All about: Graphic tees

Graphic tees are a t-shirt that has some kind of image, graphics and even slogan on them. Graphic tees have been in a staple in every women’s closet for years now. They are a fun and in expensive addition to any wardrobe. We can find graphic tees with fun designs covering the whole tee shirt, logos expressing brand preference or a slogan. There are so many options of graphic tees to choose from.

If you are wondering about why graphic tee are so special. They are simple yet very versatile piece and express individuality more than a plain tee. Lately, it seems that graphic tees are more popular than ever. We are even seeing graphic t-shits in the runway with power full message about feminism, politics, etc. We are here to tell you all we know about graphic tees and how it became a wardrobe staple from military wear.

It might be difficult to pinpoint exactly when people start to print on t-shirt. But graphic tees were first spotted in the mainstream media in 1939 film The Wizard of Oz.

 

In the movie  a trio of Ozians who fix up the scarecrow are all sporting with  a bright green tees with the word ‘OZ’ printed across the front of the tee in bold white letters to bring attention to the great and powerful man in the Emerald City.

Plain t-shirt were worn by military as undergarment ever since 1913. But during the World War 2, members of the military were given t-shirts with the name of their branches or training programs. Then they continued to wear the t-shirt even after transitioning into civilian life. 

 

Life magazine even published a spread and cover shot featuring a model wearing an army tee in 1942. Soon it started to become something like a sex symbol and a statement making piece.

The early graphic tees where made about politics statement, sexual liberation and about anything that reflects people feelings. 

 They became so popular that custom t-shirt printing booths popped up in shopping malls, with big binders of designs to peruse people to buy.

       Tropix Togs then brought the screen printing to the mainstream by acquiring the exclusive rights from Disney to print characters like Mickey Mouse on their T-shirts. 

The graphic tees were a huge success which lead to it being a classic trend. Which then bought even more attention to Disney's films and theme parks. People then began to realize the marketing potential of printing.

As we know music was a huge part of the culture in the 1960’s and 70’s. Many bands had quickly realized that band t-shirt could be a great way to promote their music and also offer a second source of income, and as a result the band t-shirts were born. 

Fans became a kind of live advertisements as they walk down the street wearing a t-shirt showing off their favorite band. Images such as the Rolling Stones’ lips, the Beatles vintage lettering, and Pink Floyd’s prism are iconic graphics, even today. Many companies saw the success of band t-shirts and realized they could do the same with their own company logos to promote their company.

             Graphic tee used to be much more casual in the past. But today it can be worn for a night out with a skirt and heels or to work paired with a blazer. The has been making a comeback over the past seasons as upscale brands like Chanel, Gucci, and Celine have been putting out their own versions of graphic tees. 

      They are relatively easy and cheap to manufacture but can be priced very differently depending on the brand from an $18 Forever21 “Wu-Tang” shirt to a $325 Balenciaga t-shirt with an image of the Paris skyline. While the T-shirt has indeed come a long way from its rise to popularity in the 50s, it can be styled in more ways than one. We are soon going to write about how to style graphic tees in various ways, so stay tuned.

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