Mardi Gras T-Shirts 2012

Right: Mardi Gras Shirt

This shirt has all of the essentials that you'll be looking for in a great t-shirt for the annual celebration: yellow, green, and purple colors that will attract plenty of attention from bead throwers and catchers! Available also in black, this dark tee is the perfect thing to wear for Mardi Gras 2011!

• Purple, green, and gold colors


• Stand out from the crowd this year with these unique shirts!


• Find thousands more unique Mardi Gras t-shirts to choose from here.


• Another great website featuring one of a kind shirts for Fat Tuesday is Zazzle. Check out the selection of Mardi Gras t-shirts on Zazzle here.


• Scroll down for more shirts available on Amazon and more!

The Fleur de Lis is a stylized French symbol that has been used for ages on coat of arms, flags, and other symbols. It has been associated with the New Orleans Saints football team, and the city of New Orleans itself. The Eastern Texas-Lousiana-Mississippi-Alabama region, particularly the Acadiana region of Louisiana, has a strong French influence due to the large French population that live there. The area was occupied by the French until 1803 when the territory of New Orleans was purchased by the United States of America, along with a vast majority of the Midwest and Great Plains. While the French sold the land, many of the Louisiana occupants stayed after the Louisiana Purchase. This shaped the Acadiana style we know as Cajun, which has influences from France, African Americans, Spanish, and Native American Indian.

The shirt to the right features the famous Fleur de Lis symbol, which is in the three colors of Mardi Gras: purple (which represents justice), green representing faith, and gold representing power. A great way to celebrate this annual event!

As stated before, New Orleans and southern Louisiana was occupied by the French until 1803 when the USA made the Louisiana Purchase. The French left their mark on this region, with strong influences on cuisine, architecture, and culture. While the area was passed from French control to the Spanish, back to the French, and to America, the French influence on New Orleans is still very evident.

Mardi Gras is all about tradition, but the funny thing is that it evolved in a non-traditional way. What started as a feast and celebration to indulge the night before Lent (or Lentin) begins has turned into a massive, over the top, sinful celebration that is sometimes anything but holy. Here are the top five traditions that go on during celebrations, and how you can partake in them as well!

1. Eating King Cake. This delicious pastry is decadent, humongous, and colorful. It's decorated with the traditional colors of the event - gold, purple, and green. It is sold in bakeries and cafes in New Orleans and anywhere else that celebrates Mardi Gras. You can order them online as well and have them shipped to your home, or you can be really adventurous and try to make one of these babies yourself!


2. Attending Parades. Parades are the biggest part of the celebration. Huge, elaborate floats are designed for the occasion, with dancers, performers, and a few oddballs thrown in. It's a great time, and an experience you'll never forget. Don't forget your masquerade mask!


3. Fatty Feast. Food can be found everywhere in the French Quarter and throughout the city by street vendors and restaurants specializing in offering unique food just for the celebration. Be sure to take advantage and get this food while you can, because it only comes once a year!


4. The night time celebrations. You've probably seen the videos of people standing on hotel balconies trying to get girls to show their ta-tas for some cheap beads. Does getting more beads mean that you're prettier and overall just more attractive of a mate than people with less beads? No, it's just a way for people to let loose! If you're not into this sort of thing, stay away from the night celebrations - they certainly aren't kid friendly!


5. Drinking. This has completely nothing to do with what Mardi Gras means (nor do the baring of breasts), but it has become part of the experience. Getting drunk, hooking up, and partying are arguably the main activities for the event. Is that a good or bad thing? Well, it's certainly boosted tourism over the years, so it can't be that bad for the city of New Orleans -- and they definitely are in need of the cash since Hurricane Katrina.

All in all, do yourself the favor if you haven't been to New Orleans and book yourself a trip sometime in this lifetime to partake in the events. Not only is it a great time, but it's a great story that you can share with friends and will create lasting memories.

The King Mardi Gras Party Theme Please View Notes by MardiGrasLouisiana

Mask, beads, and fun colors for the day's events.

Funny on a woman, but you know what? Even funnier on a man!

Just showin' some love for Nawlins. A seriously great shirt that's wearable beyond Mardi Gras.

If you're looking to up your bad ass factor, then go with this skull themed jester long sleeve shirt. One of the coolest Mardi Gras tees anyone's ever seen.