The History of the T-Shirt

While some say that the inception of the t-shirt should be credited to the British Royal Navy or possibly even the French Army, there is no doubt that the t-shirt, as we know it today, started on American soil – well, on American ships and submarines out at sea. In 1913, the United States Navy issued a white, crew-neck, breathable, cotton shirt to replace the hot and stuffy, wool uniform undershirts that were currently being worn. The cotton short-sleeved shirt, which was shaped like a T, was quick-drying and allowed for ease of movement. As a teenager in high school, I was in choir. One of the songs that we sang for one event was “There is Nothing Like a Dame”, from South Pacific. The entire night the choir had been singing in its mandatory uniform – black dresses for women, tuxedos for men. When it came time to sing this song, however, the men changed into jeans, khaki pants, cargo shorts, and plain, white t-shirts. The only required part of the outfit was the white t-shirt. I never really understood why. But I will never forget all of us up on the stage wearing our white t-shirts. If you aren’t familiar with South Pacific, it is a musical that takes place on a U.S. Navy base, during World War II. At the time I was not aware of the historical significance of the Navy and the t-shirt, but now it makes more sense.

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