T-Shirt introduced in 1940s

 Different T-Shirt introduced in 1940s

On July the 13th, 1942, the cover story for Life magazine features a photo of a soldier wearing a T-shirt with the text "Air Corps Gunnery School". In the first few years after World War Two, the European fashion for wearing T-shirts as an outer garment, inspired mainly by new US army uniforms, spread to the civilian population of America. Sherry began business in 1948, the owner and founder, Quinton Sandler, was quick to catch onto the new T-shirt trend, and quickly expanded the screen print scarf company into the largest screen print licensed apparel producer in the United States. Soon more and more celebrities were seen on national TV sporting this new risqué apparel including John Wayne, and Marlon Brando. 

By 1948, the T-shirt became commonplace among civilians, as well as a marketing tool for political campaigns. The first recorded shirt featuring a slogan was for New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey’s presidential campaign, which read “Dew it for Dewey.” Fortunately for T-shirts, the outcome of that election had no bearing on the future of the garment’s popularity.

Eventually, the basic white shirt became more than just an undergarment and grew in popularity. Vets would often wear these undershirts as casual clothes, matched with the pants from their uniform, or while doing physical labor, like construction work or training. In 1942, Life magazine even featured a T-shirt-clad soldier on their cover

.