If you can wear your heart on your sleeve, you can wear your art on your chest. How the t-shirt came to be the ultimate canvas of self expression.
The humble crewneck t-shirt’s origins date back to the 1800s in Europe when men’s one piece undergarments were divided into two; a top and a bottom half. The top halves were especially popular with miners and port workers. They would discard their shirts to save them from being soiled and damaged and this unassuming piece of clothing gained almost immediate acceptance as a de facto uniform. During the 1930’s they were issued to seamen (hence the name crew) and later adopted by American football players to absorb sweat and protect their skin from chaffing.
This is one article of clothing that has travelled time, survived and thrived in spite of all the vagaries of fashion. One might even say that it reinvents itself, both in design and use. It can begin life of being seen in fashionable circles, next as sportswear, reduced to lounge/sleepwear and finally being consigned to the fate of a cleaning rag. Chances are that it may survive your favourite pair of jeans.
But why does this functional piece of clothing enjoy universal acceptance and longevity? The answer is as plain as its design; a sheer simplicity which provides a canvas for expression and adaptation. The history, however, of how the round neck t-shirt became an accourtment is noteworthy. While the Chinese had developed screen printing in early mediaeval times, Europe had only been exposed to this process in the 1700’s along with the wonders of “indigo” from India to dye fabrics.
We’re not going to bother ourselves with what happened with buying and printing till about the 1950s. American soldiers returning from the Second World War continued wearing their crew necks and it soon became a favourite for people from all walks of life. It might even be argued that Marlon Brando’s black leather jacket in “The Wild One” and James Dean’s red leather Jacket in “Rebel Without A Cause” stood out as fashion statements; they wouldn’t have done so without their crew necks worn under them.
It was during the era in about the late 1960s when counter culturists, bikers, hippies and rock n’ roll stars sported them with messages that they wanted to get out. T-shirts with smiley, peace and psychedelic prints were pretty much the rage and bands. Motorcycle companies, sports teams and movie studios have incorporated these as merchandise for their fans and continue to do so even today. The most enduring of any character that has graced t-shirts over the tears has been Mickey Mouse, who is found in the wardrobes of current Hollywood celebrities even today. Leading fashion houses have licensed his image to release not only tees, but also sweatshirts with his likeness.
As printing materials and technology have advanced over the decades, the messaging and customisation that t-shirts carry now have also grown sophisticated with its audience. However, the t-shirts that have acquired iconic status can still be found on unpretentious backgrounds of black and white and graphics that are acknowledged as classics. John Lennon’s $5 “New York City”, “I Love NY”, The Rolling Stones “Lick”, the Smiley, Bob Marley, Metallica, “I’m With Stupid”, Harley Davidson, Star Wars, Mickey Mouse, Superman, Batman, “Dark Side Of The Moon” Che Guevera, Frankie Goes to Hollywood’s “Relax” and camouflage prints are just a few examples of the longevity of a simple design idea that have bridged generations.
The uncomplicated character of a t-shirt seamlessly absorbs traditional art from across the world. Whether it is European classical, romanticist or renaissance painters, Egyptian, Mayan, Indian, Maori, Gothic, anime or any form of world art, it has easily found a home on the t-shirt. It is a tattoo, but worn over your skin, rather than on it and can be changed everyday.
Not only is this unassuming piece of cloth an easel, but it is easily paired with other clothing options to make a complete ensemble. Whether it is with classic blue jeans, flat front trousers, chinos, sweat pants, yoga pants, shorts or thrown over a swimming trunk or a’la Don Johnson who sported pastel crew necks under white Armani suits with white loafers in the Miami Vice movie in the 80s, the versatility of the humble undergarment has come a long way and still has some way to go.
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