A Timeline of the Tee

The transformation of graphic t-shirts

If you’ve walked the streets of Oxford on a Saturday afternoon, chances are you’ve come across the sought-after, regenerated trend of graphic T-shirts. Whether you’re promoting a designer brand, displaying your cherished vintage band tee or simply recreating a look you saw on Instagram, the graphic tee has come a long way since its creation in the early 1940s. From military advertisements to runway couture, the graphic tee has had a prosperous life, and we’ve loved every decade.

1940s–EARLY 1960s

The birth of the graphic T-shirt began in the early 1940s when Life Magazine used a picture of a young man wearing a graphic tee with an advertisement for the “Air Corps Gunnery School” for the cover photo. This was the first time a plain T-shirt had been curated for outerwear use instead of underwear. It was also the first time a T-shirt was used as a form of advertisement.

The 1960s also welcomed the first big business to take advantage of the screen-printed graphics. The Walt Disney Company began to mass produce T-shirts with Mickey Mouse and his pals on them. This was only the beginning of the graphic tee revolution.

1970s–1980s

The ’70s and ’80s were perhaps the most transformative years for the graphic tee. Music and bands were the first collective group of people to deem the graphic tee as trendsetting. Girls and guys alike wore their favorite band T-shirts to the concert, and after the concert you could pick up more at the merch stand.

MTV’s use of advertising on T-shirts also took off during this era. Not only did people yearn to wear a shirt with the MTV logo, but they wanted T-shirts of what they were listening to and watching on the television network.

TODAY: HIGH FASHION

In the ever-evolving world of high fashion, trends come and go. And right now, graphics tees are wholeheartedly in vogue. Designer brands like Guess, Gucci, Dior, Yves Saint Laurent, Givenchy and more have started merchandising high-end graphic tees. An adaption of the graphic tee more popularly known as “slogan tees” splattered the runways of Fashion Week last spring. Slogan tees are graphic T-shirts that have a small statement written on them. Some slogans that graced the runway during spring fashion weeks from New York to Paris were “Futuresex” (Peter Saville), “Thriving” (Baja East), and “We Should All Be Feminists” (Christian Dior).

So what has attracted these high-end designers to incorporate graphic tees into their Fifth Avenue looks? For starters, our generation thrives on activism and speaking up. In the past, you might have been told to keep your opinion and views to your lonesome. Now more than ever, people are fearless and encouraged to share their perceptions of the world. And what better way to express yourself than in a dropped shoulder crew neck graphic tee from Dior? Along with activism, the rise of graphic tees stems from their elementary simplicity. They are easy to make, enjoyable to wear and impossible to overlook.

THE MIAMI TAKE

Although Oxford might not be a world fashion hub, Miami University students are devoted to fashion trends. Without hesitation, Miami students adopted the ease and unique presentation of the graphic tee. For several women, graphic tees can often be observed on the streets of uptown, paired with high waisted pants, leather and jean skirts, faux fur jackets and a pair of aviators. For guys, catch them styled underneath jackets and matched with jeans or khakis.

Junior Gigi Alvarez considers herself an advocate for high-end fashion and a graphic tee enthusiast. She explained why this re-established trend works for her.

“I love fashion and everything that comes with it, but I also like to be comfortable. Graphic tees are the happy medium for me. I can incorporate the designers I like and still give off a relaxed, carefree vibe,” Alvarez said.

She continued by saying how she transitions the look from fall to winter. “In the fall I love the look of a graphic tee paired with a skirt and light jacket,” she said. “But for the winter time, I usually choose to combine the graphic tee with a pair of Lululemon leggings, long black down coat and Vans. This look is both comfortable and warm—which is a necessity for getting through Ohio winters.”

In whichever way you choose to incorporate the graphic tee into your daily life, we hope you take a minute to recognize its amazing lifespan.

The graphic tee has had a prosperous life, and we’ve loved every decade.

written by Maddie Clegg

styled by Ben Krautheim

makeup by Hannah Silverman

models: Katherine Johnson, Anna Minton, Shane Fabio, and Don Choi

photographed by Maggie Smerdel