The classic T-shirt, a white cotton jersey crewneck that became standard military issue in World War II, is descended from undergarments worn by Navy men in the 1910s. It always was and is nothing else but man’s underwear.
American seamen, 1940s
Chanel famously adapted jersey, a fabric traditionally used for underwear, into womenswear in the twenties, but it would take decades before the jersey T-shirt gradually morphed from masculine to unisex.
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James Dean and Marlon Brando made it famous
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Brigitte Bardot and Harry Belafonte wearing the white T-shirt in the early 60s
It is the simplest, easiest piece of clothing imaginable. It has the quality of a blank page, like a screen where you can define yourself on. It denotes working-class status, symbolizes rebellion (James Dean), athleticism (from dancer to boxer).
It is timeless and can be worn everywhere. In “bad neighborhoods” as well as on the red carpet.