When T-shirts Have Attitude!

You like showing off your attitude, right? It feels different and good. Well, t-shirts like to show off some attitude too. You might have spotted tees, specifically graphic tees, with witty quotes and creative designs that ooze an oomph factor which makes the tees really stand out from the crowd. Today, we take a look at the history of graphic tees to understand where it got that entire attitude from!

Humble Beginnings!

In 1913, the U.S. Navy was the first military branch to issue the T-shirt to be worn under uniforms. Yes, the t-shirt that we so casually adorn today has military connections. Back in the day, it was used as an inner wear. But eventually became acceptable for soldiers to remove their dress shirt while working in hot climates, wearing nothing but their uniform pants and a T-shirt. Then came the period where the military stared sporting custom printed tees in as early as the 1940s which featured in the LIFE magazine as well. Although the public wasn’t ready to accept this open display of “underclothing”, they soon began accepting it when new designs and colors emerged in 1950.

It was the year 1950 which brought about a major revolution in custom printed tees and designers could now come up with vibrant and attractive t-shirts that were more than just apparels. It was slowly growing into a major fashion trend, thanks to the commercial implementation of custom printing technologies that surfaced around this time. The initial designs were basically straight-forward character licenses (Disney etc) and holiday resort names. But still, it managed to pack in quite a punch.

Growing in the 80s and 90s

After the much needed foundation of a custom t-shirt printing system during the 1950s, there was a significant rise in graphic tees during the 70s and the 80s which saw large Fashion houses vomiting their logos all over shirts and, well, pretty much everything. More emphasis was given on parodies and one-lines that were very witty. People loved these kinds of designs because they were definitely fresh and a completely new take on the conventional approach. It was also an important time for big shot corporate firms who took a major risk by messing around with their corporate image and tried their hands at these unconventional designs. If this hadn’t been done, then who knows what would have been the status of graphic tees today.

Entering Hip Hop’s Golden Age

If we had to summarize the entire graphic tee trend during the 90s, then it would be perfectly summed up as “putting graffiti on tees”. Yes, that was the deal back then. One of the factors that boosted custom printing for t-shirts was that anybody with enough money in their hands could get a few tees printed just the way they wanted to. In keeping with the popular hip hop culture, people began coming up with witty lines and attitude phrases that were eventually printed on a t-shirt that they would love to sport in public. Gone were the days when you had to actually speak your mind to show off your attitude. This was an era where you could say a lot without even speaking a word. Now that was attitude at a whole new level.

Apart from personal printing, this technology was also used by small, independent labels for printing their logos and themes on t-shirts for enhanced marketing. The printing technology was more expensive that what exists today, but even then the benefits were good enough to justify the investment. So, more companies began to follow the graphic tee trend to boost their business.

Recession Strikes

The economic downturn deadened the T-Shirt fever. People just stopped buying t-shirts simply because they had other primary expenses which had to be taken care of. Business was not where it should have been. 2006 and 2007 were probably the worst years for start-ups as a lot of them ended up getting shut down. Startups, especially, had to put up a huge struggle just to remain alive. The recession, indeed, wiped out a good share of t-shirt sales. The blow was rather lethal.

The lack of sales opportunities forced manufacturers to concentrate on products that could sell, and that was something happening across the board. This led to a rise in monotone tees, especially black tees, because they were the only ones that were generating sales for the businesses. Ultimately, all that stuff has ended up in solid black, solid white, solid navy T-shirts. This wasn’t really a good time for graphic tees to usher.

Coming Out Strong!

Graphic tees managed to survive the onslaught of the recession and came out stronger than before. It wasn’t an easy task. But the determination of designers, companies and custom printing services helped the graphic tee business to stand up on its feet again. If you're passionate about something, and you really believe in something and you really want to go for it, you got to take the ups with the downs.

Now that the t-shirts survived probably the worst phase in economic history, they have all the right to show off their attitude and they are doing it in style. Just take a look around you. There are numerous t-shirt designs with funny, wacky, and serious quotes that stand apart from the crowd. Apart from the efforts of the manufacturers, it was the uniqueness of these t-shirts which really helped them to get back on track. Plus, the custom printing services became cheaper along with advancements in printing technology which really pushed the business to a whole new level.

The Road Ahead!

Graphic tees are making their presence felt in the world today. Companies like Witty Vogue have come up with fresh new designs and witty quotes that make the t-shirts all the more appealing. It is safe to say that they are driving a major segment of the fashion trends these days. In the days to come, we can expect increased sales and stiffer competition as more brands come up to enjoy a slice of success in this highly lucrative market. You, the customer, have no reasons to be worried about because in the end, you are the ones who will benefit from high quality printed tees with amazing graphics and witty quotes that are as unique as the designs on the tees.