The classic design of the tee-shirt has changed little since its inception. Constructed of pure cotton and cut for mobility and comfort, this now ubiquitous outer garment began as underwear. Soft, loose and stretchy, the tee-shirt was adopted by the U.S. Marines as standard issue underwear. By the turn of the century, Marines wore the lightweight garment on deck when performing the most rigorous tasks. The tee not only allowed full range of motion, but it dried promptly, an asset aboard the damp quarters of a ship. Furthermore, its pure white bolstered the military's emphasis on hygiene by betraying the faintest suspicion of dirt.

Regarded mainly for its function, the tee's aesthetic value would later be appreciated when U.S. soldiers were photographed working in their bright white undershirts. Halfway through the century, the undergarment came out of hiding and gained sartorial legitimacy and a popular allure. Young men sported tight white tee-shirts with jeans to showcase a finely tuned physique.

During the sixties, feminists unbound their breasts and found comfort in the loose tee-shirt. Activists exploited the tee-shirt as a billboard for political messages; the tee even got psychedelic when hippies twisted it and dipped it in dye to create vivid swirls for acid trips. The tee-shirt was the uniform of the counterculture.

The seventies and eighties marked the apotheosis of the tee-shirt, which was the canvas for infinite messages, bands, brands, and personal creations. Children bedazzled and puff-painted packs of Hanes undershirts; the more sophisticated learned to silk screen and spray paint. More than a novelty, the printed tee-shirt became a cash cow--every theme park, restaurant, bar, sports team and music band had a tee shirt. These garments transcended their function--they captured memories, broadcast personal beliefs, could serve both style and substance.