All About The Men’s T-Shirt!

If you take a quick look through the history of iconic male actors, musicians and famous people in general then you will see that all of the individuals pictured have one thing in common – the men’s t-shirt. Almost every man ever pictured in the images we associate with the 20th and 21st Centuries is wearing t-shirts. Although the iconic images provide the first glimpse of them in terms of their sex appeal, they have been a staple of American, British and European culture for some time now. You have to go back to at least the 19th Century to trace their existence. Read on to find a little out about the men’s t-shirt, its history and the sizing options you have in stores today.

The Early History Of The Men’s T-Shirt

The men’s t-shirt started out life as underwear rather than the outerwear that it is today. In fact, fashion historians think that it could go back as far as the early 11th Century. A version of the t-shirt was around then and was worn to help prevent armour rubbing against the skin when men went to war. Of course, their battle dress was a lot less sophisticated than it is now and probably weighed a ton. As such, the men needed to protect their skin so they could wear their equipment as long as necessary. Some also believe that the men’s t-shirt was worn by the upper classes into the 17th and 18th Century as another form of protection – a barrier to prevent their sweat staining their clothes. There were no forms of deodorant then so sweat would simply penetrate their clothing and leave unsightly marks. The men’s t-shirt prevented that.

The men’s t-shirt was first worn as outer clothing in the 19th Century but not by the middle and upper classes that had used them as underwear. As men became more conscious with their hygiene and industry began to blossom in the UK and the USA, textile factories began to make men’s t-shirt very cheaply via new machines and technologies. As the prices came down, everyone could afford to wear t-shirts but the working class adopted them as work uniforms when performing dirty and labour intensive tasks. The first variations worn as outer clothing had buttons down the front and were more often than not long sleeved. However, as the fashion world headed into the 20th Century, the uses for the men’s t-shirt changed again.

There is still an ongoing row in the fashion world to determine just who wore the t-shirt as a more formal outer garment first. The US Navy claims it but then so does the British Navy. Either way, the men’s t-shirt was certainly put to military use in the early 20th Century. The vests that naval men had previously worn were apparently unacceptable on inspections because underarm and chest hair was still visible, as were tattoos. As such, whichever of the naval forces came up with the idea, the new men’s t-shirt.

The Hollywood Years

Regardless of whether the Americans or British invested the men’s t-shirt, the first country to really ensure that it entered into popular folklore and fashion circles was the United States. It was of course largely thanks to Hollywood! Up until the 1950s, the men’s t-shirt was still perceived as an item of underwear. As the world was still relatively conservative and moralistic then it was not appropriate to show such immodesty in public. That was, until it became an outward sign of teenage rebellion against the establishment. The plain white t-shirt appeared in numerous films in the 1950s and 1960s, usually on major Hollywood stars that were playing teenagers wanted to rebel and break away from outdated conventions in society. Marlon Brando was one of the more notable actors, especially given the fact that he was at the top of the Hollywood hierarchy at that point. However, the enduring image is of James Dean in Rebel Without A Cause. The 1955 film made Dean an icon, and that was furthered by his death a month before the film was released. His jeans, white t-shirt and red jacket still remain as the iconic outfit of choice of the 1950s, even now. As such, Dean probably did more for the men’s t-shirt than anyone else had in hundreds of years.

The message of rebellion behind the onscreen images of Brando and Dean caught on like wildfire and soon teenagers and men in their early twenties were wearing the men’s t-shirt routinely as an outer garment. That image endured through the Rock ‘n’ Roll period, right the way to the punk era a couple of decades later. It was that particular era that really brought the men’s t-shirt into its own. With messages of rebellion, slogans, political messages, logos and all sorts of other items displayed on t-shirts, they became more of a statement than a fashion statement. The men’s t-shirt has been used to highlight personal style ever since.

Choosing Your Size

Men’s t-shirts can be found with a uniform sizing scheme the world over. Although you will find any one of several women’s size systems depending on where you go, there is only one coherent men’s system. This makes it much easier to buy the right size for you. Sizes go from XXS, which is a 29 to 31 inch chest and 27 to 29 inch waist, right up to a 3XL (or XXXL) , which is a 50 to 52 inch chest and 44 to 48 inch waist.

Men’s t-shirt sizes are really easy to follow because there is nothing complicated about them, just like there is nothing complicated about wearing them. The design is simple, they never go out of fashion and you can never have too many of them. They are also pretty cheap, which is a bonus! No matter where they have come from and which Navy invented the outer t-shirt, the fact remains that the men’s t-shirt will be around and readily available in stores for some years to come.