Retro T-Shirts
Kathy Austin
The t-shirt began its journey in the world of fashion, in 1901, as a humble underwear and, aided by the helping hand of the US Navy and the icons of the tinsel world, is now ruling the roost of haut couture in every nook and corner of the world. There is no field which has not found the t-shirt as a medium of expression.
Over the years, of more that half a century, the t-shirt has placed its hands, benevolently and malevolently, on practically everybody and everything in every imaginable way. Benevolently when it made people laugh in good healthy humor and when it supported some just cause. Malevolently when it ridiculed for the sake of ridiculing and when it was downright rude and offensive. It has made people stop and think, made them forget their worries by making them laugh and turn away in disgust.
In the fifty years since it became a popular item of wear, the t-shirt has been used in umpteen number of ways, leaving its mark on just about any subject under the sun. It is a media of expression of practically everything that you can think of and some more. Touching every possible human emotion, it has endeared it self in such a way that it is a national phenomenon. From infants to seniors every one sports them. It has evoked good healthy laughter, raised serious issues, made people smirk, ridiculed just about any topic and has also been blatantly nasty.
Others would have depicted some famous bygone actor, actress, musician, baseball player or some other such celebrity in some field or another. Yet some others could have carried a quote or a unique message or even a joke relevant to that particular era but which is not pertinent in the present context.
This is where the concept of "Retro" comes into play and which refers to anything that was once in fashion but had slowly faded away to give place to more contemporary designs and material but are now making a come back. There are retro dresses, there are retro shoes AND there are retro t-shirts. These shirts, like the "Flash Gordon" t-shirts and those that pictured some of the great rock and roll singer or jazz musician of the yesteryears could create a reminiscence that weaves a magical fabric in one's mind's eye. So might some quotes, jokes, pictures or graphics.
Retro t-shirts can be worn as a fashion statement. These t-shirts are just as popular as the contemporary ones with current fashion statements and advanced graphics. And since the t-shirt are worn irrespective of age, they could make perfect gifts to seniors to whom they will bring sweet memories. But beware, they might bring bitter memories also.
In as much as there is no discrimination of age in the wearing of t-shirts, one with a picture of Louis Armstrong could cloud the eyes of some senior citizen and there lies the potential for great gifts. The demand for these t-shirts shoots up during carnivals and sports events.
In as much as retro t-shirts are staging a strong comeback, they can be purchased off the shelf or if a person happens to find a picture, joke or catchphrase from those days of yore that one thinks is relevant to the present times or could make a unique statement, then al one has to do is get on the Internet and get a customized retro t-shirt made and delivered. Could make a happy time travel too.
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