They’re everywhere.

Who would’ve thought two little x’s for eyes, a squiggly smiley face to finish them off and an all-caps rendering of a band name would unite and inadvertently become the biggest fashion statement of 2014?

Sure, the typically black and yellow T-shirts containing the aforementioned components emerged way before this past year — 1987, to be exact, when Nirvana formed. But it wasn’t until last year (possibly before, one is too traumatized by it all to look these things up) that Urban Outfitters and other hipster-catering clothing brands decided Kurt Cobain, Krist Novoselic and Dave Grohl were the new Louis Vuitton bag.

As preposterous as it sounds to the ears of any ex-brooding teen or early ’90s connoisseur, grunge is “in” now, dipped in flannel shirts, Dr. Martens and Nirvana; 1994 has come full circle (except, of course, in regards to popular music). Teenage girls, fashion bloggers and hip men alike don Nirvana t-shirts. Got a lone black blazer? Finish it off with some distressed jeans, black booties and a Nirvana t-shirt. It’s a neutral; it goes with everything. Don’t worry.

All this leaves music purists and Nirvana fans with one pesky question: Do these people even know who Nirvana is?

Now, maybe we’re not giving them enough credit. I’m sure they know Nirvana was a band with a lead singer that died. Oh, and they sang that one really catchy song, “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” right? Yeah, that was a good one. Really edgy, man. That one was rockin’.

But do they know some of Nirvana’s best work (i.e. “Dive” or “Aneurysm”) wasn’t a product of Nevermind, however glorious it is, but rather 1992’s Incesticide,? Do they know about “In Bloom” or the Biblical imagery of “Heart-Shaped Box”? Do they know Cobain wrote “Something in the Way” about his experiences with homelessness, allegedly living under the bridge on Wishkah River in Washington when he couldn’t find a place to sleep (though Novoselic disputes this)? Moreover, do they intensely dislike Courtney Love?

Probably not. Well, maybe the Courtney Love part.

I like to think this paraphernalia constitutes a “true” fan, one that is worthy, for lack of a better word, of wearing a shirt with a certain band’s name. I personally employ a strict 15-song rule before I slip any sort of music-related attire on my body: If I know at least 15 songs by the artist on the T-shirt, I deserve to wear it. Part of it’s a pride thing, but the other part is some deep irrational fear that I’ll run into another human being like myself who will test me, as I’m testing all Nirvana T-shirt owners with these words.

Knowing all the guts and glory behind your choice aesthetic of the day makes it that much more worth it, at least to me. What angers most Nirvana fans is the “style over substance” mindset many outfitters of the urban variety have adapted — they prefer the frock for its grunge-y chic look rather than the fact that it reminds them of the sunny tune, “Rape Me.” Understandable, but not intellectually desirable.

Nevertheless, it’s exposure — the fashion world has made sure people don’t forget about one of the best things that happened to the music industry in the ’90s, whether that was a conscious move or not. All the Forever 21 models are carrying on Cobain’s memory, as much as that would have nauseated him, perhaps even inspiring people to revisit the justifiably legendary band.

In the meantime, though, I’ve only given you seven songs for your repertoire. Study up before you slip on.