80s T Shirts

If you were a child growing up in the 80's, you know what an exciting time that was. Special effects in movies made you scream, laugh and cry. Michael Jackson became the King of Pop and his Thriller video was the greatest video ever produced. This was the beginning of one of the biggest trends in apparel that has continued for decades with no end in sight. The trend we are referring to is t-shirts with so many different designs that the choices are simply never ending.

Star Wars was a huge success in the 80's and t-shirts were designed with many of the character's images emblazoned on the front. R2D2, Luke Skywalker, Princess Leah and even Darth Vader images flooded the market and was imprinted on t-shirts as each new movie hit the theaters. Many teens were so enthralled with the series that they would wait in line for days just to purchase the first t-shirt with their favorite character's image on it.

At first manufacturers produced t-shirts with appliqués on them that had to be steam pressed on. After numerous trips to the washer and dryer, these began to bubble up and peel from the surface of the shirt. Screen printing was used thousands of years ago to create apparel, so manufacturers decided to try this method of transfer. They realized that screen printed t-shirts could be produced in mass quantities and cheaper than appliqués plus the images they produced lasted for years. This quickly became one of the fastest and most effective ways of producing the 80's t-shirts with the consumer's favorite characters imprinted on them.

Movies are not the only characters that made 80's t-shirts a hit. Cartoons, sci-fi shows, sitcoms and bands increased the sales of these shirts to the point they are today. Walt Disney movies and cartoons became a large part of the 80's t-shirt trend with band images trailing. Teens who attended rock concerts were literally throwing money down to purchase their t-shirts with their favorite band emblazoned on them. The Grateful Dead was one of the first hard rock bands to produce shirts with a list of their concerts on the backs. Dead Heads scrambled to purchase these shirts and even tried desperately to collect a t-shirt from each of their concerts making these shirts the most sought after 80's t-shirts ever. Collectors, still today, search for these t-shirts and pay good money for them when they are obtainable.

An 80's child will remember all of these things with a twinkle in their eyes for the greatest decade in the 20th century. Even adults loved this period in time because it helped produce some of the greatest memories for them as well. Vacations brought t-shirts from around the country into their homes in commemoration of their family togetherness. Babies were donned in cartoon t-shirts with funny sayings and teens from all across the country sported their favorite movie and band on their chests. It may seem like a lifetime ago but for some of us, it was just yesterday.