This photo has raised the question by one concerned twitterer, “Is this Irony?”
In response to the question and many of the twitterers who also shared the same concern, yes this is in fact ironic.
For those who are confused on what irony actually is, dictionary.com explains it as, “a manner of organizing a work so as to give full expression to contradictory or complementary impulses, attitudes, etc., especially as a means of indicating detachment from a subject, theme, or emotion.” For those who are still confused, one would suggest to listen to Alanis Morrisette’s song, Ironic, however her song really doesn’t have any irony in it- is that ironic? Again, yes.
Back to the photo at question. By Willow Smith wearing a t-shirt that says, “Fresh” on it, @seancamore would be correct when he states that the word, “Fresh” is in fact misused and overused. Because of its 1980s adoption to be a common and often used slang word of “Cool,” the word within itself has an ironic theme.
There is another ironic theme to this photo, but you’ll have to follow closely to understand it. Willow Smith is wearing a shirt that says, “Fresh” with her father, Will Smith’s face. Will Smith, AKA The Fresh Prince of Bel Aire, was a popular figure for the word Fresh. Fresh in it literal meaning is “new, not previously known, to seek fresh experiences.” So by her wearing a shirt, with the “Fresh Prince of Bel Aire” and a shirt that says, “Fresh” she is not: 1) Displaying something new. Fresh is a word that has it’s own literal meaning and can be traced before the year 900, 2)stating something that is not previously known. It is the year 2011, her father is previously known as the Fresh Prince of Bel Aire and finally 3) One could say that she is not seeking fresh experiences by wearing this shirt, unless someone asks her to Whip her Hair Back and Forth while skydiving because they recognized her dad on the shirt. At least I don’t think she has done that yet.
So you see ladies and gentlement, this shirt is in fact ironic. The real crime here, is Jayden’s pants. The End.
