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T-shirt

language culture Maturity 11-13 Next article →

A T-shirt is a popular type of clothing for the top half of the body.

It gets its name from the shape of its body and sleeves. Most T-shirts have short sleeves and a round neckline. This round neck is often called a crew neck. Some versions have a V-shape at the neck instead.

Woman in a V-Neck T-Shirt
Woman in a V-Neck T-Shirt

These shirts are usually made of light, stretchy, and inexpensive fabric. People love them because they are very easy to clean. They are used by people all over the world every single day.

Making a T-shirt involves several interesting steps. Most are made from cotton textile in a jersey knit. This type of knit makes the fabric feel very soft and pliable.

0 Venise, Dame portant un tee-shirt à motif architectural
0 Venise, Dame portant un tee-shirt à motif architectural

Some modern shirts are made using a circular knitting machine. This creates a tube of fabric with no side seams at all. Factories use highly automated tools to make them quickly. Some machines even use a laser or a water jet to cut the fabric. This way of making clothes helps keep the cost low for everyone.

Long ago, simple T-shaped clothes were known as tunics. The modern T-shirt we know today evolved from undergarments in the 19th century. People used to wear a one-piece suit called a union suit. Later, they cut it into a top and a bottom. In 1913, the U.S. Navy began issuing white cotton undershirts to sailors.

Ww2-oiler-Arnold-R-Fesser
Ww2-oiler-Arnold-R-Fesser

These were worn under heavy uniforms to keep workers comfortable. Miners and stevedores also used them in hot places. By the 1920s, the word "T-shirt" was officially part of American English.

History shows how these shirts moved from underwear to fashion. After World War II, veterans wore their T-shirts as casual clothes. They became very famous in the 1950s after Marlon Brando wore one in a movie.

Marlon Brando in 'Streetcar named Desire' trailer
Marlon Brando in 'Streetcar named Desire' trailer

In the 1960s, people started printing designs on them for art and protests.

Ringer t-shirt
Ringer t-shirt

Today, the scale of sales is huge. About two billion T-shirts are sold worldwide every year. In Sweden, the average person buys nine T-shirts each year.

Today, T-shirts are a great way for people to express themselves. You can find shirts with famous logos, funny jokes, or movie characters.

TieDyeShirtMpegMan
TieDyeShirtMpegMan

Some people wear "ringer" T-shirts that have different colors on the collar. Others might wear a "crop top" that is very short. You can even use a T-shirt to show what you believe in. They can be used for advertisements or as souvenirs from a trip. Whether they are plain or covered in art, they are a huge part of our culture.

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🖼️ Images & Media (8)
File:Woman in a V-Neck T-Shirt.jpg
Woman in a V-Neck T-Shirt.jpg
File:Leipzig2012.jpg
Leipzig2012.jpg
File:Ww2-oiler-Arnold-R-Fesser.jpg
Ww2-oiler-Arnold-R-Fesser.jpg
File:Marlon Brando in 'Streetcar named Desire' trailer.jpg
Marlon Brando in 'Streetcar named Desire'...
File:Ringer t-shirt.png
Ringer t-shirt.png
WLA T shirt visual.pdf
File:0 Venise, Dame portant un tee-shirt à motif architectural.JPG
0 Venise, Dame portant un tee-shirt à...
File:TieDyeShirtMpegMan.jpg
TieDyeShirtMpegMan.jpg
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