Vintage T-Shirts

This title presents the overwhelming power of the classic undershirt. With the addition of just a few letters or an image the simple T-shirt can become a personal billboard. Ironically, though it started life as the standard issue undershirt of the U.S. military, by the mid-70s this humble garment had become a vector for self-expression and individualism, as countless political slogans were emblazoned on its front. Worn by the masses and the privileged alike, the printed T-shirt has since been embraced by high fashion, street culture, and everything in between. Yet its basic form and function are unchanged, and this quintessentially American item - best teamed with a pair of blue jeans - remains the simplest and most direct way of broadcasting our ideals and alleigances, sense of humor and cultural passions. Selected from the collection of Marc and Patrick Guetta, owners of World of Vintage T-Shirts on Melrose Avenue, this book assembles over 850 stone-cold classics of the genre. Drawn primarily from the golden era of the 1970s and 1980s, these vintage T-shirts are not merely nostalgic artifacts; they represent an historical record of political, popular and corporate thought in America. Vintage T-Shirts documents the most striking variations on this infinitely versatile garment. With an introduction on the history of the T-shirt in American popular culture by Alison Nieder, Vintage T-Shirts is an essential work of reference for anyone interested in pop culture, fashion, or graphic design.