| Are music and band t-shirts dead? | | | | became a potentially edgy and important fashion |
| Introduction | | | | statement. |
| Fashions come and go by definition, yet there are | | | | Through the nineties, t-shirts became less of a |
| some articles of clothing that never go out of fashion | | | | fashion statement and more of a middle of the road |
| completely. Usually an innovation comes along, or a | | | | safe clothing staple. All bands now promote |
| peripheral trend drags them back into the public eye. | | | | themselves, their tours, and their albums using t-shirts |
| For example, I'm thinking about denim jeans which | | | | alongside other media. In fact, t-shirt sales are still a |
| have been a dominating and iconic item of clothing | | | | major source of income from band tours, and many |
| for decades, yet which seem to come in and out of | | | | tours are accompanied by exclusive gig only t-shirts |
| vogue depending on other factors such as celebrity | | | | that can't be bought anywhere else. They remain |
| endorsement or innovation in styles of cuts. Another | | | | associated strongly with music, but also with any |
| fashion classic is the music or band t-shirt. Are band | | | | other form of popular culture. Where teenagers |
| t-shirts dead? Should they be consigned to the | | | | might show their allegiances to beliefs, bands or |
| fashion room 101 along with stapress slacks and | | | | television shows by wearing button badges, most |
| chunky cardigans with leather patches on the | | | | adults now do the same using t-shirts, as button |
| elbows? No, says this music t-shirt fan. Music and | | | | badges are generally considered less acceptable for |
| band t-shirts are still rocking on. | | | | the older generation. Because band and music tees |
| Where t-shirts began | | | | have been around since the 60's, there are now 50+ |
| T-shirts used to be undergarments. Nondescript items | | | | years of designs for music t-shirt companies to |
| of clothing and nothing to shout about. That all | | | | plunder and reissue, and there are many classic t-shirt |
| changed when James Dean famously wore his classic | | | | designs still available today. Major bands like The |
| white T-shirt in Rebel Without a Cause. Suddenly | | | | Beatles and Pink Floyd have dozens if not hundreds |
| T-shirts because a youth item, a rebellious item of | | | | of officially licensed t-shirts on sale from a wide range |
| clothing that defied the formal shirt and tie wearing | | | | of sources. Television shows like Southpark, The |
| older generation. However, the shirts were plain. | | | | Simpsons and Family Guy are also popular t-shirt |
| Mainly white in fact. In the late 1950's however, | | | | targets and grown ups of any age can proudly, and |
| things were about to change with the invention of a | | | | subtly (or so they hope!) show their hipness by |
| new material called plastisol ink which made it possible | | | | sporting a particular t-shirt when out and about. Dress |
| to print durable designs onto clothing. T-shirts | | | | down Fridays at workplaces (where formal clothes |
| continued to be the clothing of the rebellious | | | | are normally worn between Monday to Thursday) |
| throughout the sixties, when tie dying and other | | | | are a great opportunity for those considered stuffy |
| processes gave them a further surge in popularity. | | | | and out of touch to correct what they might |
| Bands also began to use t-shirts as a means of | | | | consider to be a misconception. In the UK, t-shirts are |
| promotion, as did concerts where they were sold as | | | | more popular than ever at the moment with skinny |
| souvenirs. | | | | fit t-shirts being particularly appealing to skinny |
| Music tees hit the mainstream | | | | youths, while the wider folk amongst us still reach for |
| Thus, t-shirts moved into the mainstream as dress | | | | the Large to XXL. All the hippest bands whether |
| styles shifted away from the formal suit and ties of | | | | young or old, or fresh or established have t-shirts |
| the early sixties to the more casual look. Iron on | | | | available. Lady Ga Ga, The Killers, Lily Allen, Snow |
| transfers arrived in the 1970s which enabled t-shirt | | | | Patrol, Morrissey, The Gallows etc. For fans of Heavy |
| stores to open up in every town and shopping | | | | Metal, t-shirts, usually black, have been a staple since |
| centre printing almost unlimited t-shirt designs. No trip | | | | the mid 70's onwards and there are some fantastic |
| to the seaside was complete without the acquisition | | | | metal t-shirts available for fans of bands like Iron |
| of a cool new t-shirt, printed to order. | | | | Maiden, Metallica, Slipknot, Slayer, Motorhead etc. and |
| The punk explosion of the mid 1970's then gave | | | | the graphic designs on these shirts are legendary and |
| t-shirts a whole new lease of life with designers such | | | | unique amongst the music t-shirt industry as most |
| as Vivienne Westwood adapting and creating | | | | other genres tend to focus on band photos or album |
| outrageous new t-shirt designs using pop art images, | | | | covers. |
| safety pins and shocking prints. Once again, they | | | | |