| T-shirts adorn the bodies of everyone from babies | | | | Now, people were able to produce t-shirts with |
| to pensioners and never has there been a fashion | | | | realistic graphic images. One of the earliest and most |
| craze that has influenced so many people. | | | | popular t-shirts with a photo realistic transfer was of |
| Whilst wearing a t-shirt as an undergarment has been | | | | Farrah Fawcett of TV's Charlie's Angels fame. This |
| around for centuries, it wasn't brought to the | | | | t-shirt was the most popular t-shirt in 1977. |
| mainstream until WWI when American soldiers | | | | T-shirts featuring brand names and logos became |
| noticed that their European counterparts were | | | | popular in the 1980s allowing the wearers to show |
| wearing cotton undershirts beneath their uniforms. | | | | their designer taste as well as the emergence of bold |
| Due to the comfort and convenience of the | | | | slogans on t-shirts. Promoters of concerts and |
| undershirts, they quickly became popular amongst | | | | sporting events also discovered the billion dollar |
| the Americans and by the 1920s the word "t-shirt" | | | | industry of merchandise sales by selling t-shirts to |
| had taken its place as an official word in the | | | | promote their tours and events. |
| American dictionary. | | | | Popular figures such as Che Guevera are emblazoned |
| By WWII the t-shirt had become standard issue in | | | | on t-shirts now making him one of the most iconic |
| the army and navy as underwear but it wasn't until | | | | figures of the 20th Century even though the |
| the 1950s when the attitude towards the tshirt | | | | wearers themselves may be unfamiliar with who he |
| changed due to the portrayal of the garment in | | | | was or what he stood for. |
| American movies. Marlon Brando appeared in a plain | | | | The latest t-shirts are also lending themselves to |
| white tshirt in A Street Car Named Desire in 1951 | | | | humourous slogan and ironic statements and |
| turning it into cult status as an outerwear garment. In | | | | celebrities such as Britney Spears and Paris Hilton are |
| 1953 James Dean turned the t-shirt into a symbol of | | | | often seen wearing t-shirts which seem to reflect |
| rebelliousness in Rebel Without A Cause and Marlon | | | | back on themselves. Political slogans on t-shirts |
| Brando continued this theme in 1953 in the movie | | | | coinciding with presidential elections have also become |
| The Wild One. Elvis Presley also appeared in many of | | | | popular as well as customising your own t-shirt. |
| his films and publicity shots wearing a t-shirt | | | | Whilst t-shirts were once worn only as casual wear, |
| underscoring the popularity of the garment. | | | | they are no becoming more acceptable in the |
| The Ringer T-shirt (collars and ends of sleeves in | | | | corporate world especially for women due to the |
| contrasting colours to the t-shirt) became popular in | | | | more fitted variety of t-shirts available. Many |
| the 1960s as did the hippie art of tie-dying and | | | | organisations partake in "Casual Fridays" or "Jeans for |
| screen printing. The iron-on transfer also became | | | | Genes" enabling employees to wear t-shirts in the |
| popular in the 1960s, giving people authority to design | | | | work environment. |
| their own t-shirts. The peace symbol was one of the | | | | The t-shirt has come a long way since its humble |
| most popular images featured on t-shirts in the | | | | beginnings but no matter how old you are or what |
| 1960s. | | | | your attitude is to life - there is bound to be a t-shirt |
| The iron-on transfer was developed even further in | | | | that reflects who you are. |
| the 1970s with a revolution in the quality of graphics. | | | | |