The Rebel with a Cause : The T-Shirt
The T-shirt has long been a symbol of rebellion and individuality. From its humble beginnings as an undergarment to its rise as a fashion staple, the T-shirt embodies versatility and self-expression.
No safety pins, no buttons, no needle and no thread...
This was the caption that accompanied the magazine ad ran by the Underwear Company promoting T-shirts in the early 19th Century.
The theme was to cover a young man’s modesty should he accidentally loose one of his shirt buttons - massive drama when you don’t know how to work a needle and thread!
So where did it all begin?
First promoted as an undergarment and must have for stylish and appropriate wear under a shirt, the first actual T-shirts can be dated back to ancient times, but with more prominence over the last 100 or so years - firstly adopted by miners and dockers as garments of choice for warmer working conditions.
An issue item for the US Navy from 1913, the word T-shirt became part of American English in the 1920s, appearing in the Merriam-Webster dictionary. It went on to become the easy-to-wear and inexpensive piece of clothing, especially for young boys and made available in whole host of patterns and colourways.
However, for men and seeing the wearability of the T-shirt as a singular item, the real kick-starter came in the 1950 film Streetcar Named Desire starring Marlon Brando and latterly Rebel Without A Cause and James Dean. The rolled T-shirt sleeve with cigarette packet tucked in was to shape the styles of millions from then on.
Initially a garment of the working class, the T-shirt was often paired with hard-wearing denim jeans for working on the farm or ranches and then given a style ‘leg-up’ when stylised for a more sophisticated presentation with high-waisted pants or trousers. Today, those two looks are still so powerful and show the adaptability of perhaps the most flexible garment in the wardrobe.
In later years, and with its new association as an outer garment, the T-shirt has become closely associated to a blank canvass and how messages can be conveyed - no better illustrated than via the retro band/music T’s that most of us still own or desire to mark our community and support of. Today, they are rarely seen without a message, statement or logo printed on - so we thought we would do just that with a fascinating and exciting garment to add to our range!