Aug
09What Would Fashion Be Without The Essential T-Shirt?
Tagged Under : clothing, fashion, shopping, T Shirts
Undoubtedly, the music industry has had a profound effect on the emerging fashion trends of 2010. The surge of new rave and indie rock bands have made their mark on the design and fashion of t shirts, with numerous effects. In fact, it is hard to believe t shirts were once only sold as a plain white shirt. Now, men’s tops and t shirt come in a variety of vibrant colors and creative designs.
Europeans were the first to use t shirts as we know them today. They were first seen there in the 1800s but did not become popular until around 1900. The shirts were originally made of a soft, Egyptian cotton. Their popularity did not spread across the ocean to America until after World War I. During that war, U.S. soldiers noticed that their European counterparts were not wearing the heavy, scratchy wool undershirts that they wore but were instead sporting the soft, white cotton shirts under their uniforms.
It was in World War II that the t shirt gained iconic status for servicemen in the U.S. Army and Navy. Soldiers stationed in hot climates began wearing the tee without any other shirt or jacket on top – even though the white tee was still officially considered underwear. At that point the modern concept of the t shirt was born, and the public constantly saw photographs of soldiers sporting their cool tees. In time, the fashion spread throughout the American culture.
The popularity of the basic white t shirt continued to grow through the influence of Hollywood. Stars like James Dean, John Wayne, and Marlon Brando appeared on the screen wearing these shirts, and men copied their style. We cannot imagine the 60s without tie-dyed t shirts. Screen printing became popular during that decade also, as were Ringer T-Shirts. During the 70s, the rock concert industry popularized the black t shirt, promoting bands and musicians of every type. Many young men had a closet full of these shirts, and they would often become a wardrobe staple.
T shirt creativity did not stop there. The last two decades of the twentieth century saw the emergence of slogan t shirts. Slogans like “I’m with stupid” or “Frankie says Relax” were pervasive on t shirts, the latter of which also received inspiration from a musical band – Frankie Goes to Hollywood. Slogan tees became so pervasive, however, that trend setters began “personal branding” for t shirts. During the first decade of the twenty first century, this fashion statement took off with amazing success.
Currently, the world of t shirt design is more thriving than ever. With both the traditional fashion designers producing eye-catching and memorable t shirt designs and the t shirt websites that help people make their own tees, brightly colored and boldly patterned t shirt fashions are everywhere in 2010. T shirt lovers the world over can expect new and innovative designs in the coming decade, and for many years to come.


