It is a basic staple in most wardrobes – but have you ever wondered where the T in T-shirt comes from?
Over 62 percent of Americans claim to own more than ten of the garments, according to a survey shared by Good Link. But for many, the name is still shrouded in mystery.
A simple question asked online about the meaning of the T sparked a heated debate among fashion fans.
‘It stands for “terrific.” Because you look terrific in it,’ one person joked.
‘In traditional English, it refers to a lighter-weight garment often worn for afternoon tea on a warm day,’ guessed another.
‘Top shirt,’ declared someone else, as others thought it was referencing the wearer’s ‘torso.’
However, the truth soon became apparent in that the T is derived from the shape of the shirt since it resembles the letter when laid out flat.
‘The “T” just refers to the shape of the shirt. When laid flat, the sleeves and body form a T shape.
It is a basic staple in most people’s wardrobes – but have you ever wondered where the T in T-shirt comes from?
‘So it is not an abbreviation for a word, just a description of the design style,’ one user explained.
The straight body of the garment forms the vertical stem of the letter T with the short sleeves resembling the horizontal crossbar.
While T-shirts are now considered a standalone item of clothing, that was not always the case.
Originally, they were used purely as undergarments, with the origins dating back to the late-19th century, when laborers would cut their jumpsuits in half during the warmer months to keep cool.
The first manufactured T-shirt came during the Spanish-American War in 1898. And, in 1913, the US Navy began using them as undershirts, according to the Real Thread.
Although the T-shirts were required to be worn under the uniform, servicemen were sometimes allowed to strip down to them in hot conditions.
T-shirts gained popularity in the 20th century and by the 1930s, they were being issued to college sportsmen as a part of their standard uniform.
Over 62 percent of Americans claim to own more than ten T-shirts – but for many, the name is still shrouded in mystery
Marlon Brando (left) famously donned a white T-shirt in A Streetcar Named Desire, followed by James Dean showing off his toned physique in 1955’s Rebel Without a Cause (right)
In the late 1930s, Sears, Roebuck and Company, which was once the largest US retailer, began selling white cotton tees, advertising them as white cotton ‘gob,’ which was slang for sailor.
‘It’s an undershirt, it’s an outer shirt,’ the advertisement at the time read: ‘It’s practical, correct, either way.’
In the 1950s, the humble T-shirt got a glow up with Marlon Brando famously donning one as Stanley Kowalski in A Streetcar Named Desire, followed by James Dean showing off his toned physique in 1955’s Rebel Without a Cause.
By the 1960s, companies had embraced putting their logos or slogans on shirts, with musicians and bands following suit.
