The t-shirt originated as an undershirt. The thin cotton provided an absorbent and soft layer for men to wear under their clothing. In the 1950s, the t-shirt found its way out of the underwear arena-- with a little help from James Dean and Marlon Brando -- and became an acceptable garment in its own right.
The 1960s brought an end to the non-stop white of the t-shirt in North America. As hippies tie-dyed tees into brightly colored patterns, manufacturers started creating more varied styles. The t-shirt became a garment worn by at least most young people who recognized it as the perfect partner for their favorite blue jeans.
The 1970s brought an explosion of printed and personalized t-shirts. People were using their shirts as a way to share their messages with the people around them. Rock bands grasped the t-shirt and printed logos and pictures onto them and professional sports teams soon followed when they realized the value of this inexpensive to manufacture licensed clothing.
By the 1980s, the t-shirt had worked its way into the wardrobe of nearly every age group in the United States. Sold in a variety of styles and a rainbow of colors, with and without pockets, the t-shirt was the ubiquitous clothing of the masses. Free t-shirts were the corporate giveaway of choice and the fitness craze only fueled the fire for t-shirts.
Today, the t-shirt shows no signs of fading. Mass market apparel stores and haute designers alike carry t-shirts. While cotton is still the most popular, they can be found in nearly every fabric imaginable. Sleeve lengths, necklines and cuts vary, but the t-shirt is still the comfort shirt of men, women and children. While solid color tees are the most common, printed ones now range from having simple messages to works of art. Custom printing techniques have advanced dramatically so artists can upload their own digital works to a print-on-demand house and market t-shirts to clients and strangers on the Internet in a matter of seconds. Surely, the t-shirt will not go away now.
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"I dress for the image. Not for myself, not for the public, not for fashion, not for men."
~Marlene Dietrich
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