Punctuation has an origin story.
A punctuation habit gets caught in the conversation about AI writing.
Back · WhiteI Used Em Dashes Before It Was Cool — Tee
$45
Size guide
Boxy by design. Take your usual size for the boxy look, one down for a closer fit.
| Flat, in | XS | S | M | L | XL | 2XL | 3XL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chest width | 19 1/8 | 20 1/8 | 21 1/8 | 23 1/8 | 25 1/8 | 27 1/8 | 29 1/8 |
| Length | 26 1/2 | 27 1/2 | 28 | 29 | 30 1/4 | 31 3/4 | 32 3/4 |
Bella+Canvas 3010, measured laid flat. Chest is armpit to armpit; double it for the full round. Each piece can differ by up to 2 in (5 cm).
Made to order, final sale. Paid size exchange within 14 days; misprints replaced free. Exchanges & Returns
- Blank
- Bella+Canvas 3010 boxy tee
- Fabric
- 100% Airlume cotton, 6 oz
- Fit
- Unisex oversized, boxy
- Front mark, full back, printed neck label
- Shipping
- Printed in 2-5 business days. $5.95 in the US, free over $90
You had a writing style before the detector had an opinion. For people who would like their long-standing punctuation preferences to receive a little more historical context.
Clean front. Loud back. A small REGEX wordmark sits on the chest, with the main line across the back. One ink per garment. Comes in Black with white ink or White with black ink.
The joke, explained
An em dash is a punctuation mark used for interruptions, emphasis, or a break in a sentence. Its association with generated prose has made it a subject of AI-writing jokes. The design claims a longer personal history with the mark, treating punctuation preference like an original cultural credential.
For the writer whose punctuation did not arrive with the model.
- Fit
- Unisex, boxy oversized fit with a dropped shoulder. Choose your usual size for the boxy look or one size down for a closer fit.
- Fabric
- 100% cotton, about 6 oz, soft and midweight.
- One ink with a light vintage texture. White ink on Black, black ink on White. REGEX on the chest, the line across the back.
- Care
- Wash cold inside out. Tumble dry low or hang dry. Do not iron the print or use bleach.
- Shipping
- Into the build queue. Printed to order in 2 to 5 business days, then shipped. Free US shipping on orders of $90 or more.
Questions
Why defend a punctuation habit with an origin story?
The line jokes about people associating a familiar writing mark with AI output. Claiming earlier use turns a small stylistic preference into a mock claim of cultural seniority.
Does using that punctuation prove a text was AI-generated?
No. People use many punctuation styles, and one mark does not establish authorship. The design is funny because it treats the suspicion as something a long-time writer might dryly answer.
