T-Shirts in the 1930s - 1940s

[FedoraFan112390]

When did T-Shirts first begin to get popular; and would you say they ever caught on with the GI Generation (1910-1926)?


Why did so many members of the GI Generation not wear hats, when their older brothers and parents did? It seems like hat wearing disappeared overnight.

and lastly, do any of you remember seeing older guys wearing V-Neck t-shirts in the 60s and 70s?

 

[FedoraFan112390]

Films That Show Early Jeans, T-Shirt Wear

Hey--

Was wondering if there are any films made in the 50s or 60s which showed the slow changes away in dress--like films made in that era which showed the first people in jeans or t-shirts, or guys with longer hair; contrasted with the older style--hats and formality?

 

[Michaelshane]

I saw mostly tank top t's

 

[scotrace]

T shirts = undershirts? I believe these were seen quite early in the century.

2. Hat wearing declined over a long period, beginning before WWI. Read the excellent "Hatless Jack."

3. Yes.

 

[FedoraFan112390]

T shirts = undershirts? I believe these were seen quite early in the century.

2. Hat wearing declined over a long period, beginning before WWI. Read the excellent "Hatless Jack."

3. Yes.

I meant T-Shirts as a premier form of outerwear.

 

[Dixon Cannon]

Yes. If you want to see it from a British perspective, rent 'A Hard Day's Night' from 1964. Remembering that those four lads radically changed styles beginning that year in America with the release of that film, one gets to see some real squares as they contrast with the 'british invasion' of fab, gear fashion and music.

Shot in b&w, the film really give a great feel for the era as things seem to change that year from dreary greys of the 1950's to an emerging psychedelia over the subsequent thousand days.

That's my pic for film that fits the request.

-dixon cannon

 

[scotrace]

You have several posts about the origins of casual wear (jeans and t shirts). Can you just explain what you're after? Maybe we can help more easily. A specific look, style etc?
(Title edited to help other members)

 

[funneman]

Yes. If you want to see it from a British perspective, rent 'A Hard Day's Night' from 1964. Remembering that those four lads radically changed styles beginning that year in America with the release of that film, one gets to see some real squares as they contrast with the 'british invasion' of fab, gear fashion and music.

Shot in b&w, the film really give a great feel for the era as things seem to change that year from dreary greys of the 1950's to an emerging psychedelia over the subsequent thousand days.

That's my pic for film that fits the request.

-dixon cannon

"He's a clean old man!"

Plus a lot of the Bob Hope movies from the early sixties are based around the differences
between his generation AND "kids today". There's one, where he takes his daughter to Scandinavia and there are a lot of jokes around those differences. My favorite is when the handsome young man picks them up at the airport in a VW. Hope looks at it and quips "Maybe we should put the CAR in the LUGGAGE."

"With Six You Get Eggroll" with Brian Keith and Doris Day. There's a whole chase scene involving a hippie motorcycle gang led by Jamie Farr and Christopher what's-his-name from M*A*S*H and George Carlin as an Ice Cream Man.

 

[Hemingway Jones]

"Rebel Without A Cause" springs to mind; James Dean contrasted with Jim Backus.

"A Touch of Evil" has the Mexican gang in pompadors and leather jackets vs Charlton Hestons contempory stylishness and Orson Welles slightly dated disshevelled police detective.

"On the Waterfront" has a perfect contemporary mix of clothing for it's time.

 

[FedoraFan112390]

You have several posts about the origins of casual wear (jeans and t shirts). Can you just explain what you're after? Maybe we can help more easily. A specific look, style etc?
(Title edited to help other members)

I love sociology, and the whole generation gap of the 60s-70s really interests me. Not only that, but I find it really fascinating how the way people had generally dressed for generations (hats, formal wear, etc) almost totally disappeared within the course of about ten years. Like, I look at a picture like this:

And think "where did all those hats/people go"?

As far as a specific look--I mean the 30s/older people look (slacks, dress shirts, maybe hats) constrasted with younger look (jeans, long hair, t-shirts)

 

[Burnsie]

Add to the above "Blackboard Jungle" (1955). The buttoned down, suited teachers vs. the white t-shirted jeans wearing students

 

[scotrace]

As in, from this:

To this?

 

[flat-top]

City Across The River (1949) depicts Brooklyn teens in T shirts (solid and striped), jeans and khakis by day, but at night they don sharp suits and ties.

 

[FedoraFan112390]

As in, from this:

To this?

Basically yeah. I also like movies showing older folks embracing the younger culture. It's interesting to me to see how members of the older generation dealt with the craziness of the younger generation. For example:

The first picture is a member of my family in 1949. The second picture is the same man (on the left) and his brothers in 1973. In that picture he was 53. His eldest brother, the one in the middle, was 63, and his middle brother was 61. Note all of them have long sideburns and are wearing wild, 70s clothes.

 

[Burnsie]

City Across The River (1949) depicts Brooklyn teens in T shirts (solid and striped), jeans and khakis by day, but at night they don sharp suits and ties.

Cool movie - it was based on the book "Amboy Dukes"

 

[flat-top]

Cool movie - it was based on the book "Amboy Dukes"

Yep. I actually just watched it again last night!

 

[Bassman]

Some (a lot) of the '50s Sci-Fi/monster movies had teens in dress of the day and the styles were specific to the locales where these films were shot.
"Cheepnis"!

edit to add: Ted Nugent (pictured above) was in a band called The Amboy Dukes (mentioned above).

 

[just_me]

Cool movie - it was based on the book "Amboy Dukes"

I grew up in Brooklyn. Everyone I knew read The Amboy Dukes. I should probably get a copy and reread it and then watch City Across the River.

 

[Sefton]

Actually I believe that Bruce Springstein would be a better reference than Ted Nugent as the Nuge was more of a loincloth and furry tail sort of dresser (with age I believe that he's become more of a camo and t-shirt sort). There are numerous films that depict men wearing jeans and t-shirts, but they usually are "working class / blue collar" types. To see a depiction of an average, possibly white collar man dressed that way I think that we may have to enter the second half of the 1960s or even the early 1970s to find an example.

 

[Burnsie]

I grew up in Brooklyn. Everyone I knew read The Amboy Dukes. I should probably get a copy and reread it and then watch City Across the River.

Wow, so you were one of the "wayward youth in Brooklyn" (from the paperbacks front cover)! I was amazed by how true to the book the movie was - some pretty controversial stuff there! Have you read Cry Tough! - "Further revelations of the blazing hates and loves of "The Amboy Dukes"?