I pose for the clothes, make a song like wild
I’m a chip off the board game, got sword game
Live life to the fullest, still want more fame
Darts on layaway, beats on standby
Outfits pressed up, ready for airtime

Wu-Tang Clan, “Protect Your Neck”

What do the Wu-Tang and Hugh & Crye have in common? Darts are integral to both their oeuvres.

For Shaolin’s finest, darts are an extended metaphor for lyrics, used in over 40 songs by the RZA, the GZA, Ghostface Killer, Raekwon, Method Man, the Old Dirty Bastard, Inspectah Deck, U-God, Masta Killa and affiliated artists.

For Hugh & Crye, darts refer to the two vertical seams stitched into the back of every shirt to provide the best possible fit.  The fabric covering the back is by far the largest piece on any dress shirt.  It’s simply impossible to keep from billowing outward without folding over some fabric on the left and right side of the spine.  What previously ballooned away from the body now hews closely to the wearer’s back, for a much slimmer, more tailored look.  Darts are exceedingly uncommon on off-the-rack shirts, and with reason: it costs extra to sew them.  But for a properly fitted shirt, they’re essential.

Like the Wu’s darts, H&C’s can be purchased (as a standard feature, naturally), but not on layaway.