By the 1950s and 1960s, however, the T-shirt was already a fashion staple.
Next came printed T-shirts, and things changed yet again. Instead of being just clothing, T-shirts became a way to express personality. People started wearing shirts with band logos, funny sayings, sports teams, political messages, and artwork.
Nowadays, you can learn a lot about someone based on the T-shirt they wear.
Some people wear big, retro T-shirts. Others like snug T-shirts that are solid colors. Some collect graphic tees from concerts or vacations. A T-shirt can be cheap and simple or expensive and designer-made.
There are very few clothes that can be considered as universal as the legendary T-shirt. Youngsters wear them, grandparents wear them. You will find them in practically every culture out there.
What’s also fascinating is how many English words are built in simple descriptive ways like “T-shirt.”
For example, the word “breakfast” literally means to break a fast, the fast the body goes through while we are asleep.
“Keyboard” means nothing more than a key board.
A “notebook” is a book for taking down notes.
Even the word “cupcake” is exactly what it sounds like: a small cake originally baked in a cup.
Once you understand this logic of formation, language seems no longer mysterious but creative.
