“This Side of Paradise”
How often in fashion history does an undergarment turn into something iconic? If you’re thinking about Jean Paul Gaultier’s corset worn by Madonna during her 1990 tour, you’re close. Today I want to tell you the story of the white T-shirt!
From its humble beginnings, this garment already appeared in the Middle Ages, worn both to protect the skin from rough fabrics and to shield outer garments from sweat. Back then it was made of wool, silk, or linen, and the fineness of the fabric depended solely on the wearer’s social status, while the length of the hem and cuffs followed the prevailing style of the era. In the following centuries, the role of protection shifted to the shirt, and the white undershirt resurfaced in the 19th century thanks to growing attention to personal hygiene.
The white T-shirt took on its definitive form (short sleeves, crew neck, and a straight cut creating the classic “T” shape) in 1898, when the U.S. Army introduced it as part of soldiers’ uniforms. On certain missions in particularly hot climates, it was even worn as an outer garment. In 1901, Hanes became the official supplier of the U.S. Army and around the same time began advertising the garment to civilians. To do so, they leaned on what I like to call an ambiguous aesthetic: on one side, the shirt was promoted as a practical choice for fathers and hardworking men, with ads highlighting how easy it was to care for, while on the other, it subtly hinted at a virile, sexually ambivalent allure—well ahead of its time.
But the word “T-shirt” had been used rather loosely up until this point, since it is generally attributed to writer F. Scott Fitzgerald, who made the first recorded mention of the term in his 1920 novel This Side of Paradise: “(…) six suits summer underwear, six suits winter underwear, one sweater or T-shirt, one jersey, one overcoat, winter, etc.”
The ambiguity we mentioned earlier exploded uncontrollably after World War II, with Hollywood directors leading the charge. James Dean and Marlon Brando wore it with leather jackets and jeans. Everyone wanted one—above all as a gesture of rebellion against older generations. The T-shirt quickly became a canvas for messages, a symbol of belonging, and a vehicle for advertising.
By the late 1980s, with the rise of minimalism and designers such as Calvin Klein, Giorgio Armani, and Jil Sander, it was redefined as an essential item of the contemporary wardrobe—an object of design in its own right.
At the same time, the white T-shirt unwillingly came to symbolize the ethical and ecological consequences of an all-too-rapid global production and distribution system within the fashion industry.
