Shore Lines Apparel Co. is Kevin and Kaylee Massey, two Eastern Shore natives who turned a shared frustration into a brand.

Kevin grew up on a family farm here in Princess Anne, MD. He then served in the military, particularly the Air Force before transferring to the brand new Space Force for a total of seven years. Kaylee was raised around Salisbury, MD. She went to school to focus on a teaching career, but later moved with Kevin during military relocations. She found herself diving into marketing, finance and business after becoming a successful client financial services specialist. We met in high school and have been inseparable since.

We started the brand in 2021 because we couldn’t find apparel that truly captured what it means to live on the Delmarva peninsula. Gift shops had generic beach stuff or copy-paste state pride merch, online sellers pushed mass-produced junk, and nothing felt actually local, or connected with the lifestyle, or even built to last at all. So we decided to make it ourselves.

The goal was straightforward: create premium clothing with designs that locals recognize instantly and outsiders might not fully get. Things like the Chesapeake Bay Bridge divide, the quiet pride in being from the “right side” of it, or turning the peninsula itself into a nationwide icon. We wanted pieces that start conversations whether at the marina or at the gas station, made from materials that hold up to salt, mud, and everyday wear that folks put it through while being comfy at the same time.

Everything is veteran-owned and family-run. We handle design, production oversight, supplier coordination for packing, and shipping all from right here. Made-to-order to avoid waste, ethically sourced, and focused on quality over quantity. It’s grown from a side project hobby destined to collect dust, to something that supports our family and connects with people who share the same roots.

At the end of the day, Shore Lines is about celebrating this place we call home. The slow pace, the tight community, the water that shapes everything. It’s not been easy, and at times the back burner has looked attractive. But each order, every comment, customer, review - it’s a nudge to keep going. Thanks for being part of it.

We get asked a lot how our designs come to life at Shore Lines Apparel Co. It starts simple: a common idea that hits locals right in the gut. Something you see every day on the Eastern Shore that makes you think “damn, that’s me” or “I need that on a shirt.” Not the generic gift shop junk or Amazon filler. We’re talking catchy, relatable, funny in that inside-joke way only Delmarva people fully get.

An idea pops in our heads during a drive or a crab feast. It has to feel new but familiar. Once it’s stuck, we start sketching. Rough at first, just capturing the vibe. Then we evolve it into something recognizable, something that clicks instantly.

Take our “Right Side of the Bridge” design. It began with real photos of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. We hand-drew from those using Procreate and Canva, tweaking the lines to make it pop on fabric. Same with “Right Side of the Tunnel” – started from actual tunnel shots, sketched out the essence. We iterate dozens of times because we’re perfectionists. Nothing leaves until it feels right. Then it’s vectorized for clean, sharp prints that last.

Every design follows that path. From raw local spark to polished piece you wear proud. That’s how we keep it authentic and different.

Every shirt we make at Shore Lines Apparel Co. carries a piece of the Eastern Shore with it. It’s not just fabric and ink. It’s the bay air, the crab feasts, the quiet mornings on the water, and the people who keep this place running. We started this brand because we live here, grew up here, and wanted clothing that actually feels like home.

Kevin and I launched Shore Lines back in 2021 as a side thing. He was in the military, I was handling marketing and finance stuff, and we both felt like there was room for apparel that spoke to the real Delmarva life. Watermen heading out at dawn, farmers working the fields, veterans coming back to their roots, teachers shaping the next generation. Those are the stories we draw from. Hyper-local designs that nod to area codes, crab pots, marshes, and that unspoken pride in being from the right side of the bridge.

Take our “Right Side of the Bridge” tee. It’s simple on the surface, but locals get it right away. That Chesapeake Bay Bridge divide means something around here. One side hustle and crowds, the other calm waters and real community. Wearing it starts conversations at the dock or the gas station. Same with “Shuckin’ A!” or the camo “Local” pieces. They remind you of steamed crabs on newspaper, hunting blinds at sunrise, or just knowing every back road.

We keep things premium because this place deserves it. Buttery-soft ring-spun cotton blends that feel good all day, pre-shrunk so they fit right after washes, high-strength stitching that holds up to salt and mud. Designs printed sharp and durable, no cracking or fading. Everything ethically produced, veteran family owned, and made to order so nothing goes to waste.

At the end of the day, our apparel isn’t about logos or trends. It’s about wearing a story you’re part of. The Eastern Shore shapes us, and we try to give a little back through community support and local focus. If you’ve got one of our pieces on, you’re carrying that with you. Thanks for being part of it.