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    Funny Bookish T-Shirts

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    Funny Bookish T-Shirts

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    Book Riot Managing Editor Vanessa Diaz is a writer and former bookseller from San Diego, CA whose Spanish is even faster than her English. When not reading or writing, she enjoys dreaming up travel itineraries and drinking entirely too much tea. She is a regular co-host on the All the Books podcast who especially loves mysteries, gothic lit, mythology/folklore, and all things witchy. Vanessa can be found on Instagram at @BuenosDiazSD or taking pictures of pretty trees in Portland, OR, where she now resides.

    View All posts by Vanessa Diaz

    It’s still solidly winter as I write this post, but I’m also in Southern California. The even warmer-than-usual temperatures (hello, climate change!) mean the clothes I packed for the trip from Portland to San Diego mostly missed the mark. As I sit here sweating in a lightweight sweater, wishing I’d packed a few more short-sleeved shirts and shorts, I thought I’d search for some bookish tees.

    As Kelly points out in this post on whimsical tees, it can be hard to find unique bookish t-shirt designs nowadays. If you search on Etsy, you’ll be flooded with hundreds of pages of very similar designs thanks to the ease with which one can hop onto Canva and slap together a graphic that gets mass-produced on shirts, sweaters, mugs, and such. I’m not hating: there is nothing wrong with plenty of those designs, and I own more than a few of them. But I only need so many “so many books, so little time” shirts or ones with flowers sprouting from an open book, ya know?

    Below are some of the fun and silly bookish t-shirt designs I was able to find. Some of these may very well be Canvafied, but I saw less of them going around than others and don’t own anything similar. Whether you’re looking for a bookish tee to rock in public or something cozy to lounge around or sleep in, I hope you find something here to add to your bookish wardrobe.

    a woman sitting cross-legged on a table wearing a white t-shirt that says This Anxiety is Chronic But this Book is Iconic in pink text. Beneath the text is a graphic of a woman reclining in a chair readinga woman sitting cross-legged on a table wearing a white t-shirt that says This Anxiety is Chronic But this Book is Iconic in pink text. Beneath the text is a graphic of a woman reclining in a chair reading
    image from SandalwoodDesignShop on Etsy

    Methinks this shirt would get a lot of mileage in 2025. Maybe buy one in each color? $19+

    a woman's torso in a dark grey t-shirt containing comics-style graphics of a woman crying bordered by white text that reads "Born to Read, Forced to Work"a woman's torso in a dark grey t-shirt containing comics-style graphics of a woman crying bordered by white text that reads "Born to Read, Forced to Work"
    image from FavourArtCo on Etsy

    I personally need my paycheck to afford the pages because capitalism, but I understand the frustration. Because we must work, we must also have this tee. $17+

    torso of a woman wearing an off-white "Enemies to Lovers World Tour" shirt with dates listed beneath a graphic of a purple rose and black flamestorso of a woman wearing an off-white "Enemies to Lovers World Tour" shirt with dates listed beneath a graphic of a purple rose and black flames
    image from VerseandVibeCo on Etsy

    This romance trope tour t-shirt feels like it could be for an actual Taylor Swift tour and that’s no shade. Tell me those tropes don’t sound like tracks from The Tortured Poet’s Department! $32+

    a dark grey t-shirt showing a raccoon, a possum, and a skunk reading books. Text bordering the image reads "I tried to form a gang but it turned into a book club"a dark grey t-shirt showing a raccoon, a possum, and a skunk reading books. Text bordering the image reads "I tried to form a gang but it turned into a book club"
    image from tshmall on Etsy

    Would join this book club (or this gang, if I’m being honest). This adorable shirt with its cute little critters starts at $35.

    torso of a woman wearing a cream t-shirt with a graphic of a women in an a-line dress holding a book while walking through a doorway. Bordering the graphic is text that reads "leaving reality, entering fiction"torso of a woman wearing a cream t-shirt with a graphic of a women in an a-line dress holding a book while walking through a doorway. Bordering the graphic is text that reads "leaving reality, entering fiction"
    image from ComfyGiftStop on Etsy

    For those days when you just need to check out of reality and escape into another world, books (and this t-shirt) are there for you. $17+

    a heather green t-shirt with three seated raccoons on the front, each of them reading a booka heather green t-shirt with three seated raccoons on the front, each of them reading a book
    image from TheTrendingGiftCo on Etsy

    Raccoons are just the cutest, I don’t care that they’re little trash pandas. Look at those little paws holding those little books! This shirt is a must. $30+

    torso of a woman wearing a cream t-shirt with a graphic of a woman holding a stack of books on the front, and green text on top that reads "reading... because murder is wrong"torso of a woman wearing a cream t-shirt with a graphic of a woman holding a stack of books on the front, and green text on top that reads "reading... because murder is wrong"
    image from PlatStitch on Etsy

    I always say that several authors and TV/film writers do what they do for a living because they’d otherwise do crimes. Whether you devour those kinds of twisty stories or turn to books in general to stay zen, this shirt is for you. $27+

    torso of a woman wearing a white t-shirt with. graphic of a detective holding a fish on the front. Black text bordering the image reads "This isn't a clue, it's a red herring"torso of a woman wearing a white t-shirt with. graphic of a detective holding a fish on the front. Black text bordering the image reads "This isn't a clue, it's a red herring"
    image from CoffeeCupDoodles on Etsy

    This is my brand of mystery-reader humor. I’d wear this punny shirt and annoy everyone I came in contact with. “Get it? It’s an actual red herring!” $20+

    torso of a woman wearing a beige t-shirt with a graphic of a woman in Victorian dress holding a book with a quote bubble hovering to the right that reads "Oh my... that's kinda hot"torso of a woman wearing a beige t-shirt with a graphic of a woman in Victorian dress holding a book with a quote bubble hovering to the right that reads "Oh my... that's kinda hot"
    image from MadisonEmiliaDesigns on Etsy

    I get a kick out of designs that combine old-timey imagery with witty text. What do you think she’s reading? And what will you read when you wear this tee? $29+

    torso of a woman wearing a dark grey shirt with a graphic of a raccoon reading in an armchair on the front. Text above the graphic reads "Trash Reader"torso of a woman wearing a dark grey shirt with a graphic of a raccoon reading in an armchair on the front. Text above the graphic reads "Trash Reader"
    image from CheeryWear on Etsy

    Look I told you I like raccoons, and we’re reclaiming “trash” because no one can steal our joy. This shirt design starts at just $11.

    torso of a woman wearing a white t-shirt with three ducks holding books and wearing flower crowns on the front. Text beneath the ducks reads "I'm a very serious reader...and by serious, I mean I'm serious about fairie books"torso of a woman wearing a white t-shirt with three ducks holding books and wearing flower crowns on the front. Text beneath the ducks reads "I'm a very serious reader...and by serious, I mean I'm serious about fairie books"
    image from OpalandJuneShop on Etsy

    If you ever feel weird about not being a “serious reader,” you’re not alone. Whether it’s lit fic or fairy smut you spend your time with, it all counts! This shirt’s three delightful ducks say so. $33

    purple t-shirt on a hanger with a graphic of a couple in Regency dress on the front. Text bordering the image reads "I Was Told There'd be Enemies to Lovers"purple t-shirt on a hanger with a graphic of a couple in Regency dress on the front. Text bordering the image reads "I Was Told There'd be Enemies to Lovers"
    image from OpalandJuneShop on Etsy

    If enemies to lovers is your romance novel catnip, this shirt has your name on it. $33

    For more bookish apparel, check out these cozy crewneck sweaters. And if you’re in that “new year, new me” kind of mood this January, try these planners, journals, and bookish wall calendars.

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