How the T-shirt appeared: from the history of things

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A hundred years ago, the appearance in a T-shirt outside the walls of the house was considered a bad man, and today without it you can’t imagine either a man’s or a woman’s wardrobe. How a T-shirt has become fashionable is our historical excursion.

Today, a t-shirt is the most versatile and affordable wardrobe item. Although dictionaries often define it as a “sleeveless sports knit shirt,” we put on a T-shirt not only in a fitness room or for a run. In the history of t-shirts, by the way, one cannot even distinguish such a stage during which it would be used only for sports! And with the name of football it turned out to be connected only in the Russian language ... But first things first.

T-shirt era

Precursor T-Shirts

Men's “overalls” are considered to be the "progenitor" of a t-shirt - a one-piece item used as underwear, with buttons, long sleeves and trousers. In the XIX century, the jumpsuit was divided into upper and lower parts. The resulting undershirt subsequently evolved into what is now called “T-shirt” in English, and “T-shirt” in Russian.

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T-shirt appearance

T-Shirts Marines

Although the T-shirt in its modern form appeared not so long ago, history did not save the name of its inventor. Yes, and about the moment of occurrence of debate.

According to one version, the year of birth of the T-shirt can be considered 1913: then there was a model of the lower shirt without buttons and a collar, with short sleeves. At first it was worn by marines and submariners.

According to another version, the T-shirt became one when it was given a name - "T-shirt", "T-shaped shirt." The short sleeve cotton sweatshirt with the short sleeves was named so because of its shape resembling the letter "T". The name appeared in the 1920s and was almost immediately fixed by dictionaries.

During the Second World War, "tishotka" as a part of uniforms became widespread - now it has become an element of the uniform not only of the fleet, but of all Western armies. Popularity was added to her by Life magazine, which in 1942 placed on one of its covers a photograph of a cadet of the Air Force rifle school in Las Vegas in such a T-shirt.

Upon returning home after the war, the soldiers continued to wear “silence” and “in civilian clothes”. Representatives of the working class also wore a t-shirt. Having become quite popular, “silence” was a symbol of unity, masculinity and labor, and the memory of her as a part of a military uniform was strong. However, this wardrobe item could not yet be called fashionable.

Life magazine cover - the first surviving photo of a print T-shirt

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T-shirt becomes fashionable

Poster for the film "Tram" Desire "

Ascension of "silence" on fashionable pedestals helped cinema. In the movie "Desire Tram", which was released in 1951, the hero of 27-year-old Marlon Brando appears on the screen in a simple white t-shirt that emphasizes the figure. The painting was a huge success and became a classic, the same fate awaited a t-shirt. Sales of "tishotok" sharply If earlier it was considered bad form to leave the house beyond the limits of the garden in a T-shirt, now "tishotki" began to appear more often on the screen and on the stage. Rebel musicians, fashionists, hippies, and politicians wore t-shirts.

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T-shirt as a saying

Photographer Simon Barker and model Jordan wearing clothes from Vivienne Westwood

Just appearing, "tishotka" was plain, white. But soon inscriptions and symbols began to be applied to it. The first surviving photo of a t-shirt with a print is considered to be the very same picture of a cadet from the cover of Life. Although there is evidence that prints on t-shirts were printed before.For example, in 1933 Champion T-shirts with the Michigan logo were sold at a sports store in Michigan, and in 1939 the Bee Tee Company released its first promotional T-shirt, announcing the movie “The Wizard of Oz”. In 1948, the T-shirt became the first venue for political agitation: US Governor Thomas Edmund Dewey used this garment for his campaign.

The real popularity of t-shirt inscriptions was in the 60s - and it only grew further. Names of sports teams and musical groups, funny (or not so) drawings and symbols, propaganda or provocative images and statements, logos and brand slogans, portraits, photographs, abstraction ... T-shirt has become a universal “canvas”, a way of saying, expressing oneself, a form of propaganda , a sign of distinction and belonging - and an exceptionally fashionable thing.

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T-shirt in the USSR

Dynamo club footballers

It is believed that "athletes" were brought into the Soviet Union from the West by domestic athletes. A comfortable sweatshirt without a collar and sleeves became the clothes for training and games of our players, and soon fans and other athletes began to wear it. The word "T-shirt" in Russian appeared in the 1920s, and in the dictionary it was first recorded in 1940.

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T-shirt in women's wardrobe

Cameron Diaz, early 90s

The shirt came into the women's wardrobe in the 1960s, however, it gained real popularity in the 80s. Back then, classic white and bright colors, oversized and tucked sleeves, contrasting inscriptions, a logo and drawings, a hem cut into “noodles” and short T-shirts that opened the waist were in fashion… Gradually, T-shirts “calmed down” and besides the categories of youth clothes, sayings or sportswear are included in the list of basic wardrobe items. Today, a T-shirt can be worn in the gym, at a party, in the office and even at a gala event - well-chosen and combined, a T-shirt is appropriate almost everywhere.