A History of the Humble Shirt

The term "shirt" generally refers to an item of clothing worn on the upper body

. Men's shirts come in many shapes and sizes with the button down the front' variety being one of the most popular. T-shirts, polo shirts and night shirts are just a few of the many varieties of shirt on the market as well today.

Shirts can be traced back many hundreds of years and different varieties of shirt are regarded in different ways; the dress shirt is a symbol of elegance and formality whereas the introduction of the t-shirt to mass markets represents a liberation of sorts.

For several centuries the shirt has reflected the lifestyle of the men who wore them, from the frilled shirts of the sixteenth century to the iconic white t-shirt so popular from the middle of the 20th century onwards.

In the early days, men's shirts often had frills or lace at the neck or cuffs and may have had embroidery details. Coloured shirts begin to appear in the early nineteenth century and have continued to grow in popularity ever since.

T-shirts were originally worn by military soldiers as an undergarment but gained popularity with wider audiences as the years ticked by. One of the earliest examples of the t-shirt can be traced back to the 1880's when sailors in the U.S. Navy were issued an elbow length undershirt which, when spread out on a flat surface, resembled a perfect "T" shape and hence the name was believed to have been born.

The plain old t-shirt got a makeover and slogans, words and images were printed on them, making the item of clothing popular with more and more people.

White has been a persistently popular colour for all types of shirts. White collared button-up shirts were, and still are, a trusty staple in the businessman's wardrobe, hence the well known terms "white-collar job" and "white-collar crime".

The white t-shirt initially worn by the military eventually moved into the wardrobes of the regular working man by the mid-point of the 20th century and were immortalized by well known celebrities of the time, such as James Dean and Elvis Presley, just a few famous men well known for working the white t-shirt look.

Today, a white cotton shirt is considered a wardrobe staple for both men and women for a wide variety of uses, from formal white shirts perfect for a day in the office to simple cotton or linen numbers, perfect for a day at the beach or about town.

Whatever purpose your white shirt fulfils, from men's casual shirts to the formal dress variety, you will want to keep your shirt looking as bright and fresh as possible.

Look out for detergents specially formulated for white clothing and remember to always wash white garments together and never mix with other colours as this can dull any white items.

40c is usually the ideal temperature at which to wash cotton but always check the manufacturers label for washing instructions.

A History of the Humble Shirt

By: Janine Barclay

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