At one time, I had dozens of custom printed T-shirts in my collection, just like I had dozens of blue jeans. Looking in my wardrobe cabinet (we don't have closets in our house) this morning, I realized that I only have two custom printed t-shirts left and only a handful of blue jeans. I have lots and lots of T-shirts, but they're the plain kind designed to be worn as undershirts, not for wearing as outer garments.
T-Shirts in History
Being the curious kind of person I am, I decided to look up the history of T-shirts and found myself reading for more than an hour, which is par for the course when I get started on any kind of reading project.
Apparently, T-shirts were invented as undershirts during the Spanish-American war in 1898, but no one knows exactly who invented them. The US Navy adopted the T-shirt as an undergarment sometime after that. The T-shirt as a form of underwear continued to remain popular as such until someone figured out that wearing a custom T-shirt as an outer garment would be a cool thing to do. Again, there isn't a record of exactly who started the trend or exactly when it happened. Custom printed T-shirts were being worn when I was a kid, back in the 1960s. The trend had to have started in the 1940s, after World War II or at the onset of the Vietnam War in the early 1960s.
T-shirts and Tee Shirts
When I first met my wife, back in 1983, she called all short-sleeved shirts T-shirts, regardless if they had collars on them or whether they were pullovers or buttoned shirts. My research shows me that it's not an incorrect usage and using the word "T-shirt" in this way is common across many cultures. It's based on the "T" shape of the shirt as it's laid out flat on something.
As far as T-shirts being called "tee shirts" or just "tees", when did that happen? If I want to buy a custom printed T-shirt off the Internet, I know I can go to CafePress and find something I like. Hypothetically speaking, what if I can't find something I like? I now know that if I'm searching for T-shirts online, I have to search for both "t-shirts" and "tee shirts" or I'll end up missing out on some unique finds.
The reason I mention CafePress is because it's the only online store I've ever bought a T-shirt from and it was before I moved to the Philippines. Of course, I'm also interested in selling things through them, but I don't have an artistic bone in my body. I do, however, have a couple of gifted relatives I need to get a hold of — A 50/50 partnership would be a pretty good deal.
Local T-shirts
Luckily, I don't have to order anything online. There are plenty of stores here in the Philippines that sell custom printed T-shirts. There are even places that do custom T-shirt screen printing if you can't find anything you want.
One thing I've noticed is that people will wear the underwear-style of T-shirts around home, just to be dressed, and will change into something a little more appropriate if they head out of their neighborhood areas. I do the same thing. Why do you think I have so many of them in my wardrobe cabinet?
I'll slip on a polo shirt (any kind of pullover shirt designed like a polo shirt, having a collar and sometimes having a single breast pocket) when I'm leaving the compound to go somewhere. If I spend 98 percent of my time at home or around home, does it make sense to wear anything else? Of course, I always wear blue jeans because they're considered acceptable everywhere I've been in the city. I have dress slacks in the wardrobe cabinet that I haven't worn in four years.
Similar Articles:
- Design your Apparel with T-Shirt Printing Services in Sheffield
- Counterfeit Clothing in the Philippines
- Proper Clothing in Public vs. What to Wear at Home
- Blue Jeans for Christmas? Why Not?
- Getting Set for Summer with Wide Leg Jeans
This article is published as: I came, I saw, I bought the Custom Printed T-shirt
Its always been fun to design your own t-shirt. I don't want to go for screen printed t-shirts. I always love to design my own.
I totally agree. Designing your own t-shirt is a fun and you get what you look for in shops but most of the times don't get the one you desire.
.-= My last blog: 20+ Awesome Photoshop Tutorials Created In 2010 =-.
Yes, i liked to much create t-shirts too, I prefered the multicolor t-shirts created in the wash machine mixing a lot of colours!!!
Hi,
I am always designing my own T Shirts, Its always great to have somthing exclusive to wear , Custom T shirt culture is huge at the moment.
Brian
I started making my ours as a hobby , then i ended up doing it for a living
.-= My last blog: Cute Tuxedo T-shirt – White Ladies Cut =-.
What i did was, I buy my own stuff and then designed it the way i want to, mixed colors to make it more appealing.
I think buying custom printed t shirts from other designers online is pretty great. First, you get many great designs that an ordinary person can never create, and you get it shipped right to your door as much as only $5 dollar shipping if you live in the united states. Amazing Wiz Khalifa Clothing Collection
nice blog and thanks for sharing the history and keyword to use when looking for t-shirt or tee shirt as what you've said..And talking about clothes have you seen or worn a t-shirt made from bamboo fabric?
they said its one of the most comfortable fabric and its cheap… I just heard that as a rumor but haven't account seen or worn one.
Mass Inda recently posted..Thanks For Visiting!
I love t-shirt that has been printed.. It's nice because it's your own design.. Like for example your groups want to have your own t-shirt and you will design for it and they will lay out it and print.. It's cool!
Used Screen Printing Equipment recently posted..Used Screen Printing Equipment
Great post! I love to create designs on plain white and black t-shirts using fabric paint, which I often get complimented on. There's also been a good few occasions where people have asked me where I bought them from =]. I also go to H&M for some great printed t-shirts, usually of bands or comic book characters I like.