You will be hard-pressed to find a closet or a dresser drawer without finding a T-shirt. From baby’s wear to Grandpa’s undershirt, everyone has T-shirts. Versatile, comfortable and inexpensive, why wouldn’t you wear them?

The T-shirt didn’t start out as a regular part of our daily wardrobe but as a utility garment, meant to protect, add warmth or absorb perspiration. But once it moved to mainstream and part of our daily fashion, it quickly became a fashion statement.

Let’s take a look at how it became popular and how you can make your own fashion statement.

Call Me Tee

The T-shirt evolved from an adult onesie if you will, a garment used underneath regular clothing to protect the skin against chafing, heat, and cold. In the 19th century, they were halved at the waist, for ease of wear.

Named for the shape they make, the T-shirt became the go-to item of clothing for military personnel and farmers alike. It is was easy to clean, lightweight and inexpensive.

Perfect for use under uniforms, suits and other types of work clothes, they quickly moved into place as an undergarment for everyone. The ‘under’ idea slowly faded and they started to become just ‘garment’.

The 1950s

No buttons, no zippers or pins required, the T-shirt became a wear-alone item with young boys, who wore them to play or do chores. This eventually leads to them being worn to school or just as everyday clothing.

Things changed hard for the lowly T-shirt when sex symbol and movie icon Marlon Brando wore one on screen. Working class just went first-class. The sale of the T-shirt spiked heavily, as teens and adults both tried to recreate that sexy look.

A few years later, James Dean appeared on screen in the basic white T-shirt with absolutely nothing basic about it. bright white T-shirt under a leather jacket and smoldering, brooding appeal sent sales skyrocketing.

Printed Tees

The increased popularity of the plain white T-shirt was not lost on advertisers and marketers. The 1950’s saw the beginning of printing images and lettering on them. This turned into an effective way to sell vacation resorts, products and eventually iconic Disney Characters.

This quickly spread to anything and everything, allowing companies to advertise their goods and services in a relatively inexpensive way. What better way to get your name out than have someone wearing it.

The 1960s

The ideas for printing on T-shirts really took off in the 1960’s. Messages of love, peace and flower power started to appear everywhere. Tie-dying became mainstream and it was also a statement of self-expression.

Along with anti-war slogans, there were pictures of popular pop and rock stars, plus popular pop and rock stars worn them. T-shirts started to arrive in wild, bright colors, multiple colors and could be found everywhere.

They were the perfect platform for expression as you could draw on them yourself for your message of a political flavor, protest or just an expression of love. Bands began to use T-shirts to sell at concerts and these became their own fashion statement.

The 1970s and Beyond

The Punk movement saw the T-shirt take another leap. Not satisfied to wear the shirt with a message, the shirts were torn, ripped and cut up, making a fashion statement and a political one, as well.

Now you can find anything you like and can personalize your own T-shirt with pictures of your kids, matching T-shirts for you and your dog, or even more stylish T-shirts to be worn for more than just casual wear.

Plain, plain T-shirts with colored trim or very popular animal print T-shirts can be found in even the upper crust of clothing shops.

Make your own Fashion Statement

The beauty of T-shirts is you can make your own statement with them. You can have them specially made or make them yourself, for a more personal touch.

Custom Tees

There are shops that can make you T-shirts for whatever you want. Groups that need tees, like a baseball team, specialty T-shirts made for a particular event, like a bachelorette party or a work-related event.

You can get individual shirts made, with pictures of family or your favorite pet. It’s common to have fun and funny sayings put on T-shirts or logos of your favorite band. These are great gift ideas, useful and personal.

If you paint or draw, you can have your images added to T-shirts for gifts, to wear yourself to show off and as a great way to preserve and advertise them. You can have a bunch made up for gifts.

Personal Touch

You can draw or paint right on the T-shirts yourself. This is a fun idea for kids to wear their own creations or something fun for a birthday party. You can decorate the T-shirt with your own artwork, as well.

Adding pins or brooches, lace, trim or even a belt can dress up the T-shirt for almost any occasion. They can be worn under a jacket or blazer, a sundress or under your uniform shirt at work.

They are also a fun memento to buy while on vacation, for a nice reminder of where you have been and a way to make your friends jealous, or just start a conversation. But mostly the jealous bit.

Tees Me

There is no end of uses for the T-shirt as a fashion statement or just a basic wardrobe item. Whether you wear them plain, or add rhinestones, and bedazzle them for a personal, fun touch. There are no limits on what you can do.

Comfortable, versatile and durable, the plain T-shirt is anything but. They can be found on fashion runways and from discount bins at the department store to high fashion shops.

Whether it is part of your outfit or the centerpiece of your outfit, you can’t miss with T-shirts. Available everywhere in so many styles, fabrics, and colors, you can wear something different every day of the week.

Please read on for more fun stories and interesting takes on life.