Some sentences are used thoughtlessly. "Di van os" is one of them. Intended for convenience, but often heard as something else. As if someone is being reduced to a subordinate clause. "Ik zen ni di van os" is the answer to that. Short. Clear. And completely in the Antwerp dialect.
This "I'm not from here" t-shirt says what many women think when they're called this. Not angry, not loud, but decisive. It's not an attack or an explanation. It's a correction. I'm not "from here." I'm just me.
When do you wear a Ik zen ni di van os t-shirt?
For moments when you decide where you are
Wear this shirt when you don't feel like being reduced to someone else. At a cafe, at family gatherings, in conversations where people mean well but still get it wrong. The shirt says it all without you having to start the conversation.
The "I'm not a fan of us" t-shirt works because it's relatable. For those who experience it. And also for those who pause for a moment when they read it. It sets things right without creating drama.
Why this statement sticks
Independent, clear and typically Antwerp
"Ik zen ni di van os" (I don't know who you are) isn't a slogan or a motto. It's a simple statement. You are someone in your own right. Not an appendage, not a label. That's what makes this statement so powerful and so relevant.
This "Ik zen ni di van os" t-shirt is an Antwerp statement shirt for people who call themselves what they are. For those who don't need a title to be taken seriously. For those who gently correct, but remain clear.
Just put it on.
And being addressed by your own name.
