IN PRAISE OF THE EVERYDAY GRAPHIC T-SHIRT.

No article of clothing combines simple functionality with the capability of self-expression quite like the wondrous and amazing graphic t-shirt Alex Wong

a vintage clothing store in New York’s Lower East Side, it was a t-shirt I needed to own – even if the price, at US$60, felt a bit steep.

Wearing this shirt would give me ownership of one of my most cherished childhood moments. It was a gateway back to all those hours I spent trying to immerse myself through wrestling. It was also my way of expressing to the rest of the world that I was a part of the culutre, not just a semi-devoted fan, but someone whose knowledge was rich enough that he would want to wear a Marty Jannetty t-shirt.

It is a matter of social necessity to wear clothing. But pieces of apparel, like the Jannetty t-shirt, can be more than a mere requirement of everyday living. They offer an opportunity to express a part of ourselves to the world. In fact, no article of clothing combines simple functionality with expression quite like a t-shirt.

The history of the graphic t-shirt can be traced back to a scene from The Wizard of Oz in 1939, when the workers stuffing the scarecrow in the movie wore green t-shirts with the word “Oz” on it. From there, graphic t-shirts started to become a part of pop culture, and the go-to piece of apparel for selfexpression. From soldiers in the Second World War wearing t-shirts bearing the logos and names of their branches to famous rock groups in the 1960s and 1970s, like The Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin, turning their branded t-shirts into collector’s items for their fans.

Today, graphic tees are everywhere, from the vintage kind to mass-produced tees from brands like Nike, Adidas, Gucci and many others. It makes perfect sense for the t-shirt to be the one piece of clothing where you can most easily express yourself. It is, after all, the most visible item of your ensemble. It’s right there, across your chest, making a first impression to anyone who takes a glance.

Today, many designer brands have recognized the value of self-expression to the consumer, and incorporated that into their strategy of producing graphic tees. Uniqlo, a Japanese casual wear company, was founded in 1949, and has evolved into a worldwide brand. is preserved for the future. We want to pass it on to the next generation, and also show them something new.”

Every t-shirt has a story, and Matsunuma is using his understanding of t-shirts as a means of self-expression to tell these stories with various collaborations. “It’s to pull out the individual,” Matsunuma said. “It’s to express pop culture, but also who you are.”

There is a price to self-expression through t-shirts, however. While Uniqlo’s tees fall on the more affordable side of the graphic tee spectrum, other brands are not so kind to the wallet. For some, simply paying to show you can afford a brand is all the expression that is desired. But there is something to be said about the journey to find a t-shirt that defines a part of your life; of being able to wear the shirt, share in the joy of it with strangers on the street who loved wrestling, and witness the thrill of people remembering a wrestler they hadn’t thought of for years. That makes the value of the t-shirt, whether it costs $60 or some other exorbitant amount, priceless.

Last December, I found myself in New York once again, this time at the popular men’s streetwear consignment store Round Two. Browsing past their selection of Supreme and A Bathing Ape vintage tees, I came across another wrestling tee, this time featuring the wrestler Ahmed Johnson. Acquiring the shirt meant adding another garment to my closet that would reflect a period of my youth.

However, this time, I paused. A few years more mature, with a mortgage and more monthly bills to manage, I thought about the t-shirt for a day, and refused my initial impulse. For anyone who has ever considered a t-shirt to be more than just another item in the closet to throw on – whether the tee represents an old concert of a forgotten band or a movie that holds special meaning to you – it has the capacity to reflect a personality, a personal history unlike any other article of clothing.

At least, this is the justification I used when I went back to the store the next day and paid another $60 for another wrestling shirt.