How Vintage T-Shirts Became a Status Symbol

6 Oct, 2022 By Samantha Warren 440 Views

Vintage shirts have come a long way in the past few years. They’ve gone from being tossed into the donation pile to being scavenged at thrift stores and resold for triple the price. The wild part is that people are dying to pay that price tag to get their hands on a vintage tee.

So, what caused this rise in popularity?

Who brought vintage t-shirts back in style, and how did they become trendy again?

There’s just something about a vintage t-shirt that is the epitome of cool. It could be because it’s been around for decades and has a bit of history behind it. (Some vintage tees could be older than you or me!)

Maybe vintage shirts are cool because they’re the physical embodiment of pop culture history. Whatever the reason, vintage t-shirts are definitely having a moment in the fashion world.

We’re going to investigate this new craze for vintage t-shirts and see how they became a status symbol.

The History of Vintage T-Shirts

Buckle up because this is one fascinating story.

The first t-shirts were created in the early 1900s. They were initially designed as undershirts to layer underneath other clothing.

T-shirts gained popularity in the 1920s when they transitioned into standalone clothing items. They became prevalent during the Great Depression since they were cheap, easy to wear, and could keep people warm.

During the 1950s, t-shirts became a symbol of teenage rebellion. Icons like James Dean and Marlon Brando wore them frequently. T-shirts became even more popular in the 1960s when the hippie movement adopted them.

But in the ’70s, t-shirts reached sky-high popularity. From rock stars to movie stars, celebrities made t-shirts a fashion staple.

How Did Vintage T-Shirts Rise Back Into Popularity?

Fast forward to 2022.

Vintage t-shirts are all the rage these days. But how did they make such a comeback?

The vintage tee comeback started in the early 2000s when celebrities like Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake started rocking them on… you guessed it! The red carpet.

This sparked a renewed interest in vintage fashion and, of course, vintage t-shirts. Today, fashionistas and celebrities alike covet vintage t-shirts. They offer a unique style you can’t find in today’s mass-produced fashion. Because they’re from a different era, they have a certain cool factor that is very appealing.

It’s also because people are now more interested in wearing clothes with a story behind them. Vintage t-shirts often have cool retro designs or logos, which can be a great way to show your personality or make a statement.

And we can’t forget about social media. Vintage t-shirts are easy to wear, and the exclusivity of an authentic vintage piece is sure to get people talking online. With the rise of fashion trends like sneakers and streetwear on our favorite social media platforms, vintage t-shirts have become a staple in people’s closets.

How Does Fast Fashion Relate to This?

Simply put, fast fashion is a term used to describe clothing that is quickly manufactured to replicate current fashion trends. Then, the clothing items are often quickly disposed of to make way for the next trend.

At first, this might sound like a good thing. Who doesn’t love a new wardrobe every season? But the reality is that fast fashion has a devastating effect on our environment. Younger generations are especially aware of the impact of fast fashion on our planet.

(BTW, you can check out our blog to learn more about best practices for eco-friendly t-shirt printing and the different options we offer at Scrappy Apparel to help you reduce your footprint.)

Vintage t-shirts are the perfect way to combat fast fashion. While fast fashion brands churn out new collections at lightning speed, vintage t-shirt lovers take their time to find that one perfect shirt. And when they do find it, they wear it with pride, knowing that it’s unique and has a story.

Vintage t-shirts are also more sustainable than fast fashion. Because they’re made of higher quality materials and built to last, vintage t-shirts don’t end up in a landfill as quickly as their fast fashion counterparts. So when you wear a vintage t-shirt, you can feel good knowing that you’re helping the environment.

How to Take Advantage of Vintage T-Shirt Popularity

It isn’t an easy thing to get your hands on vintage t-shirts without having to pay much more to a reseller. However, what if we shared a way you could make custom shirts with the same vintage appeal?

If you’re looking for a vintage-style t-shirt, discharge screen printing is the way to go. This printing method gives t-shirts an old-school look and can replicate the appearance of a vintage or retro shirt with the right design.

About Discharge Screen Printing

Discharge screen printing removes color from the fabric of the shirt itself rather than adding ink on top of the fabric like traditional screen printing.

This method is often used on dark garments because it is very effective at lightening dark fabrics.

For example, if you wanted to print a white design on a black t-shirt, you could use discharge screen printing to remove the black color from the areas where you want your design to be printed.

Boom. The result is a vintage-looking t-shirt with your design printed on it.

Vintage-Style T-Shirts the Scrappy Way

Hit us up if you want to amp up your inventory with some vintage-style t-shirts! With over 16 years in the apparel industry, we can help you make the right decisions for your project based on your custom apparel goals.

On top of that, we offer: