Birth of the T Shirt

Somewhere through the history of fashion, the T shirt changed it's status in the closet, from men's underwear to a leading item for both, women & men. Marlon Brando stamped it a sex symbol in 'A Streetcar Named Desire".

But we are jumping ahead.

The original men's underwear was a flannel jumper worn under clothes to keep the laborers warm in all weather. Once the weather turned warm the men would cut it to keep only the top. Only during the 19th century did the industry look for a fabric which would be flexible and easy to wear; over the head, no buttons or collar - a revolution!

By law, a person was not allowed to show oneself with this undershirt in public.

It took until 1904, when Cooper Underwear marketed this T shirt for bachelors; no safety pins, no buttons, no need to mend. It took another 4 decades to turn it in to every young person's uniform. It happened after World War 2, when returning soldiers wore it as legitimate outerwear.

From this point in history, the T shirt made it's way up the ladder; to rule our wardrobe.

Men's and women's. It even became a political point to argue the downside of sweatshops, and found it's way to top collections as layering items or on their own merit, as a desirable item no woman or man dreams to keep away. It became the no.1 selling item globally all year round.