Graphic t-shirts enter the world of haute couture

tshirt Graphic t shirts enter the world of haute couture Al Keser wrote this article for us. He is a New York fashionista, intrigued by the on-goings in the urban fashion scene in the Big Apple. He is writing on behalf of R.A.G., the New York clothing store which specializes in urban wear such as graphic t-shirts, plaid shorts, and baby doll t-shirts. R.A.G. was established in 1959, has 5 locations in Manhattan, including one at Times Square.

Graphic t-shirts enter the world of haute couture

It was only 15 years ago when teenagers were still seen wearing Nirvana band t-shirts showing off their adoration for the grunge band lead by Kurt Cobain. These t-shirts were seen as un-stylish, over-sized, and definitely not acceptable in any New York nightclub (not that these kids were trying to get in). That was back then. Today, brands from Armani to American Eagle carry graphic t-shirts that are both stylish and are completely acceptable elements of fashionable clothing. This has happened for many reasons, mainly due to changes in t-shirt manufacturing, but also in the mindset that it is okay to pay over $10 for a tee.

Graphic t-shirts, in general, were part of the anti-establishment culture that reigned with the grunge movement and previously with 80’s hip-hop (anyone say Run DMC?). Then came West Coast gangster rap and its series of graphic tees that idolized stars such as Tupac. Interestingly enough, we also owe these two groups for the advent of plaid as being cool.

These days, vintage tees from the 80’s – especially Run DMC’s – are sold for astronomical amounts (up to $13 000) and major fashion houses such as Armani and Ralph Lauren have began to produce graphic t-shirts with new techniques that make them fashionable and hip. New weaving techniques have made it possible to make very fine cotton, while distressed finishes allow for vintage looks to be enhanced – as seen in many American Eagle t-shirts.

What has really made graphic tees a hot item are the many 2.0 websites that have popped up – such as Threadless.com – that feature very original designs, which was rare thing back in the day. Now that a t-shirt can be a work of art and not something mass-produced, its value rises and it becomes a cool t-shirt. These new arenas are giving way for more graphic t-shirt designers to show-off their talents. They are relying on the graphic design software that is readily available – also something absent a few years ago.

New York stores now readily carry graphic t-shirts that resemble the usual Gothic style as well as abstract designs. These tees have become part of the mainstream. The market for graphic t-shirts has grown in the meantime. People are not only okay to pay a lot of money for graphic tees, they are also okay with displaying messages besides a name brand or a band name on their clothing. Now every college student wants a t-shirt that sends a message about him or herself in an original way, and be able to go out in clubs without a problem.

In the streets of New York, you will not miss the number of ironic, funny, or offensive messages delivered via graphic tee. In clubs, worn under a dress jacket, graphic t-shirts are becoming a statement. They have become what’s hot. Meantime, those anti-establishment folks have turned elsewhere. The mainstream crowd should not be far behind.

Related Posts - Highly Relevant Content

Vintage Clothing, an inspired industry Veronica Cizmar, the owner of SomeLikeItVintage.com has written this article exclusively for our Weblog. Vintage Clothing, an inspired industry Every year consumer online shopping and spending increases. The average online purchase is now approaching $250 with consumers becoming more confident in buying higher ticket items such as electronics to cars,......
Love for Vintage This is a nice personal story written by Elizabeth Burn, a kind entrepreneur in the vintage clothing industry. Love for Vintage My love for vintage began when I was a poor college student in NYC, basically out of necessity, it evolved from a hobby and passion into a business. At......
Some tips to think about when deciding to have a web site built Judith Palfrey is a professional web site developer for 14 years and has developed some special websites to help small businesses advertise in their local community using the Internet. She is also the President of Shopping Portals, Inc. affiliated with Palfrey Associates. To learn more about her services visit: www.ShopGaithersburg.com,......
There is not Bad Weather, Just the Wrong Clothing Jeff Knowlton wrote this exclusive article for us. He is the National Account Manager of 66North.com. 66°NORTH Ltd. is among Iceland’s oldest manufacturing companies. It was established in the year 1926 and has throughout the decades been a leading producer and innovator in the making of working clothes used on......
Clothing, Jewelry, Computers This is an interesting Weblog about online shopping and, to be more specific, about clothing, jewelry and computers. So you'll read articles about online shops, shopping experiences, consumers stories and also reviews. But there will be much more than this, as example we'll talk about the online shopping phenomenon and......

Related Websites - Highly Relevant Content

Brand Resistant T-Shirts: Dress To Resist. A while back I was contacted by Andi, the owner of Brand Resistant, to check out her small clothing company as she thought I would find it pretty cool. She even sent along a t-shirt for me, as seen below: Andi's company prides itself on being an ethical producer of......
New T Shirt Trends This Spring With Spring on the way all of the t-shirt companies seem to be releasing new Spring/Summer lines and there seems to be more new releases than ever. This is a good thing for everyone. The styles are different than last Spring in general. The worn look vintage style tee shirts......
Del Norte Golf Course, Crescent City, CA Del Norte Golf Course is located in: Crescent City, CA Phone: 707-458-3214 Website: http://www.delnortegolf.com/rates.cfm Course History: Del Norte Golf Course is a semi-private club that is open to the public. The course is actually nine holes, but most players prefer to schedule a round of eighteen. The course was built......
Hm, more clothes than I thought As I mentioned previously, we lost our luggage recently. We've still only gotten one bag back, which means that a good deal of our clothes are still missing. We've gone out and replaced quite a bit (I got 3 packs of tank tops at $11.50/pack at Costco, for example) and......
The Eagles Shirt Memorabilia -> Music Memorabilia -> Eagles Band and concert shirts are one of the most popular forms of music-related collectibles, so the Eagles shirt is a highly collectible way to celebrate a band with an almost 40-year history. The Eagles formed in 1971, and have influenced rock music and the......