Have you ever wondered how the t-shirt came to be such an iconic staple in American fashion and culture? Originally designed as an undergarment, the t-shirt has transformed into the most ubiquitous item in apparel — and the most powerful.
Read the story of the simple garment that would transform the fashion world, create its own industry in garment decorating, and change the way messages are shared forever.

Editor’s Note: This article has been updated for accuracy and freshness in March 2019.

The Origin of the T-Shirt
​The t-shirt as we know it today is an apparel staple. The simple garment is so deeply ingrained in world culture that it’s easy to forget that, relatively speaking, the t-shirt itself is quite young.
The origins of the t-shirt date back to the late 19th century, when laborers would cut their jumpsuits in half to keep cool in warmer months during the year. 
The first manufactured t-shirt was invented between the Mexican-American War in 1898, and 1913 when the U.S. Navy began issuing them as standard undershirts. Read More HERE.

Bruce Springsteen performs as the archetypal working-class everyman in his. James Dean embodied postwar rebellion and Sugar Ray Robinson was fight-ready in it. Harry Belafonte was smooth and Grease’s Danny Zuko sexy, and Elvis showed up to report for the draft wearing one. Madonna, Brooke Shields, and Brigitte Bardot played both virgin and vixen in theirs; Kurt Cobain paired his with flannel to cement grunge style; and Salt-N-Pepa cut theirs at the midriff. Today, skaters line up down the block to purchase theirs when streetwear labels like Supreme collaborate with brands like Hanes. ​ Read More HERE.