The t-shirt, one of the fashion staples nowadays, has been present in the market for over a century now. It has gone through a rich evolution, which started off as an uninteresting idea and eventually became a showstopper. Tees have defined some great cultural and iconic moments throughout the history.
In order to get a grasp of the real value of tees, here’s a rundown of the legendary moments in the t-shirt history:
1. 1913: The Introduction
To start things off, let’s trace its roots way back in 1913 when the US Navy provided each soldier a set of white tees to be used as underclothing. Soldiers often worked in hot and closed quarters, and tees had made it possible for them to work comfortably. Though it was never intended to be a fashion statement, it has nonetheless shown a potential to become one. The dawn of tees has come, and the fad is here to stay.
2. 1920s: The Dictionary
After almost a decade, the word ‘t-shirt’ officially became a part of the dictionaries. It was the Merriam-Webster dictionary who made an effort in making the word included in the English language. This is the just the 1920s that we’re talking about; there is still a long road ahead of this fashion staple.
3. 1930s: The Entry to the Fashion World
For about another decade, the t-shirt has been gradually making its way to the fashion industry. In 1938, the t-shirt had been officially included in the catalog of Sears. With their slogan, “It’s an undershirt. It’s an outer shirt,” they’re proclaiming that this piece of apparel is not only meant to be worn as an undergarment. Initially, tees were priced 24 centavos per piece. However, even with an affordable price, the t-shirt still hasn’t reached its full potential.
4. 1940s: Tees have Taken the World by Storm
In the 1940s, t-shirts had rapidly become a basic uniform for industrial and general workers. From miners and farmers to mechanics, everyone deemed shirts to be a comfortable piece of clothing. As compared to jeans, tees had posed practicality and aesthetic. It’s a no-brainer that the t-shirts could actually rule the fashion industry.
5. 1950s: The Hollywood Debut
The t-shirt mania has begun in the 1950s. Marlon Brando of the movie “A Streetcar Named Desire” wore a classic tee, promoting his manliness with the hunky fit. The premier increased his fame, ticket sales, as well as the t-shirt fad. During and after the movie, sales for this apparel piece reached 180 million dollars. The key was the right marketing campaign.
6. 1950s: Printed Tees
1950s was the time for innovations to be put to life. This was four decades after the introduction of tees. Tropix Togs obtained clearances and permissions from Disney to print sketches and pictures of their iconic characters on shirts. This was the birth of printed shirts and a new kind of advertising as well. Their shirts were considered as one of the first custom t-shirts ever made.
Nowadays, t-shirts are not t-shirts without some print on it. Whether it is a logo or a famous line or quote, the iconic fabric has to feature something on it.
7. 1960s: Rocking the World with Rock n Roll
With the genre ‘Rock n Roll’ taking over the world during the ‘60s, the t-shirt industry was also significantly affected. Tees featuring logos and photos of rock bands were everywhere. The renowned band Rolling Stones had become even more popular with the help of their trademark ‘lick’ that was printed on t-shirts.
8. 1960s: The Colorful Tie-Dye
During this period, hippie movements were making great impacts on the shirt industry. As part of their colorful trademark, they came up with tie-dye shirts. These shirts feature various colors with unique patterns. Don Price came up with the idea of transforming a plain t-shirt into a distinct psychedelic art. It was during the Woodstock festival that these custom t-shirts made their mark in the fashion industry.
9. 1970s: I Love NY Tees
It was originally a campaign for the fame of ‘The Big Apple’ when the popular ‘I <3 NY’ shirts were created. Milton Glaser is the brain behind this global design, and until now, it is still widely used.
10. 1990s: The Grunge Design
The front man of Nirvana, Kurt Cobain, was one of the most popular music icons who have immensely affected the fashion world. The grunge movement paved way for the creation of grunge tees, which are still popular all over the world until today.
11. 21st Century: Modern Take on T-Shirts
The advancement of technology has also made some significant impact on the t-shirt industry. Every design of t-shirt present today is the representation of the current innovations and ideas of mankind.
T-shirts, from plain working apparel to custom t-shirts, have a rich history. And with people’s creativity and modern inventions, they still have a long future ahead.
By - Craig Landes