FAQ

What is a mule? I know about donkeys. Are they kind of like them?

A mule is a cross between a mare (a female horse) and a jack (a male donkey). Mules, being a hybrid, are sterile. Lana is a molly (a female mule). A john is a male mule. The only way to get another mule is to breed a female horse to a male donkey. Because a mule is a combination of the two animals they have their own way of being. Many people think mules are stubborn but the truth is they are smart and they aren’t going to do something if it doesn’t make sense to them or it appears unsafe.

Why would you want to mix them up like that? Couldn’t you just get either a donkey or a horse—or one of each?

Well, you certainly could get one of each but a mule gives you the best of both animals and then some. From her sire the donkey Lana got her intelligence, sure-footedness, and toughness. From her horse mom she inherited speed, conformation, and agility. When you combine all of these traits with the mule’s affectionate nature and sense of humor you end up with a fantastic partner that will always make you smile.

If your shirts are made in America, why do you use Japanese cotton?

At one time in the US, cotton was a major industry. Although today this country produces about twelve percent of the world’s cotton much of that is used for non-apparel products or is mixed with synthetics for garment-weight fabric. The majority of cotton currently used in the American apparel industry is imported—much of it from China. Japanese companies, however, make the finest mid-range garment-weight cotton fabrics available. Beyond that, their prints are beautiful, thoughtful, whimsical and slightly east (if you’ll pardon the pun) of the typical Western aesthetic. We love the look, the feel and the quality of these cottons and we think you will too. (Even our gingham, a quintessentially American fabric, is Japanese.) It surprises us not in the least that at times the fabric in our shirts has been mistaken for silk.

I love your shirts! What else do you make?

Currently we make only this shirt. We believe in refining to perfection—and we believe we are very close to that here. The refined fit, the perfect fabric, the angle of a collar, just the right snaps, a little surprise on the binding around the arm, our gorgeous label (woven on a vintage loom) . . . This is a case where details matter—and make all the difference. Until we find another garment in need of rescue, this shirt will be the focus of Two Girls and a Mule. We have a feeling that once you own one, you will want another and another and maybe another. We are sure that this is a shirt for the ages.

I don’t have a mule. Would I still look good in a Two Girls and a Mule shirt?

Absolutely!