A Brief History of The Mighty T-Shirt
We all love t-shirts, they are easily one of the most popular pieces of clothing on Earth with millions being made, sold and worn by style conscious individuals every single day. But where did one of our favorite wardrobe staples come from?
In the early 19th century a popular undergarment called Long Johns (a garment which consisted of two pieces of long underwear), began to transform when people started to experiment with fabrics and styles which resulted in a buttonless undershirt that you could pull over your head.
In 1913 the US Navy began issuing these buttonless undershirt to be worn under uniforms. The garment soon became popular among workers in a variety of fields nationwide, including farm hands and factory workers. The undershirt was cheap, comfortable and had a great fit. However, technically it was still seen as an undergarment.
The t-shirt, first so named by F. Scott Fitzgerald in a novel published in 1920, began its acceptance into mainstream at the end of WWII, when the returning soldiers began to incorporate them into their everyday wardrobe. Its popularity soured to even greater heights when Marlon Brando and James Dean wore them in movies. Sales throughout the united states soured and it became acceptable to wear a t-shirt as outerwear.
Around the mid-40s, women began to wear t-shirts. Initially as a safe clothing option at work and then for practical use at home for chores or in gym class. Then during the ’50s and ’60s, women began adopting the t-shirt as we know it today.
In the late 1960's, the T-shirt became a means of self-expression. Some of the more notable shirt designs over the decades include the yellow happy face t-shirts, The Rolling Stones' "tongue and lips" and "I ♥ N Y”.
Th t-shirt soon evolved again with many variations of cuts and styles. Including: crew neck, tanks, spaghetti strap, v neck, polo, and many more.
So, there you have it. A brief history of the mighty t-shirt, from creation to its explosion into one of the most popular items of clothing in the world. One of the best things about a t-shirt is that it can be styled to compliment any look. Let your creative juices fly! Add a stylish t-shirt to your favorite outfit.