Flashback: Su
Slogan and graphic tees are very much in fashion at the moment. From Gucci bringing out a street style favourite, a plain tee with 'Gucci' emblazoned on it, to the high street stores stocking a huge number of statement tops featuring phrases like 'girl gang' or 'hun', these tops are everywhere.
This isn't a new trend though, as Su explains: "This photo is from 1986 when I was 19, it was a mens' t shirt bought in the sale!! I wore it with a big belt (which you can't see) or tucked into jeans. It was around the time when there were big slogans on t-shirts due to bands like Wham (e.g. Choose Life) and Frankie Goes to Hollywood (e.g. Frankie says Relax)."
Slogan tees are a favourite with many people as they are the perfect way to express yourself through the clothes you wear. They make an obvious statement and start many a conversation.
Katharine Hamnett in the anti-nuclear statement tee
It can be said, that slogan tees go way back to the 1960s when a shop called Mr Freedom on the King's Road in Chelsea sold disney-inspired tees. However, when Vivienne Westwood created politically motivated tees in the 1970s it really opened up opportunities and the trend of slogan t-shirts - perfect for the punk era of the time.
In the 1980s, this was taken further by Katharine Hamnett who is well-known for a picture of her shaking hands with the then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in a t-shirt reading "58% don't want perishing" - an anti-nuclear statement.This was the start of many a slogan t-shirt including those of which Su mentions.
Gucci tee (as mentioned above)
In the more recent years, Henry Holland injected fun into slogan t-shirts with tongue in cheek phrases, for example 'Do me daily Christopher Bailey'. This was an affectionate dig at the fashion industry but one that went down well.
It seems that slogan t-shirts are now a wardrobe staple for both men and women, a piece that can be worn time and time again whether it is to make a political statement, raise a few eyebrows or just to have a little fun with an outfit.