T-shirt history

The Industrial Revolution introduced the totally novel concept of mass production to the world. The frustration associated with clothes, which were handmade, drab and quite rough, was finally at an end. When T-shirts were invented in the 19th century they were nothing more than comfortable underwear: their smooth cotton composition shielded the skin from the harshness of the clothes used at the time. When American soldiers first saw these peculiar undershirts during World War I they found them delightful: they were lighter and fresher than the heavy vests still worn by Americans, and they could be used in mixed company, which vests definitely could not. The American soldiers called them "T-shirts" due to their shape.

By World War II the American armed forces had fully adopted T-shirts, which were standard issue in the US Army and Navy. T-shirts were ostensibly to be used as underwear, but it became increasingly common for soldiers to wear just their trousers and T-shirts on hot days. It gradually became acceptable or men to wear T-shirts not just as underwear, but as an item of clothing in its own right.

It was after the end of World War II that the full potential of T-shirts started to become a reality. During the 1948 United States presidential campaign, New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey released the “Dew it for Dewey” T-shirt; four years later, Dwight D. Eisenhower's campaign was supported by the “I like Ike” T-shirt. The use of T-shirts to give exposure to slogans and ideas had begun.

The glorious fate of T-shirts was finally sealed when celebrities started wearing them: Marlon Brando, John Wayne and James Dean wore them on national TV. The initial shock gradually wore off and by 1955 wearing T-shirts had become completely acceptable. Invented in Europe, propelled to glory in America, T-shirts have played an important role in fashion ever since.

Now, 50 years on, T-shirts are cooler than ever. T-shirts come in many varieties: funny T-shirts, slogan T-shirts, celebrity T-shirts and many others, including the irresistible, trendier-than-ever vintage T-shirts. Some T-shirts have achieved cult status, with the rarest ones reaching exorbitant prices. It's hard to believe that such an unshakably trendy item of clothing started as humble underwear! Whatever your taste in T-shirts, moreTvicar's online T-shirt store will surely have something for you.
 

T-shirt history © 2007 moreTvicar.com