History of the T-Shirt

A T-shirt, is a type of clothing characterized by short sleeves and an open, round-necked neckline. Traditionally, it always has short, sleeve-less arms and a low, round, v-shaped neckline, called a crew neck. T-shirts are usually manufactured of a light, stretchable and economical fabric and are quite easy to maintain. T-shirts are increasingly becoming popular as a fashion wear because they are available in a wide variety of colors and with numerous designs, making them appropriate for casual wear or everyday use.

Most T-shirts have an option of having buttons on the front or they can be left as they are, without buttons, and this is known as being “unisex”. T-shirts can also be made using other fabrics, like cotton, polyester, silk, or even velvet, besides the traditional cotton T-shirt. Some brands of t-shirt are geared to particular brands of sportswear, like skateboarding t-shirts, golf t-shirts, basketball t-shirts, etc. Most brands of t-shirt are also popular among college students who want to advertise a university or college’s name, mascot, event, or brand of service or product. This type of T-shirt is also popular among fraternity members or sorority women. There is also a sub-culture for men called “benches”, where t-shirts may be worn.

A common use for a T-shirt is for protection, most often during sports. During the early years of baseball, many players wore fitted long sleeved or short sleeved cotton shirts, with the sleeves rolled up to protect their arm from the sun. A typical baseball player’s uniform was black with white stripes, or red with white stripes. T-shirts were also used by circus performers, who put them on when they came into contact with water or mud. Cotton shirts came into its own in the nineteenth century with more materials being introduced and used, including silk, jute, and linen, to make more comfortable and durable undershirts.