Tug Shirt

The Tug Shirt is a garment for the publicly shy–and their friends. Intended for use in informal social settings, it allows for simple, coded communication between friends. Tugging the bottom seam of the shirt–a motion associated with a nervous habit–triggers lights to brighten in the collar. The stronger the grip, the brighter the lights, thus mapping the level of urgency in the wearer’s desire for conversational inclusion. In this way, lighting up becomes a nudge or reminder to friends who may be accustomed to the wearer’s social ease in more intimate settings, or a potential conversation piece for curious or discerning strangers. Because shyness can be situational, wearers may opt to pop their collars, thus concealing the lights.

This piece is part of A Kit for Friends of Publicly Shy People, a growing suite of items that necessitates participation from otherwise indifferent people to work through the tensions and experiences of public shyness.

Demo video: