Vintage t shirt
Vintage T-Shirts - A piece for every occasion
Whether as a basic t-shirt or a statement piece, vintage t-shirts are always with us . Even better if you use a sustainable alternative to the classic and use second-hand and vintage t-shirts. In the following we explain why we are so passionate about vintage t-shirts.
Vintage T-shirt styles and fabrics
Double and single stitching on vintage t-shirts
A classic distinguishing feature of second-hand (less than 20 years old) and vintage (older than 20 years old) are the thread stitches or stitches . This is particularly easy to check at the hem and sleeves.
While today only double seams are used, since the two parallel thread stitches stabilize each other, the hems and sleeves of vintage T-shirts used to be sewn with a single stitch .
Round neck & V-Neck - cutouts of vintage t-shirts
In addition to dating the age, different styles can also be identified. Because vintage T-shirts can be easily distinguished by the neck area.
While the round neck defines the absolute basic style and cannot be assigned to a fixed stage, certain V-necks of vintage T-shirts are typical for specific industries . Particularly low-cut V-necks are a clear indication of the 1970s.
Cotton & Polyester - The materials of vintage t-shirts
Hardly any fixed piece of clothing has been made from a fabric as consistently as the t-shirt. Originally, they exist almost exclusively in thick cotton vintage t-shirts with simple stitches. In the course of the early 1970s, more and more mixed materials were added.
However, polyester and cotton blends did not catch on because they had neither the clear advantages of cotton (warmth, natural fibers, absorbing sweat) nor the advantages of polyester (light, stretchy, wicking sweat away). Polyester T-shirts were initially developed for everyday wear . However, these became less and less popular in the course of the 80s and 90s.
Today there is a clear division into synthetic fibers for sporting activities and natural fibers, especially the popular cotton. So, 80s vintage t-shirts can be recognized by a thick cotton blend and single stitch hems.
The origin story of the T-shirt?
The T-shirt originated around 1800 as an undershirt that covered the armpits and was usually worn under blouses, bodices and shirts to absorb sweat and warm the wearer.
Hard to imagine today, since many people only wear a t-shirt on their upper body, but since it was considered underwear , it was frowned upon to be able to see a t-shirt.
In the meantime, however, the development of the T-shirt in seafaring has been able to assert itself. At that time, seafarers wore the rigging shirts, which, apart from the neck area, were very similar to today's T-shirts or long sleeves.
Also, the proliferation of photographs of naval sailors , especially during World War II, made showing t-shirts more acceptable. But as late as the 1950s, with movie icons and sex symbols like James Dean and Marlon Brando, t-shirts slowly became fashionable as outerwear.
As a result, vintage t-shirts found their way into the American fashion world in the 1960s and became popular in Europe, albeit 10 years later.
The special thing about the vintage T-shirt is that it was one of the few items of clothing that was immediately worn unisex by women and men. Nevertheless, the hip-hugging girlie t-shirt is still common today as a “more feminine” variant. The feminine form of the simple t-shirt is the so-called girlie shirt.
In the German word origin, it is most likely the undershirts and camisoles that can be equated directly with the T-shirts . Today one would rather associate it with sports vests or tank tops. A fitting example of how fashion has been internationalized, particularly in Italy, France, the USA and Japan, and has supplanted the country-specific designations.
Various styles of second hand t-shirts & vintage t-shirts
In our opinion, single-colored shirts with a small or no logo are often underestimated and yet simply good. We simply call them Basic Vintage T-Shirts . Even if the exciting prints of earlier decades are exciting and much of it passes as a collector's item.
At Zeitgeist, we believe that a vintage shop should also offer the opportunity to be a real alternative to fast fashion. So we also take on the basic T-shirts.
The fun T-shirts and the crazy print motifs are in complete contrast to the basics. They are flashy and loud and guarantee the wearer one thing - the looks of others . Some of these are hidden gems that you can buy cheaply from us, others are so unique that they can win a bad taste contest. No matter which one you choose, our crazy tshirts are always unique.
The vintage sports t-shirts are particularly popular with us, especially from sports clubs of Canadian and American universities and colleges . Best examples are the Michigan Spartans, Miami Dolphins, Memphis Grizzlies and many more. We are happy to be able to send you a touch of North American flair as a vintage t-shirt .
If you are enthusiastic about music and the corresponding new and old merchandise products , our band T.Shirts are just the right thing for you. Whether popular evergreen rock bands like Metallica, ACDC or Guns Roses, Spanish singer-songwriters or American hip-hop acts. There is something for everyone.
Are you interested in brands? We also have them, in addition to the sports brands already mentioned, we also have the classics such as Tommy Hilfiger, Polo Ralph Lauren and many more. We are happy to provide our customers with small and large logos.
Below is a list of all popular t-shirt styles.
Popular styles of t-shirts
Popular Brands
- Reebok t-shirts
- adidas t-shirts
- Nike t shirts
- Champion t shirts
- Tommy Hilfiger t shirts
- Hanes t shirts
- Jerzee's t-shirts
- Old Navy t shirts
- Fruit of the Loom t-shirts