Teen entrepreneurs start clothing line to curb profanity

Damn, damn and triple damn.

Michael Lake and Justin Loria got so tired of hearing the curse word — and far worse ones not suitable for print — they started a line of anti-profanity T-shirts.

LL Clothing Co. sells shirts, hoodies and dog bandannas with the hang loose symbol and the word HUAAA — their made-up acronym for "help us avoid all anger.''

The recent graduates of the Nature Coast Technical High School in Brooksville created the line to clean up potty mouths and avoid middle finger-raising, especially among their peers.

"You get so used to cursing, we're trying to curb it,'' Loria said. "It can get you into trouble. A lot of people take offense to it.''

By wearing the shirts, they hope people will think twice about hurling an obscenity or vulgar gesture and instead shake their fist in a hang loose sign and yell, "Hoo-aahh!''

If it sounds silly, they don't disagree.

But they swear it works. Loria's mother tried it when he ruined her iron making some shirts, and she stayed remarkably calm.

Lake and Loria designed the shirts themselves and sold them to friends until a few months ago when they took the venture online. (See shop.llclothingcompany.com.) They hope to expand into lanyards, sunglasses and bracelets, similar to the hugely popular "What Would Jesus Do'' and "Just Be Nice'' merchandise.

The Spring Hill residents have no aspirations of getting rich from it but wouldn't mind making enough to help with their college expenses. Lake, 19, is studying biology at Florida Gulf Coast University and wants to become an anesthesiologist. Loria, 18, attends the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City and aspires to work in drug enforcement.

They credit HUAAA for keeping them in good graces at school and calm behind the wheel. At the very least, it makes them laugh.

"When you're agitated and think about HUAAA,'' Lake said, "you can't be mad at anything anymore.''