Celebrities

Stryper Sins

Published on October 13, 2009

If you’re a vintage tee aficionado or Stryper fan (just kidding) check out the new film Whip It. This flick scores bonus points with a vintage tee that isn’t just wardrobe eye-candy – it’s an integral part of the script. Ellen Page’s character “Bliss” sports a vintage Stryper t-shirt throughout and it actually thickens the plot.

The tee cameo has the surprisingly still together band is in publicity heaven. They even weigh in on authenticity by pointing out the shirt in the film is a actually vintage bootleg and compare it to their licensed version. Any respect gained was quickly lost when I realized they’re cashing in by selling a reproduction of the film’s bootleg shirt from their website. The question is – do the original bootleggers get a royalty for their design?

Shame on your Stryper – ironically greed got the best of your Christian based heavy metal outfit. Now I don’t feel bad for featuring you tops on our 10 worst vintage band t-shirts you must wear.

Search Defunkd for an authentic vintage Stryper t-shirt.
Our interview with a movie costume designer who specializes in vintage t-shirts.

Related Topics:

Jimmy J

Test

6 Comments

frank

October 14, 2009 at 8:49 am

not feeling so hyper for Stryper?

to helllllllll with the devilllll
VP's

October 14, 2009 at 9:33 am

I noticed this tee in the previews for this movie. Definitely something a vintagepimp would notice in a movie about hot chicks in roller skates :-0
frank

October 20, 2009 at 11:58 am

PG 13???? i’m going to need vintage t-shirts pulled over these hot chicks’ heads in order to sit through this.
ken

October 31, 2009 at 10:37 pm

stryper them self had no idea their shirt was in the movie, drew berrymore is a fan of stryper and thats where the idea came from. get your story right befor you write it. lamo
jimmyj

November 1, 2009 at 10:39 am

Dear Drunk Stryper Fan: (lamo?)

I love it when people say “get your facts right” and actually have no clue what they are talking about.

Whip-It was based on the book “Derby Girls” and Shauna Cross wrote both versions of the story. In the book, (before the movie and well before Drew Barrymore had anything to do with it) the main character “Bliss” wears a Stryper t-shirt.

There’s no evidence to suggest Drew Barrymore is a Stryper fan and if she is it’s purely coincidental, given this was a part of the script that was handed to her.

Furthermore, when a band shirt appears in a film there’s an elaborate legal process that’s involved to get clearance. It probably would have been one of the first orders of business given the shirt plays a pivotal role in the film. You think Stryper just went to the movie one day and saw their shirt in it? No. They would have had to give permission for this to occur.

Here’s more about the process:

http://www.defunkd.com/blog.vintageaficionado/2009/02/23/and-the-award-for-best-t-shirts-in-a-movie/

JJ
helena

March 24, 2010 at 2:16 pm

the truth is i have acted like bliss even before the movie came out and look like her its creepy…but im happy its true!!!!!!!!!!!