Image via Getty/Ray Tamarra
Issa Rae's great at making statements. Hell, just her presence on the Sunday night line-up on HBO is a HUGE statement. With the second, Frank Ocean-filled season of Insecure coming to a close last night, we finally got some closure on the show, with a mess of open-ended storylines for season three. We also got a final look at the fresh tops that Issa (and company) were rocking this season.
From the season two premiere through the entire series, there have been hella messages told in the show's fashion, and while we spoke with Insecure costume designer Ayanna James about the show's look, I wanted to focus on the tops Issa rocked throughout the series.
Issa Rae isn't the type of person to just wear some shit just to wear it, it seems; there are things weaved through the fabric of the show that can only be told by a specific shirt. Whether it's a quick sociopolitical statement or just some fly vintage wear, it's high-time we took a quick look at the messages Issa put on herself throughout the season...with some links on where to cop these pieces, if you were interested.
Hella N*ggas
Which episode: "Hella Great" (episode one)
Where you can buy it: Omondi, $160
What a way to kick off a season. And Issa knew she had to get it into the show. "I was like, ‘I want to put this in the show.’ Our costume designer [Ayanna James] said, ‘It can go in this [dating] scene,’” Issa explained on Everyday Struggle. And she ends the season in it as well.
Hella WTF
Which episode: "Hella Great" (episode one)
Where you can buy it: Teespring, $26.95
Perfect shirt for not giving a fuck about working out, amirite? Also, while this isn't the original (which was sold at BCBGeneration), the one on Teespring looks enough like Issa's (and comes in a number of colors).
Hella Black
Which episode: "Hella Great" (episode one)
Where you can buy it: You can't.
This was available via The Very Black Project, but it's not listed on their site...and everything on their site is sold out anyways. Dope play on the Tommy Hilfiger logo, though
Hella Historical
Which episode: "Hella Questions" (episode two)
Where you can buy it: $85, from CRIME$ (a portion of the proceeds go to the Good Shepherd Shelter in Los Angeles)
Was Issa prepping for the squad's trip to the California African American Museum by rocking a Harriet Tubman hoodie at the crib?
Hella Support
Which episode: "Hella Questions" (episode two)
Where you can buy it: £295.00 from Bella Freud
If she was pre-gaming with her Tubman tee, her selection of this Last Poets top for the actual event was dope. For those unaware, the Last Poets were a late-'60s outfit born out of the black nationalist movement. Not only did Biggie flip their song "When the Revolution Comes" for his iconic single "Party and Bullshit," but they were also featured on Common's "The Corner."
Hella Legendary
Which episode: "Hella Questions" (episode two)
Where can you buy it: Walmart for $9.95
It's dope to see that the text under the shirt says "trust nobody," which is definitely how Issa was feeling (at least when it came to the men in her life, or men in general). Also, Pac and Big; forever iconic.
Hella Frustrated
Which episode: "Hella Open" (episode three)
Where you can buy it: #shrug, but there are a bunch of Humpty shirts on eBay
The brilliance of Issa trying to get her vibrate on while rocking a HUMP shirt with Humpty Hump on it? Classic visual.
Hella Prayer
Which episode: "Hella Open" (episode three)
Where you can buy it: $18.99, Rockabilia
That 2Pac image is classic, but it adds a bit more weight when Issa's rocking it to try and repaint her stained walls after her failed kickback. Like 'Pac's watching over her, or at least sending a few prayers up for her.
Hella WRECKED
Which episode: "Hella Open" (episode three)
Where you can buy it: Nowhere, as this $115 tee is sold out of SHOPBOP
$115 for a t-shirt? No wonder she had to move out of that complex bomplex. Also, pretty poignant tee for where she was at her life.
Hella De La
Which episode: "Hella Shook" (episode five)
Where you can buy it: $21.99, Rockabilia
Of course the hip-hop group behind the seminal "Me, Myself, and I" would be adorned while Issa really out here on her "hoe-tation," doing her.
Hella Enemies
Which episode: "Hella Shook" (episode five)
Where you can buy it: Via the Public Enemy shop, although they don't have this shirt in particular on the site right now
Issa's classic hip-hop shirt fits in perfectly with the idea of her really being on a different page than Frieda and with her other co-workers in general.
Hella Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik
Which episode: "Hella Blows" (episode six)
Where you can buy it: $21.99, Rockabilia
Sure, Issa was repping the ATLiens with this look, but I think the color of the shirt, paired with those golden yellow sweats, was a subtle big up to the Lakers, and Los Angeles in general, as the city's just as big of a part of the show. And these are just her night clothes.
Hella Woke
Which episode: "Hella Blows" (episode six)
Where you can buy it: Dijon Samo, $55 (pre-orders only)
"Made this sweater to commemorate the late great Fred Hampton," Samo says on his website. "It is a lyric from my EP "AWOL" track #4, titled "FLAMES"." And if you aren't up on how the FBI murdered Fred Hampton, I have the perfect book for you.
Hella D.A.R.E.
Which episode: "Hella Blows" (episode six)
Where you can buy it: eBay, although because it's vintage, prices will vary.
Was this a subtle play in Issa daring to try something adventurous in bed?
Hella Computin'
Which episode: "Hella Disrespectful" (episode seven)
Where you can buy it: $21.95, from Teespring
Rockin' this Cam'rom tee was the perfect shirt to wear while Issa was getting into her feelings over Lawrence blocking her on Facebook.
Hella BONUS
Which episode: "Hella Perspective" (episode eight)
Where you can buy it: $65 at Liberated People (15% of all sales go to the Trayvon Martin Foundation)
While the NIGGAS sweatshirt was repeated at the beginning of this episode, Molly truly won with this Trayvon Martin sweatshirt during their viewing of Due North. Very necessary.