Behind the Design: Skeleton Squad
by Khrystina Cook, 2 min reading time
A peek behind the curtain at how the Skeleton Squad designs come together, from a one-line joke to a finished print on the heat press.
Behind the Design: The Story Behind Our Skeleton Squad
October 15, 2026
Every October, the skeleton designs are some of the most requested pieces in the shop — and I get asked a lot why they resonate so much. So here's a peek behind the curtain at how designs like Tired Mom Squad and Doing Dad Shit actually come together, from a rough idea to a finished print.
Where the Idea Actually Starts
Most of these designs start as a one-line joke, usually something that's happened in my own house or in a group chat with other moms. "Tired Mom Squad" came from exactly that kind of moment — three friends, three coffees, all of us running on empty but still showing up for each other. Once a phrase makes me laugh out loud, that's usually the sign it's worth turning into a design.
Why Skeletons, Specifically
There's something about a skeleton illustration that makes a joke land softer and funnier at the same time — it's silly, it's a little irreverent, and it doesn't take itself too seriously, which fits the humor side of this brand perfectly. It also just works visually for fall: bold, graphic, and instantly recognizable as a Halloween-season piece without needing pumpkins or cobwebs to say it.
From Sketch to Print
Once a concept is locked in, it goes through color testing across all four garment types, since a design that pops on a light tee needs a completely different color story on a dark crewneck. Then it's SEO copy, mockups, and finally the heat press — the same table where basically every design in this shop has come to life, usually with a cup of coffee going cold next to it and Ink underfoot the whole time.
Why This Matters to Me
Every design that resonates the way the skeleton squad has this year is a genuine reminder of why I started this business — not just to sell shirts, but to make something that makes someone feel seen, or at least gives them a laugh on a day that needed one. That's the whole goal, every single time.
Shop the Skeleton Squad and the rest of the fall and Halloween collection at khryssyllc.com.
