truly understood what she was thinking at the time. Better to say what she was thinking at the time and then how she thinks about it now, instead of merging those two things.
But maybe I'm bring my own biases to the book. It is good and an interesting look at how men misuse the banner of sex positivity.
My favorite recent look at misogyny in American culture comes from Chavissa Woods' "100 Times: A Memoir of Sexism." I'd try it first.
#netgalley
July 18, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley, author Kate Flannery, and Henry Holt & Co for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!
This was such a fascinating and enthralling read. Although I was only 7 in 2005 (the year in which most of Strip Tees takes place), I can definitely remember the prominence of American Apparel in the teen mags I read growing up and seeing the ads everywhere. They were iconic in the sense that the branding was immediately recognizable: a little brash but also seemingly effortlessly cool and minimal in an era that was over the top. I vaguely knew about all the controversy surrounding the founder, Dov, back from when the company went bankrupt, but I didn't know the true ins and outs. Flannery is a masterful storyteller that brought me as a reader directly into her world of the dark side of sunny LA. Strip Tees is extremely juicy and almost reads like a novel, which is even harder to stomach realizing this happened to so many women, including Kate herself. There is so much important commentary within the memoir on not only the predatory allure that can easily suck in even the strongest woman, but also on identity, finding/losing yourself, and womanhood. As someone who was a little girl who thought the women in these ads were so "cool", it truly is a bit sickening and heartbreaking to realize the brutal truth and what the women went through. I'm 25 at the time of reading this, the same age as Kate was working for American Apparel; it is mind-boggling both how much things have and have not changed within our society since then. I highly encourage reading this if you are a millenial/upper Gen Z woman or if you enjoy pop culture memoirs/commentary. Flannery is a talented writer that writes a brutally honest account of the dark side of fashion that immerses you on every page.
This was such a fascinating and enthralling read. Although I was only 7 in 2005 (the year in which most of Strip Tees takes place), I can definitely remember the prominence of American Apparel in the teen mags I read growing up and seeing the ads everywhere. They were iconic in the sense that the branding was immediately recognizable: a little brash but also seemingly effortlessly cool and minimal in an era that was over the top. I vaguely knew about all the controversy surrounding the founder, Dov, back from when the company went bankrupt, but I didn't know the true ins and outs. Flannery is a masterful storyteller that brought me as a reader directly into her world of the dark side of sunny LA. Strip Tees is extremely juicy and almost reads like a novel, which is even harder to stomach realizing this happened to so many women, including Kate herself. There is so much important commentary within the memoir on not only the predatory allure that can easily suck in even the strongest woman, but also on identity, finding/losing yourself, and womanhood. As someone who was a little girl who thought the women in these ads were so "cool", it truly is a bit sickening and heartbreaking to realize the brutal truth and what the women went through. I'm 25 at the time of reading this, the same age as Kate was working for American Apparel; it is mind-boggling both how much things have and have not changed within our society since then. I highly encourage reading this if you are a millenial/upper Gen Z woman or if you enjoy pop culture memoirs/commentary. Flannery is a talented writer that writes a brutally honest account of the dark side of fashion that immerses you on every page.
August 10, 2023
“𝘐𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘴𝘰 𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥𝘯’𝘵 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘰𝘶𝘵”
In Kate Flannery’s memoir, ‘Strip Tees’, she takes us through her time working at American Apparel during the early 2000s. Recently out of college, Kate was eager to start her young adult life in the city of Los Angeles. She was running out of time and money when a struck of luck to join AA was presented to her at a dive bar on Sunset Boulevard. At the time this seemed like all her wishes were coming true — a progressive job at a sex-positive rapidly growing company in fashion, controlled by women, with a welcoming community and an owner committed to a better life for all his employees. But we see how Kate learns how some things are too good to be true.
“𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘳𝘶𝘯 𝘣𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘮 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘸𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘢 𝘨𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘱𝘺𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘥, 𝘴𝘦𝘵 𝘶𝘱 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘳𝘶𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘣𝘪𝘨 𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘱. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵. 𝘕𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘐𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘬 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬. 𝘋𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘵 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘦 — 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘕𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐𝘷𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘦𝘭𝘴𝘦 — 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬, 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺”
I really enjoyed hearing Kate’s story (I split my time between listening to audio which I also recommend). For those unfamiliar with the controversy/scandal around the founder Dov Charney, a quick Google search will catch you up to speed. It’s interesting because, with all the clear wrongs and negatives that were happening such as abuse of power, cult-like mentalities, and sexual misconduct/harassment, there’s a reason these environments and people like Dov are able to exist for so long. Kate sheds like on both sides of the coin using her humor and refreshing honesty. It is easy for an outsider to judge but it is very hard to leave these spaces when they are tied to your financial freedom and new life and community. Anyone can find themselves in Kate’s shoes, especially during the time before the Me-too movement, etc.
But as with all things with a rotten foundation, they will collapse in time which is exactly what we saw with American Apparel. This exposé also dually functions as a coming-of-age story as we see Kate evolve and grow during her time in LA and traveling across the country. This was eye-opening and despite the heavier topics really enjoyable!
Thank you, Henry Holt and Kate for the arc!
In Kate Flannery’s memoir, ‘Strip Tees’, she takes us through her time working at American Apparel during the early 2000s. Recently out of college, Kate was eager to start her young adult life in the city of Los Angeles. She was running out of time and money when a struck of luck to join AA was presented to her at a dive bar on Sunset Boulevard. At the time this seemed like all her wishes were coming true — a progressive job at a sex-positive rapidly growing company in fashion, controlled by women, with a welcoming community and an owner committed to a better life for all his employees. But we see how Kate learns how some things are too good to be true.
“𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘳𝘶𝘯 𝘣𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘮 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘸𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘢 𝘨𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘱𝘺𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘥, 𝘴𝘦𝘵 𝘶𝘱 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘳𝘶𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘣𝘪𝘨 𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘱. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵. 𝘕𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘐𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘬 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬. 𝘋𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘵 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘦 — 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘕𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐𝘷𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘦𝘭𝘴𝘦 — 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬, 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺”
I really enjoyed hearing Kate’s story (I split my time between listening to audio which I also recommend). For those unfamiliar with the controversy/scandal around the founder Dov Charney, a quick Google search will catch you up to speed. It’s interesting because, with all the clear wrongs and negatives that were happening such as abuse of power, cult-like mentalities, and sexual misconduct/harassment, there’s a reason these environments and people like Dov are able to exist for so long. Kate sheds like on both sides of the coin using her humor and refreshing honesty. It is easy for an outsider to judge but it is very hard to leave these spaces when they are tied to your financial freedom and new life and community. Anyone can find themselves in Kate’s shoes, especially during the time before the Me-too movement, etc.
But as with all things with a rotten foundation, they will collapse in time which is exactly what we saw with American Apparel. This exposé also dually functions as a coming-of-age story as we see Kate evolve and grow during her time in LA and traveling across the country. This was eye-opening and despite the heavier topics really enjoyable!
Thank you, Henry Holt and Kate for the arc!
February 1, 2024
I found this memoir extremely interesting, and nostalgic.
I was part of that group of young east coasters that moved west in the 2000s looking for that fabled California lifestyle. So I identified with Kate from the beginning and her story brought back a flood of memories. The 2000s were a very complex and confusing time. It is a decade that is hard to define not like the 80s or 90s where we have come to some consensus on the meaning and culture of those respective decades. So it was interesting to delve back into the 2000s.
Kate Flannery makes the reader reevaluate their ideas about feminism especially the evolution of feministic ideals and values. The feministic ideals of 2003 were different from our current ideals. This is long before the Me Too movement. This was a time when sexual harassment and misconduct were common practices in the corporate world. The company I worked for in the 2000s dealt with several scandals where old white executives abused their power for their sexual gratification. The corporate world was and maybe still is a disgusting place. All of this was leading to the Me Too movement which seemed inevitable by the late 2000s.
I appreciate the author's honesty. Kate does not paint herself as a hero but as a young woman trying to navigate the corporate world in difficult times. She survived and learned a lot in the process which is commendable.
The misogyny of her boss "Dov" also brought me back to the misogynistic culture of the 2000s how America treated Janet Jackson after the Superbowl mishap, how America canceled the Dixie Chicks for speaking the truth, and how Britney Spears and many other women became sexual objects, and were treated like dirt by the press. I remember the women in those American Apparel ads, Maxim magazines, and some sexist Hollywood movies of the time.
We definitely could have done better back then. It is sad, but we can learn to improve, and literature like this can spark constructive conversation. This is a culturally significant work.
I was part of that group of young east coasters that moved west in the 2000s looking for that fabled California lifestyle. So I identified with Kate from the beginning and her story brought back a flood of memories. The 2000s were a very complex and confusing time. It is a decade that is hard to define not like the 80s or 90s where we have come to some consensus on the meaning and culture of those respective decades. So it was interesting to delve back into the 2000s.
Kate Flannery makes the reader reevaluate their ideas about feminism especially the evolution of feministic ideals and values. The feministic ideals of 2003 were different from our current ideals. This is long before the Me Too movement. This was a time when sexual harassment and misconduct were common practices in the corporate world. The company I worked for in the 2000s dealt with several scandals where old white executives abused their power for their sexual gratification. The corporate world was and maybe still is a disgusting place. All of this was leading to the Me Too movement which seemed inevitable by the late 2000s.
I appreciate the author's honesty. Kate does not paint herself as a hero but as a young woman trying to navigate the corporate world in difficult times. She survived and learned a lot in the process which is commendable.
The misogyny of her boss "Dov" also brought me back to the misogynistic culture of the 2000s how America treated Janet Jackson after the Superbowl mishap, how America canceled the Dixie Chicks for speaking the truth, and how Britney Spears and many other women became sexual objects, and were treated like dirt by the press. I remember the women in those American Apparel ads, Maxim magazines, and some sexist Hollywood movies of the time.
We definitely could have done better back then. It is sad, but we can learn to improve, and literature like this can spark constructive conversation. This is a culturally significant work.
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