# SLAB — Voice & Tone

Blunt · Concrete · Defiant · Sparse · Grounded

## Personality

- **Funny ↔ Serious:** leans serious (+1) — SLAB can be dry, but it should not be jokey; the clothes need weight and threat, not punchlines.
- **Formal ↔ Casual:** casual (+2) — The brand is deliberately un-corporate and should sound like street-level speech, not retail copy.
- **Respectful ↔ Irreverent:** leans irreverent (+1) — SLAB rejects polish and permission-seeking, but should aim its irreverence at fashion clichés—not customers.
- **Enthusiastic ↔ Matter-of-fact:** matter-of-fact (+2) — Urgency comes from facts, scarcity, and confidence, not exclamation points or hype.

## Traits

- **Blunt** — Short, direct, no cushioning. SLAB says what it means and leaves the polish marks off.
  - Why: The brand is built for the street, not a boardroom. A blunt voice makes the clothes feel physical, immediate, and uncompromised.
  - e.g. "Heavy cotton. Box fit. No apology."
- **Concrete** — Talks in materials, cuts, weight, color, wear, and movement instead of vague lifestyle promises.
  - Why: Streetwear earns trust through the garment. SLAB should sound like it knows the cloth, the block, and the way the piece hits in real life.
  - e.g. "Washed black fleece. Dropped shoulder. Built to take the week."
- **Defiant** — Anti-corporate without trying too hard. The voice resists clean-brand clichés, premium puffery, and permission-seeking language.
  - Why: SLAB’s identity is deliberately un-corporate; the tone should feel like it came from the street, not a campaign deck.
  - e.g. "Not made for approval. Made to be worn hard."
- **Sparse** — Minimal wording with maximum impact. Every line should feel cut down to its hardest shape.
  - Why: High-impact streetwear needs negative space. The voice should hit like a stamp, tag, label, or back print.
  - e.g. "Drop 03. No restock."
- **Grounded** — Confident, but never fake-mystical or overhyped. SLAB lets the product carry the weight.
  - Why: The street can spot empty hype fast. A grounded voice keeps SLAB credible and wearable.
  - e.g. "Built thick. Wears better dirty."

## Tone by context

- **Product pages:** Lead with the hit: silhouette, fabric, fit, color, and use. Keep copy tight. Avoid lifestyle filler and luxury language. Example: “400 GSM hoodie. Cropped body. Washed asphalt.”
- **Drop announcements:** Make it urgent but not desperate. Use exact dates, times, quantities, and finality. Example: “Friday. 12 PM. Drop 04 goes live. When it’s gone, it’s gone.”
- **Onboarding / email signup:** Invite without begging. Position the list as access, not a friendship club. Example: “Get the drop first. No spam. No soft talk.”
- **Cart and checkout:** Stay clear and functional. Don’t over-style critical steps. Keep the SLAB edge in microcopy only where it does not block comprehension. Example: “Bag locked. Check your size, then move.”
- **Errors and out-of-stock states:** Be blunt, useful, and calm. Don’t joke when someone is frustrated. Example: “Sold out. Join the list if it comes back.”
- **Success states:** Confirm the action with quiet confidence. Avoid gushing. Example: “Order in. We’ll send tracking when it moves.”
- **Social captions:** Write like a mark on concrete: compressed, visual, and direct. Fragments are allowed. Example: “Night wash. Wide leg. Street level.”
- **Customer support:** Drop the attitude if someone needs help. Be human, direct, and accountable. Example: “We’ve got it. Send your order number and we’ll check it.”
- **Marketing campaigns:** Use hard visual language and restraint. Let the product and imagery do most of the work. Avoid over-explaining the brand philosophy. Example: “New weight. Same pressure.”

## Messaging

**Audience:** Streetwear buyers who want hard silhouettes, limited drops, and clothes that feel built for pavement, late nights, transit, heat, rain, and real wear—not polished fashion theater.
**Value:** SLAB makes blunt, high-impact streetwear built to hit hard and wear harder.

- **Built for the street** — Garments should feel physical, useful, and ready for real movement. Talk about weight, fit, fabric, and wear.
- **No corporate polish** — The brand rejects soft lifestyle language, fake inclusivity slogans, and boardroom-safe fashion copy.
- **Limited by design** — Drops are tight, intentional, and final. Scarcity should feel factual, not manipulative.
- **Impact over ornament** — Every piece and every line of copy should land fast. Strong silhouettes. Hard visuals. Few words.

## Lexicon

**Use:** `drop`, `built`, `heavy`, `washed`, `raw`, `street-level`, `no restock`, `cut`, `fit`, `weight`, `uniform`, `hardwearing`, `asphalt`, `concrete`, `blackout`, `oversized`, `box fit`, `wide leg`, `garment-dyed`, `limited run`, `moves`, `wear it hard`, `goes live`, `locked`, `sold out`, `in the bag`
**Avoid:** `elevated essentials`, `curated`, `timeless luxury`, `premium lifestyle`, `community-driven experience`, `crafted for the modern individual`, `effortlessly stylish`, `must-have`, `exclusive opportunity`, `journey`, `unlock your style`, `designed to empower`, `fashion-forward`, `sleek sophistication`, `limited-edition capsule collection`, `shop the look`, `treat yourself`, `we’re thrilled to announce`, `dear valued customer`, `join the family`

## Mechanics

- **Capitalization:** Sentence case for UI and body copy. All caps only for short stamps, labels, product tags, or campaign hits under 5 words.
- **Contractions:** yes
- **Emoji:** Never in core brand, product, checkout, or support copy. Rarely acceptable in social replies only if the audience uses them first.
- **Reading level:** Grade 6–8. Short sentences. Fragments allowed. No corporate jargon.

## Boilerplate

- **Short:** SLAB is streetwear built blunt: heavy cuts, hard graphics, no corporate gloss.
- **Medium:** SLAB is a streetwear label built for the street—blunt, heavy, and deliberately un-corporate. The brand makes limited-run pieces with hard silhouettes, raw visual language, and no soft sell. Every drop is cut to hit fast and wear harder.
- **Long:** SLAB is a streetwear label with a blunt, high-impact identity built for the street. Its pieces are made around weight, cut, movement, and presence: oversized shapes, hard graphics, washed textures, and limited drops that don’t beg for attention. SLAB rejects corporate polish, luxury filler, and clean-brand clichés. The result is streetwear that feels physical and direct—made to take the pavement, the night, the weather, and whatever comes with it.

## Voice in action

**Homepage hero**

| Surface | ✅ We say | ❌ We don't say | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| empty-state | Heavy cuts. Hard graphics. No gloss. | Discover elevated streetwear essentials designed for everyday expression. | The on-voice version is compressed, physical, and anti-corporate. The off-voice version sounds like a generic fashion brand. |

**Product description**

| Surface | ✅ We say | ❌ We don't say | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| primary-cta | 400 GSM fleece. Box fit. Dropped shoulder. Washed black. Built thick for cold nights and long wear. | This premium hoodie combines comfort and style with a relaxed fit, making it a versatile addition to your wardrobe. | SLAB names the build and attitude. The alternative is plausible, but too soft and department-store generic. |

**Email subject line**

| Surface | ✅ We say | ❌ We don't say | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| error | Drop 04 lands Friday. | We’re excited to introduce our latest collection. | The SLAB line is direct and timestamped. The alternative uses corporate announcement language. |

**Out-of-stock message**

| Surface | ✅ We say | ❌ We don't say | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| success | Gone. Join the list if it comes back. | Sorry, this item is currently unavailable. Please check back soon for updates. | The SLAB version is blunt but useful. The alternative is clear, but too default and passive. |

**Cart confirmation**

| Surface | ✅ We say | ❌ We don't say | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| onboarding-welcome | In the bag. Check your size before you move. | Great choice! Your item has been added to your shopping cart. | The on-voice version keeps a street-level edge while still helping. The off-voice version sounds like standard ecommerce. |

**Checkout success**

| Surface | ✅ We say | ❌ We don't say | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| success | Order in. Tracking hits your inbox when it moves. | Thank you for your purchase! We appreciate your support and will send shipping information soon. | SLAB stays calm and direct. The alternative is polite but too warm and conventional. |

**SMS drop alert**

| Surface | ✅ We say | ❌ We don't say | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| primary-cta | SLAB: New cargos live now. Black and slate. Limited run. | Our new cargo pants are here! Shop now before they sell out. | The SLAB version gives facts and pressure without hype. The alternative leans on familiar promo phrasing. |

**Instagram caption**

| Surface | ✅ We say | ❌ We don't say | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| success | Asphalt wash. Wide leg. Built low. | A fresh take on contemporary streetwear for your everyday rotation. | The on-voice caption is visual and hard. The alternative sounds like a caption any streetwear label could use. |

**Size guide intro**

| Surface | ✅ We say | ❌ We don't say | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| onboarding-welcome | Fits big by design. Size down if you want less weight on the frame. | Our garments feature an oversized fit. Please refer to the measurements below to find your perfect size. | SLAB explains fit in plain, tactile language. The alternative is serviceable but too polished. |

**Returns policy**

| Surface | ✅ We say | ❌ We don't say | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| error | Wrong size? Send it back unworn within 14 days. Tags on. No stains. No smoke. | If you are not fully satisfied with your purchase, you may initiate a return in accordance with our return policy. | The SLAB version is strict, clear, and human. The alternative is legalistic and distant. |
