Expectations, steroid-enhanced by the conspirators at jeweler’s, greeting card profiteers and the makers of those heart-shaped boxes. In my humble opinion, that’s what kills Valentine’s Day, a holiday that possibly originated in an instance of Christian martyrdom (historical sources failing to mention romance in these tales). Still, it’s probably a worse idea to ignore the holiday’s existence, especially if you’re in a relationship – and Valentine’s Day often gives the pining a convenient kick in the pants to get on it and confess their feelings.

This spotlight product comes from bang! bang! flip graphic t-shirts, which acknowledges – really wholeheartedly – embraces the spirit of Valentine’s Day, love and affection, all the while adding an interesting twist. This online t-shirt purveyor has come out with its first Valentine’s Day series, “Valentine Divine,” which features six different designs in a number of shirt colors and styles.

The brainchild behind the collection, Denise Goins, cites urbanism, social awareness, vintage retro and modern farce as its unconventional inspirational sources. The title of each shirt design (among them “modern love” and “without you, valentine”) hint to the underlying sentiment.

The t-shirt design pictured at the right is called “graffiti love one.” As Goins tells, the design “is inspired by the diverse graffiti spotted on the streets of New York City” as well as paint-flinging artist Jackson Pollack.

Now, to get down to the nitty-gritty stats. If you’re getting the short sleeve women’s “graffiti love one,” know that:

• Brand: Gildan
• Relaxed fit with a narrow neck rib, tailored sleeves and a cut designed to fit on a woman
• Ideal for most body types
• The fabric of our lives: 100 percent pre-shrunk cotton (deep heather is 50 percent/50 percent polyester)
• Available in sizes S through XXL

For the women’s jersey long sleeve t-shirt:

• Brand: Bella
• Custom contour fit
• Ultra-soft: 100 percent pre-shrunk cotton
• Wearable for all seasons, ideal for layering
• Available in sizes S through XXL

The best part about the tee is that while it’s cute and appropriate for V-day, you can really wear it throughout the year. The heart motif, after all, isn’t just for lovers. Short sleeve t-shirt, bomber jacket unzipped to display the eye-catching paint-splattered heart, and a pair of dark skinny jeans – that’s my ideal weekend outfit.

You can wear the shirt, too! The awesome bang! bang! flip graphic t-shirts has offered to give away a t-shirt to a lucky Pocket Change reader. Keep your eyes peeled in the meanwhile for details.

-Kim