You are quite familiar with these cool, comfy, and wear-as-you-go apparel that occupy a large area of your wardrobe. Have you ever pondered about how these trendy apparels became so popular? Well, nobody cares. But if you delve into the fascinating history of t-shirts, you will find another motive for buying these t-shirts next time when you visit a store. That is unless you live in some distant land where t-shirts have still not made their way in. Let's travel back in time.
How The 'T' Came Into Being?
The US Navy first introduced this comfortable attire during the Spanish American War. They distributed the short-sleeved and crew-necked t-shirts among American soldiers, who wore them as vests. These shirts became popular because of the lighter and softer linen. However, the US Army soon adopted the shirt, and they rationed these t-shirts among the recruits.
In 1920, Merriam-Webster's Dictionary included the term 'T-shirt.' That was just the dawn of a revolution in the US and world fashion scene! The unique shape of the shirt soon led to the coinage of a new term, 't-shirt.' Soon after, dockyard workers, peasants, miners, and blue-collar workers from other industries started using these shirts, and the new name almost got public approval.
1942 - First T-Shirt With Words On It Was Born
The first printed t-shirts hit the US stores back in 1942. Designed to promote a 1939 Hollywood movie named Wizard of OZ. Mickey Mouse t-shirts became extremely popular a few years later, and Sam Kantor, the man who formed the company Tropix Togs, is widely credited for this.
However, another group believes that the first printed t-shirts were designed and brought to the US consumers by Air Corps Gunner School (a design published on the cover of a 1942 issue of the LIFE magazine).
Marlon Brando - The Hollywood Legend Who Made T-Shirts Even More Popular
Like many other products of this time that he endorsed, Marlon Brando, the Hollywood legend and fashion icon of the 1950s, made t-shirts even more popular by wearing a tee in the all-time classic, A Streetcar Named Desire.
By the late 1960s, t-shirts were all in. These apparel became synonymous with self-expression and were soon included in the fashion mainstream. As pop culture began to set in, t-shirts gained even more popularity. In those days, when the likes of Elvis Presley were becoming the heartthrobs of young women, t-shirts were a massive hit across all 50 states in America and beyond US borders as well. Banking on the popularity of the singer, numerous companies bought licenses to print Elvis Presley t-shirts worldwide.
T-Shirts Through The Decades
What merely seemed a tidal wave in the '60s took the form of a Tsunami in the following decades. T-shirts became all the rage in the 1960s. These shirts became powerful tools for advertising, branding, political campaigns, movements and became outrageously popular among American youth. Soon, the market became fiercely competitive, and new players started to foray into the market segment. In the 1970s, heat transfer printing technology made it easier for fashion designers to design movie-inspired fanboy shirts.
If you were alive during the 1970s, you could fondly recall graphic t-shirts with names of popular movies such as Jaws and Star Wars printed on them. The evolution of modern T-shirts can be traced back to the 1990s when they became a high fashion item. Chanel rolled out its 1992 collection, which had distinctive design features such as a ribbed knit top with a pair of Chanel's logos on its front. Sharon Stone sported a Gap t-shirt at the 1996 Academy Award ceremony.
Brands such as Hanes, Jockey, and Fruit of the Loom started rolling out innovative designs every year. That is how t-shirts became a fashion staple in American society and culture. This is how the mass t-shirt printing business gradually turned into a fashion business. From crew necks to V-necks, t-shirts have come a long way. The patterns have changed, the designs have evolved, and the new-generation t-shirts have taken flight.
In the 2000s, T-shirts became even more sought-after than ever before. As it seems from here, t-shirts are here to stay for decades. If you want to dress up like Macaulay Culkin or Ryan Gosling, you can explore thousands of designs and patterns available online.