1. A Brief encounter
During the Industrial Revolution,
workers wore a ‘union suit’ a one-piece
undergarment. Later it was divided into
two. The upper section evolved into the
T-shirt we wear today. However, it was
still considered to be an undergarment.
grazia FaSHiON FixPhotographsCORBIS,GETTYIMAGES,GORUNWAY,WordsKARENALFONSO
No item of clothing has been as
significant a symbol of cultural,
political and sociological change
in society than the T-shirt.
Grazia traces its origins
1950sSilver Screen BeginningS
When screen legends James Dean and
Marlon Brando wore T-shirts onscreen
in movies such as Rebel Without
a Cause and A Streetcar named
Desire. The T-shirt transitioned from
innerwear to outerwear. It went on to
be associated with rebellion and youth.
1939MArketing WizArdry
Advertising found a new
medium, through clothes, and
Wizard of Oz was the first to be
promoted on a T-shirt. Till date,
brands use T-shirts to promote
their products.
19thCentury
PhotographsCORBIS,GETTYIMAGES,GORUNWAY,WordsKARENALFONSO
2009deSigner dudS
The T-shirt got a designer
resurgence, thanks to
Alexander Wang. His spring
2009 collection featured
slouchy stretched Tees that
spelt relaxed glamour. Till
date it’s considered to be
the bestselling item of his
collection. Designers such as
The Row and Erin Wasson
for RCVA followed suit,
introducing designer T-shirts.
the t-Shirt
History of a Trend
1917BAttle t
During World War I, US
soldiers noticed that their
English counterparts wore
thin undershirts under their
uniforms, as compared to their
thick woollens. They soon
adopted this trend and the
T-shirt became a rage in America.
In the 1920s it officially got its
name, T-shirt, and was entered
into the dictionary.
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