Vintage Tease, Please.

The beloved T-shirt.  Can any of us honestly say that we don’t own way too many of them?  Like denim, T-shirts are an American staple and part of most of our every day wardrobes, but we haven’t always been so casual.  The T-shirt, which got its name due to the garment's shape being in the form of a “T”, was once solely an undergarment worn by men in uniform.  Believe it or not, it wasn’t until the 1950’s that the T-shirt became a mainstream piece in the fashion world, with actors like James Dean, Marlon Brando, and John Wayne wearing their “underwear” on television. 

T-shirts took off from this point forward, leaving an imprint on the fashion world due to their low cost, comfort, low maintenance, and versatility.  They have become a world of self expression and advertisement, with some of the designs seemingly burned into the pop culture world forever (How many times have you seen an “I <3 NY” T-shirt?).

I, of course, love my T-shirts just like everyone else out there.  I do, however, believe there is a way to wear T-shirts that can still be fashionable and a little more polished (i.e., there are ways to wear T-shirts that don’t include sweat pants or those hideous flannel pajama pants which are meant strictly for mopping the floor or on extreme sick days).  Believe it, ladies, t-shirts do not need to be worn with sneakers!  With the layered look still all the rage this season, you can maximize your wardrobe by taking your t-shirts with you from Summer throughout the Fall season.  These suggestions also go for all of the men out there, too, who typically have entire closets full of T-shirts.  Well I’m all for options, but your color coded rack of cotton crew necks is really not useful if you are just throwing them on with the same old jeans and sneakers day after day.  It’s time to get a little creative!

1. Blouse It.  Pair a plain text t-shirt under a cropped blazer as a casual alternative to a blouse that’s a little more personal.  To pull this look off, be sure to tuck your tee into a high waisted pair of pants, or a skirt with tights.  If you opt for a text t-shirt, skip the nasty quotes and stick to a positive one word version.  Make your own by drawing or printing block letters onto a piece of card stock.  Cut the bold print letters out, leaving a stencil behind.  Be sure to put a piece of cardboard inside the t-shirt, to separate the front and back of the tee.  Place the stencil on the front of your plain colored t-shirt and spray paint with a color of your choice!  Voila!  A simple, customized DIY tee.  Try a fun word that describes something about your personality or something that you believe in.  I also recommend getting a dictionary out and knowing the actual meaning of a word before you go ahead and paint it on the front of your shirt, please.
2. Opt for Artsy Prints.  Printed T-shirts have become a little less generic and a lot more artsy lately.  Pick a t-shirt that represents your artistic side, or lack there of.  I try to carry a decent selection of artsy, graphic prints in my store most of the time, since they are super comfortable and can be dressed up or down.  Pair them with jeans and a pair of boots, or dress them up with a skirt and tights for an edgier look!  Dudes, try to stick with the jeans and boots look.  If you’re feeling super creative, try your hand at some graphic art on the computer and iron on your own creation, or get some paint pens and sharpies out on a rainy day to recreate an old white tee!  www.threadless.com has a plethora of artist designs to choose from.  You can even submit your own designs for a chance to be featured on the site and earn tons of green!
3. Steal your Boyfriend’s.  Go ahead and be a little edgy.  Steal your boyfriends favorite band T-shirt and throw it on over a pair of your old skinny jeans from last season for a look that is completely rocker glam!  To keep it in line with this Fall, try to wear a pair of bright skinnies (think red!) and a black blazer over the tee.
4. Get your Granny On.  Once again, I recommend you head over to Grandma’s attic, this time in search for some old school plaid.  What’s hot right now?  Retro plaid prints in navy, orange, and red, and of course the classic black & white patterns.  If you’re lucky enough to score some pants and blazers for free, you can spend a little on taking them to the tailors to have them fitted for a modern silhouette.  Try a funky striped T-Shirt under a plaid blazer, or a vintage look T-shirt with some black & white tweed pants.  Keep in mind that mixing plaids is tough.  I would stick with a solid counterpart to your plaid.  If you opt for the bold blazer, wear a simple black pant, jean, or complimentary bold color found somewhere in the plaid.  Likewise, don’t get too busy on top if you are wearing loud trousers.  This look translates into menswear also.  Have we already forgotten “The Rules of a Modern Gentleman: The GQ Fall 2011 Trend Report”?  The geezer look was one of my favorites, and I specifically remember the D&G plaid blazer paired with a coca-cola graphic top and corduroy pants.  Translation:  Raid grandpas closet also, and go home with some new fall options for your dude to wear over his boring T-shirt as well.

Whatever your style, t-shirts are a staple that aren’t going out of style anytime soon.  Remember, it’s OK to be comfy and stylish at the same time, so try out these way to wear your tees to get the most out of your t-shirts and stay on top of the Fall fashion trends.

For more wholesome fashion goodness, check out my store, The Purple Zebra.  Be sure to follow me on twitter at @goodnpretty.  Also, find The Purple Zebra on Facebook at www.facebook.com/purplezebrashop!