The T-Shirt
- reptilicus
- Nov 14, 2025
- 6 min read
Updated: Nov 15, 2025
The image of a smoldering Marlon Brando wearing a t-shirt, is perhaps, more iconic than Nick Kamon's, 1985 Levis ad.
You may disagree, but Marlon oozes sex appeal and manliness and supports the t-shirt so well. Many others before him, and after him, have worn this classic piece of wardrobe, but Brando, "outstrips" them all!
But where did the t-shirt originate from? In this blog, I would like to share my findings...
The Evolution of the T-shirt
According to multiple sources, the t-shirt originated in the 19th century. Some sources said it originates from the 19th century, when labourers would cut their jump suits in half, to keep cool in the warmer months of the year. Another source, Wikipedia, agrees it originated in the 19th century, but from undergarment, called union suits, which looked a bit like long johns. Like jump suits, the union suit, was cut into a separate top and bottom garments, with the top long enough to tuck into the waistband of the bottom. These were adopted by miners and dock workers, a convenient covering for hot environments, absorbing the sweat. For me, the long john, is a more apt garment, as they are lighter than a jump suit and often made out of cotton. But one can see the similarities.
According to a blog post called Real Thread, the first manufactured t-shirt was made between the Spanish-American war in 1898, and 1913, when the U.S. Navy, began issuing them as apart of the uniform. These were crewnecked, short sleeved, white cotton undershirts to be worn under a uniform. It then became common for sailors and Marines in work parties, the early submarines, and tropical climates to remove their uniform, thus wearing only the undershirt.
It was not until 1920 that the word "T-shirt" was added to the English Dictionary. In fact Scott Fitzgerald first used the word in his novel, This Side of Paradise..
“So early in September Amory,” writes Fitzgerald, “provided with ‘six suits summer underwear, six suits winter underwear, one sweater or T-shirt, one jersey, one overcoat, winter, etc,’ set out for New England, the land of schools.”
During World War I and II, the t-shirt became standard issue for U.S. soldiers and was adopted as a practical, light weight garment. After World War II, veterans returned home and continued to wear t-shirts casually. This helped them to be widely accepted, but they were worn still almost exclusively under clothes.
In this picture from 1933, you can see shirts, t-shirts and vests/tanktops. Author source, unknown.
With the passing of World War II, and then end of rationed clothing on March 15th 1949, fashion and dress started to change. Even before this date, in France, the fashion designer, Christian Dior, invented the ultra feminine "New Look". A daring transgression of the austere, straight, no fuss formal look of the war years.
The left hand image shows a skirt suit, designed in 1942, V & A dress collection.
The right hand image, shows the Dior Bar Jacket, Spring Summer, 1947.
You can see how the shoulders are sloping and the nipped in waist, and full skirt enhances the "hour glass" aesthetic. This was also a time for change, for younger fashion.
Teenage Fashion: The t-shirt emerges as part of their everyday fashion.
The younger fashion economy after 1949 was primarily shaped by the rise of the "teenager", as a distinct consumer group. There was an increased disposable income in Western countries, and above all the development of fashion styles, that was different to that of their parents. This lead to the mass production of specialised clothing and the rise of distinct subcultures, Teddy Boys, Greasers, Beatnicks, Mods and Rockers. It was the Greasers, who originated in the United States, clad in their leather jackets and fitted jeans that adopted the white T-shirt as part of their dress code
In the film, "The Wild One", once again, Brando, a Greaser, is wearing a white t-shirt, looking as stylish and cool, as ever, perhaps not smoldering!
The Wild Ones, 1953, directed by Laslo Benedek
The T-shirt Transformed: 1960s
The 1960s saw t-shirts evolve from the plain white to bold forms of cultural commentary. This transformation was supported by introducing a multi-colour garment screen printing machine in the 1960's. The machine made it easier to produce graphic designs on t-shirts. In the 60's tie and dye became a popular way of transforming the standard white t-shirt. As the Vietnam War raged on, American youth looked for a means of rebellion against the conservatism of their parents’ generation, moving towards traditional, hands-on techniques that corresponded to the emerging trends of new age philosophy and psychedelic rock.
The T-shirt Talks: Politics and Protests, 1970s and 1980s
T-shirts were very popular in the 1970s and they became a major way for people to express themselves, through fashion, music, and politics. They evolved from the looser styles of the 1960's to more fitted tops. Their use expanded beyond the casual to include political and social statements, as well as advertising and brand logs.
As seen from the God Save The Queen t-shirt by Vivienne Westwood, designers could design and print their t-shirts, using their own designs, using local printers. Printing became more affordable and accessible. Young people felt free to deface, dress up, embellish their own t-shirts. Vivienne Westwood recognised the potential of the t-shirt as a blank canvas for a more overt political messages. Some of her designs were quite controversial, in 1975, her t-shirt with two cowboys touching penises, led to the arrest of one of her shop assistants, walking through Chelsea, and fined for "indecent exhibition".
Not so controversial, but political is the campaign printed t-shirt for Nixon, 1972
More protest than political is the t-shirt that was printed in responce to Atlantic Records, after it erected a billboard on the Sunset Strip to advertise the Rolling Stones album, "Black and Blue". It prompted an outcry from WAVAW, Women Against Violence Against Women, who armed with a spray can, wrote across the billboard, "this is a crime against women." The band's label, pulled the campaign.
One of the most iconic political/protest t-shirts of the eighties is the t-shirt designed and worn by Katharine Hamnett. She wore it to a London Fashion Week reception hosted by Margarete Thatcher, 1984.
Katharine Hamnett wrote;
"None of us wanted to go to that reception. It was an industry thing Margaret Thatcher was holding to celebrate London fashion week at 10 Downing Street in March 1984. All the young designers who were invited hated her for everything she had done to the UK. I remember Jasper Conran saying, “Why should I go and share a glass of white wine with that murderess?” I loved him for that. But I realised it was an incredible photo opportunity, whatever I thought of her. So I knocked up that T-shirt a couple of hours before the event. The “58% Don’t Want Pershing” came from a European opinion poll about the proliferation of American cruise and Pershing nuclear missiles across Europe without consulting the electorate, which was totally undemocratic. Wearing that on a T-shirt was the best thing I could think of at the time..." The Guardian, Thu 8 March, 2018.
T-Shirts continue to speak and inspire action, to communicate one's beliefs, fashion label, favourite band or anime character...
And finally... Marlon Brando in a t-shirt, on a t-shirt.
Hybrid Style T-shirt
At Hybrid Styles we are launching our own capsule t-shirt collection. They feature our classic roundel, a combination of print, machine stitched and applique detailing. The t-shirts are certified organic cotton and are produced by Teemill. Teemill uses organic materials and renewable energy to produce its clothing and other products, with a focus on a circular economy model where products are designed to be returned and remade.
We have limited the designs to only three, as we feel producing multiple designs will add to the global crisis of too much fashion. We try and minimise a build up of stock and as a result, we print to order.
T-shirts will cost £30.00 Size small to XL
Launch date is Friday 21st November 12pm midday.
Bibliography
Dazed Digital: A Brief History of the Political T-shirt
Fitzgerald, F. Scott. This Side of Paradise. Charles Scribner's Sons, 1920.
Helmore, Edward. Black, Blue, and Very Bad Tast, The Guardian, 20th April, 2020.
Katharine Hamnett: The Protest T-shirts You See Today Tend To Be A Bit Namby Pamby, The Fashion Spring/Summer 2018, The Guardian.
The History and Evolution of Dior's New Look
Real Thread: History of the T-shirt
T-Shirt
Victoria and Albert Museum: Explore the Dress Collection
Williams, Tennessee. A Streetcare Named Desire. Penguin Books Ltd, 1947.
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