A T-shirt is a piece that transcends times and trends. It remains in everyone’s wardrobes throughout the years, and it has been so for over a century. Although its design in a T shape is as basic as it can be, there is nothing more iconic than a T-shirt.
Although there have been garments that resemble it for as long as textiles adorn the body, the T-shirt as we know it today has been around since the late 19th century. At the time, the piece was worn mostly by soldiers and sailors and mainly under uniforms. It would be only in the early 20th century that the cotton-knit piece went from ‘underwear’ to ‘outerwear’. Its cultural status intensified in the mid-century when both genders started wearing it more frequently on the streets and the screens.
Since then, the T-shirt has come a long way: its sleeves were shortened or lengthened; it was embellished, embroidered, and engraved with all sorts of messages. Yet, even with all these constant and persistent changes, it hasn’t changed at all—it always goes back to the plain crewneck tee. But what is it about the basic T-shirt that makes it so charming?
Mostly, its charm lies in its simplicity. The T-shirt is a blank canvas on which we project ourselves. The simpler the piece, the more it reflects the person wearing it. That is what makes it different from other wardrobe classics. Whereas other pieces are embedded with hidden values that we embody as we dress, the basic T-shirt remains neutral throughout.
Whether sticking to the basic silhouette or risking yourself with one of the infinite choices, the perfect one is difficult to find. It always seems one shop away. But once you do, you know you can always trust the basic T-shirt.
Memo
• The basic shirt in a T shape has different theories about the origin of its name. Nonetheless, the term itself is attributed to F. Scott Fitzgerald. The author used the term in his book This Side of Paradise as part of a packing list:
“So early in September Amory, provided with “six suits summer underwear, six suits winter underwear, one sweater or T shirt, one jersey, one overcoat, winter, etc.,” set out for New England, the land of schools.”
• In the same year of the publication of the novel, 1920, the term appeared for the first time in Merriam-Webster’s dictionary.
• The first time a T-shirt was featured in Vogue magazine was in the May 01, 1948 issue, but only in 1953 did features become more frequent.
• In Suzy Menkes’ article ‘In Defense of Luxury’, Giorgio Armani claimed:
“Luxury is a white T-shirt, absolutely fresh, with diamond bracelets going all the way up a brown arm.”
Reference
• Sophia Roe via Instagram, July 18 2023;
• Vogue US, May 01 1948 issue;
• Vogue US, August 01 1953 issue;
• Vogue US, December 01 1992 issue;
• Vogue US, December 01 1992 issue;
• Vogue Italia, June 01 1993 issue;
• Literary Hub, ‘Did you know that F. Scott Fitzgerald was the first writer to use the term T-shirt?’ by Emily Temple.
