Perhaps the ultimate icon of this generation, the ‘T-shirt’ originated from tea and shirts. The history claims that seventeenth-century workers downloading tea boxes from boats in the harbor of Annapolis in the US wore a kind of short sleeve shirt that was eventually named the T-shirt in reference to the tea as well as form of the shirt, which resembled the letter ”T.” By the 1920s, the word T-shirt appeared in official U.S. dictionaries. Over time, what was originally just a form of warm-weather work clothing has evolved and developed a life of its own. The T-shirt, in its simplist form, makes a statement about the wearer. Whether political, artistic, or humorous, a T-shirt displays a message that reflects the ideals of the wearer. T-shirts are one of the world’s most prolific forms of graphic message and personal statement, both commercial and personal. This collection looks at the T-shirt and its many forms. The chapters include The Legend of the T-shirt, Power of an Idol, Duplication of Art, Declaration, Mobile Posters, Simple and Fashionable, Design Element, and Technique. Altogether, this volume provides an immense catalog of 500 designs for inspiration and enjoyment for designers, crafters, and T-shirt enthusiasts.
