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Did you know
that 2013 marked the 100th Anniversary of the T-shirt? That means
coolness has been around for a long time. Let's take a stroll down
memory lane and see what nostalgia we can whip up from the world of the Tee.
T-shirts
In The Mainstream
T-shirt's first
entered the mainstream as an official part of military uniform in the early
1900's. Since then the shirt became a highly respected and essential part of
the working mans wardrobe. Not long after women wore tees under coveralls and over jeans.
Congratulations is certainly in order considering the fact that
t-shirts are an icon in and of
itself. T-shirt's have not only defined the fashion of blue color working personnel but also the men and women of sports, rock and roll and
and other casual affairs.
Thanks
to hundreds of online T-shirt web apps more t-shirts are being processed than ever before. And now a sentimental look back at the contributions the T-shirt has made to our lives.
T-shirts In Entertainment
As popular film stars donned the T-shirt as a
symbol of youth, coolness and independence, the
shirt quickly made the mark of main stream casual fashion in the 50's and sixties.
The Marlon
Brando character in a popular movie of the times wore only the
undershirt and casual pants. James Dean, playing the misunderstood
disillusioned teen was often seen wearing white tees and
jeans.
T-shirts As Cultural Symbols
During
these days the t-shirt took on many roles, promoted many messages and a voice for many varied life styles including the tie-die hippie and
flower children of the 60's. The upcoming rock stars who played in their
parents garages and the computer nerds of the 80's who would soon seek
their fortunes during the advent of the PC.
Moving up the timeline to more cool idols take on the tee in John
travoltas role as the Danny
Zuko character in Grease of
the late 1970's. Travolta
wears both a white and black tee adding a fashion flare and exuberance
to the garb unlike any other personality has since.
Moving
further up the timeline from 1974–1984 there
lies the ever popular Happy
Days sitcom
starring Henry Winkler as The
Fonz. The characters background may seem to borrow from the young
t-shirt donning characters performed by Brando and Dean, but The
Fonz, dress in white t-shirt, leather jacket and blue jeans was an
icon all his own.
The Fonz character
became so popular and influential among young males that
it's rumored that the writers decided to tone down his street wise,
gang banger character making him less of a questionable influence and
more of a last resort for much needed wisdom and compassing.
T-shirts
For Causes and Movements
The
birth of the t-shirt to foster unity and solidarity among it's
wearers. Enter high profile movements such as the walk for cancer or
the call for peace. Union marches and other political campaigns
carry the message not with picket signs but proudly on the chest of
tees.
A Family History of T-shirts
Of
note are several decades of family gathering now called family
reunions that promote the cause of family unity, encourage family
values and provide a platform for presenting family history and
genealogy as a cause for celebration. These annual family gathering
are becoming havens of security, nurturing and identity.
Use of the t-shirt over the past 100 years to celebrate family
reunions, promote causes and inspire generations to raise the bar is
unprecedented. That said, spread the word at the office, in the
neighbor across the national social net. Post, Pin and Print
the adoring fact that the t-shirt is now 100 years old and still
going strong.
Celebrating
A World of Tees
So
how is the world celebrating 100 years of tees? You'll find hundreds
of colorful designs on equally colorful shirts memorializing this year
as the year of T-shirts. the Internet is teaming with stories and
history about the t-shirt movement.
You'll also find a boost in DIY t-shirt design ideas using homemade
craft materials such as tie-die, iron ons
and hand drawn letters and
shapes accented with glitter. stickers and hand sewn patterns.
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