T-shirts

                                                        T- SHIRTS



     In 1904 the Cooper Underwear Co. ran an advertisement for bachelors that introduced a crew neck undershirt that instead of having buttons down the front it could be pulled over the head. This was the birth of what we now call the T- shirt. General acceptance of this garment came about in 1913 when the U.S. Navy began issuing T-shirts as part of the clothing to be worn by sailors. The Army soon followed suit as did millions of workers from farmers to dockworkers and businessmen.
     The author F. Scott Fitzgerald is credited with coining the name "T-shirt" in his 1920 novel "This Side Of Paradise". The name correctly described the shirt when it was on a flat surface, F. Scott used the term to describe an item of clothing young boys packed when they left for boarding school.
     In 1950 T-shirt ownership was so widespread that the next logical progression entered the scene. The Miami based Tropix Togs entered into a deal with Walt Disney and the state of Florida to print images on shirts, Mickey Mouse was emblazoned on peoples chest nationwide and do you remember the shirts that said "someone I know went to Florida and all I got was this shirt "? Thus T-shirts as an advertising tool was born, the unknowing or uncaring public would purchase a T-shirt from a business with the company logo on it and walk around displaying the shirt for all to see, the company not only made money from the sale of the shirt it got free advertising to boot.
     By 1967 T-shirts became placards for all sorts of images from pop art to political statements and comic images, if you couldn't find one to express your ideas there were shops who would print whatever you had on your mind. Today T-shirts are sold in practically every type of business from the local convenience store to big dept. stores and even building material stores. Every tourist area has several shops devoted to nothing but T-shirts of all persuasions of color and graphics.
     Today 95 % of Americans wear T-shirts on a daily basis. I started wearing T-shirts when I was a kid in the 1950's, it was then that T-shirts were considered underwear to be worn under your shirt except those T-shirts worn during gym class, they usually were in the school colors and had the school name emblazoned on the back or front. From then on I was seldom without my T-shirt, I am writing this wearing a shirt that declares me to be a "Top Dad".
     Over the years Linda and I collected and wore many T-shirts of various colors decorated with all sorts of images both serious and comical. I am sure I once had a Budweiser shirt, I drank enough of their beer that I should have bought stock in the company.
     I had a friend named Mike, we were the same height and build but he was 10 years older than me and our mutual friends jokingly called us old Mike and young Mike. This disturbed old Mike so he came up with the idea of each week we would jump on a set of scales, he who weighed the most would be known as fat Mike for the next week. Linda and I moved to Florida but we kept up the relationship and on a visit to see us Mike walked in and tossed a bright orange T-shirt to me, it had "Fat Mike " imprinted on the front. Because of our friendship I wore the shirt everywhere over the next few years, it drew many chuckles and remarks from strangers and made a good conversation piece, it was all in good fun.
     While living in Florida I did something to help out a friend and they were so happy about the outcome that they said "damn you're good", I adopted the phrase and used it often. My friends gave me a key chain (which I still carry today ), it has a flat well worn piece of metal embossed with black letters "Damn I'm Good". My mother heard about the story and for Christmas gave me a T-shirt with the words "Damn I'm Good"written across the front. Again it was all in good fun and I was proud to wear the shirt everywhere.
     Linda has also been the recipient of many T-shirts over the years, one in particular was when she was pregnant with Danny. One of the big baby shower gifts of the day was an extra large T-shirt big enough to decently cover a bulging belly, it said "our baby is here" and there was an arrow pointing down to the belly. Having waited for twelve years for this kid to come along she was happy to display her condition to the whole world. Weekends would often find us at the Disney World hotel complex walking around checking out the various festivities they had, there was always a crowd. One weekend as we walked around the complex holding hands I noticed people smiling and even snickering as we passed them, it finally dawned on me that Linda about eight months pregnant wearing her "our baby is here" shirt and me walking beside her wearing my "damn I'm good" shirt. Guess we did cause quite a few snickers and giggles.
     Over the years I have worn all manner of T-shirts most were decorated with company logo's, colorful fish or scenes of leisure. Clay had a friend who worked for a company that had a large quantity of shirts made for a customer who happened to be a contractor, the shirts were red with white lettering and they had a pocket on the front, the problem was that they misspelled something and had to throw them out. Clay's friend got hold of the shirts and I wound up with at least a dozen or more. I wore the shirts to work and around the house for ten years or more, in some circles I was known as that man in the red shirt, I had enough of them to wear every day for about two weeks.
     Linda had many T-shirts that she wore for all occasions, she bought few of them as friends gave her most of them. The shirts were decorated with the American flag, birds, butterflies, puppies, angels and flowers. One plain shirt had holes in it from the parrot she had, Mango the bird would climb around the shirt as she sat crocheting and bite holes in the shirt. The bird was loud and obnoxious but the two of them were a pair, she cried for days when it died, she didn't give up the shirt for a couple of years afterward, it was her Mango shirt.
     When Linda died I washed all of her clothes and put them away as if she would need them again soon. I asked several of her friends if they would like some of Linda's things as a reminder of her, they said they needed nothing to remind them of Linda. Linda's clothes have hung in the closet untouched for months. Her T-shirts were many and varied in style, color and content, most were given to her, maybe she bought a couple because they were cute. Some were threadbare and faded but she couldn't bear to give them up, they each had a special meaning for her, but more importantly they had a special meaning for the people that loved her.
     I recently offered the kids any of Linda's clothing they may want before I pass them along to some charity. Marie wanted the shirt Linda was most noted for, across the front it said " I have a coupon for that". Maggie on the other hand hated to see any of the shirts go away so I told her to take what she wanted then I told her about Linda making a couple of memory quilts for people. The idea was to use articles of clothing ( mostly T-shirts ) from a deceased person to make quilt squares, each square represented a memorable moment in that persons life. Maggie seemed to think a memory quilt would be a good use for Linda's T-shirt collection, she walked out with a couple of large bags full of clothing. I will look forward to seeing the quilt when she finishes it.
     According to the internet, 9 out of 10 Americans have at least one T-shirt they refuse to throw away because of a sentimental attachment. I have forty seven years of memories of Linda and her T-shirts each one is special and will never be thrown out.