One of the most popular pieces of clothing the world over, the T-shirt can be found in almost everyone’s wardrobe, no matter the age or gender. This simple piece of apparel, aptly named for its ‘T’ shape, offers versatility and comfort that goes beyond fashion and necessity, rising to cultural icon status throughout its short history.
Have you ever wondered how T-shirts (aka tee-shirts) came to be? Let’s take a brief look at the history of T-shirts, from their origins to the modern-day.
Origins Of The T-Shirt
Like most items of clothing present in today’s fashion industry, T-shirts were born out of a desire for greater comfort and convenience, with just a touch of military might to push development into the mainstream. Having evolved from the original button-up onesie-style undergarments of the 19th Century, the separate T-shirt/underpants (dividing the onesie into two) notion first took off with its official introduction to the uniform for the United States Navy in 1913. These original military t-shirts were white and made from cotton, in a basic ‘T’ shaped style with rounded necks and short cropped sleeves.
While T-shirts of this time were becoming more common, they were still widely considered ‘underwear’ and worn mostly by sailors and marines underneath the outer uniform for comfort and convenience in warmer temperatures. Widely praised for their versatility when working in hotter temperatures, T-shirts meant the wearer could remove outer more heavy uniform or clothing and carry out their work in a T-shirt while remaining (conservatively) covered up.
T-Shirts And Mass Manufacturing
Mass production of the T-shirt as ‘outerwear’ was brought about by the company Fruit of the Loom, which began marketing T-shirts on a larger scale throughout the early 1900s. Mass production meant the T-shirt was easily accessible, able to be fitted to a wide range of people and relatively inexpensive to produce – perfect for distributing to the masses!
In 1920 the term “T-shirt” was made official by being added to the English dictionary, thanks to author F. Scott Fitzgerald who was the first to use the abbreviated word in his novel ‘This Side of Paradise’. Over the years, T-shirts have also been commonly called tee shirts or tees.
By the 1930s and 40s, T-shirts as outerwear began to gain traction and following American retailer Sears’s iconic ad campaign reassuring the public that T-shirts were acceptable as both under and outerwear, the humble T-shirt’s journey to becoming the wardrobe staple it is today was well and truly underway.
The Celebrity Effect – T-Shirts As A Fashion Choice
The T-shirt underwent significant design alterations during its evolution, including being manufactured from various materials such as flannel and wool into more malleable lightweight fabrics such as cotton and jersey, allowing for more form-fitted shapes and additional design elements. It was this extended range of fabrics that led to a broader range of styles and wider range of wearers.
When worn by Marlon Brando in the movie ‘The Wild One’ in 1953 and again by James Dean in the 1955 film ‘Rebel Without A Cause’, the T-shirt became symbolic of rebellion and the epitome of “being cool”, officially cementing its role as a garment that could be worn as a fashion statement rather than just out of necessity.
The Advent Of Printed T-Shirts
Following the transition from under to outwear and the advent of mass production, the T-shirt of the 70s and 80s was discovered to provide something of a blank canvas for print advertising. This type of promotional material was seen as useful for a number of industries, including politics, advertising, entertainment, sporting and fashion. At this point in time, T-shirts were easily manufactured in bulk and printing designs onto them was fairly inexpensive and highly customisable, which meant printed T-shirts as a branding and promotional tool took off!
The emergence of printed T-shirts also gave rise to a new means of personal self-expression. Through the use of various art, designs and slogans, T-shirts were something of a walking fashion statement for everyone from children to adults, teams to organisations and everywhere from home to the workplace. The 90s saw the T-shirt become a standard addition to every wardrobe, designers such as Chanel, Calvin Klein, Lacoste, and Polo Ralph Lauren even jumped on board, producing their own high-fashion versions.
T-shirts of the 2000s were more trendy and fashionable than ever, a wide range of colours, styles and printed designs were available for all ages and genders thanks to advances in printing technologies and manufacturing techniques. As a result, custom-printed T-shirts became a widely used marketing and branding tool, as well as cementing themselves as indispensable within social and community organisations such as schools and sports teams, as well as influential industries such as musicians, entertainers and many more!
T-Shirts Of Today
Having been a time of increased personal expression and freedom of choice, the T-shirts of the 2020s are worn for work and play and everything in between to depict individual style, as a statement fashion piece, or just for comfort and convenience. You will find current versions in cropped, mid-length or long-line designs, loose or fitted, and with extra styling such as drop shoulder, tie front, collars, or long sleeves, all with a seemingly unlimited range of graphic prints and colours.
Across its history from underwear to a wardrobe staple, the humble T-shirt has evolved into a flexible tool for self-expression and promotion. Companies found t-shirts to be a powerful tool for sales and branding, while individuals discovered a never before seen form of individualism. A fashion staple of global culture today, it is clear the T-shirt will always have a home in wardrobes around the world!
Thinking about T-shirts for your employees, organisation, workmates or team? Big Branding Australia have the tee for you. Screen printing and embroidery are available for greater customisation, plus we can even help with logo design and creating your visual identity – get in touch today to discuss your brand management options and arrange a free quote.
