How Graphic T-Shirts Became a Fashion Mainstay

The graphic tee is something that we all own. An accessible way for us to communicate whatever we want about ourselves to the world, from our favourite band to political allegiance. But where did they come from and how did they become as popular as they are today?

Like the majority of men’s fashion mainstays, the graphic tee's roots can be traced back to WWII. Soldiers sought to display military pride, which led to the creation of custom-decorated t-shirts. They used paint and stencils to add unit logos, base names and ship insignias. This trend entered public awareness when a soldier wearing his custom tee appeared on the July 1942 cover of Life Magazine. This early graphic tee paved the way for many to come, letting the public know that you can print whatever you want on a t-shirt.

Taking (what we assume is) inspiration from war veterans, 1948 American presidential candidate Thomas Dewey produced self-branded t-shirts for his campaign. Featuring his face and the catchy slogan "Dew-it-with-Dewey," this became one of the first recorded commercial graphic tees outside of military use. While the design didn't secure him the presidency, it earned him a footnote in the fashion history books.

The graphic tee reappeared in the 1950s with the opening of Disneyland. Walt Disney sought promotional avenues for his park and partnered with Miami-based Tropix Togs to create Mickey Mouse designs. To think it's now impossible to go a day without seeing some variation of the cartoon mouse.

The increased accessibility of screen printing in the 1950s allowed American colleges to print their logos onto sweatshirts and t-shirts. This practice became widespread across North America by the late 1960s and continues today, further enabling individuals to display their own custom designs.

In late 1970s London, England, the punk movement embodied counterculture. From 1975 to 1978, UK punks were fueled by anxieties about the nation's condition, with unemployment reaching a peak in 1977 during the worst recession since the 1930s. At the forefront of the punk movement, McLaren and Westwood began designing provocative t-shirts using a children’s screen-printing kit. The pair were actually arrested for "exposing the public view to an indecent exhibition" and faced a fifty pound fine.

The 1980s saw corporations capitalising on the affordability of the graphic tee. Brands that had previously overlooked merchandise, such as Coca-Cola and Budweiser, began offering t-shirts for promotion, selling them in stores and via mail order along with purchases of their products. Due to this accessibility, the graphic tee started to be created for anything and everything. From your holiday to your favourite band, political allegiance, or local grocery store, anything could have a graphic t-shirt.

By the 1990s high-fashion brands finally realised that they wanted a slice of the graphic tee pie.. Labels like Armani, Calvin Klein, and Versace started selling logo-emblazoned t-shirts. This initial wave of "logo-mania" gained traction, with prices, while still premium, becoming more accessible to the general public.

Once the 2000s rolled around computing power advanced the ability to design and print graphic t-shirts far quicker. Nowadays it’s not uncommon to see companies who just make graphic t-shirts.

So, there we have it, from vintage shops to heritage recreations to overpriced kitschy festival shops, the graphic t-shirt seems to have an infinite amount of designs and allegiances. The freedom of the graphic tee has allowed everyone to find one that speaks for them, whether you love an authentic naval recreation, a political standpoint, or a provocative phrase, the designs have become quick indicators of who we are and what we want to say to the world. A unique way of communicating from the silly to the profound.