A Short History of the Humble T-Shirt

A Short History of the Humble T-Shirt

What is it about the humble t-shirt?

The t-shirt has been a staple of everyone's wardrobe for a long time. They come in many colors and styles and there is a t-shirt to suit everyone out there, but how can they be tied to our identity? Have you ever considered how the clothes you wear can be a part of your identity?

Poll

Do you think the clothes you wear are part of your identity and personal expression?

• Yes

• No

• Maybe

Identity can be defined as

Identity is the qualities, beliefs, personality, looks and/or expressions that make a person (self-identity as emphasized in psychology) or group (collective identity as pre-eminent in sociology). One can regard the awareness and the categorizing of identity as positive or as destructive.

Open Ended

The last slide showed the definition of identity as being:

Identity is the qualities, beliefs, personality, looks and/or expressions that make a person (self-identity as emphasized in psychology) or group (collective identity as pre-eminent in sociology). One can regard the awareness and the categorizing of identity as positive or as destructive.

In what way can identity be destructive? How can identity be positive?

Open Ended

Had you ever considered the history of t-shirts or the clothes we wear before? Write down something you learned from the short video.

Definition of Design

A design is a plan or specification for the construction of an object or system or for the implementation of an activity or process, or the result of that plan or specification in the form of a prototype, product or process. The verb to design expresses the process of developing a design.

T-shirt design is BIG business. What makes a successful design?

• Eye-catching image

• Bold text

• A funny play on words

• Pop-culture references

• A personal statement

T-shirts can also have a message

• They can make political statements

• They can identify you as part of a group or team

• They can express your interests

• They can show what is important to you and your identity

• 
  

If Ms. O had to pick a t-shirt to represent her identity.

Open Ended

What message do you think this t-shirt is telling us? What could you guess about the identity of the person wearing a t-shirt like this?

You have been tasked to come up with a design for a school t-shirt.

• It should include "PS 195" and "Class of 2021" somewhere in the design

• The image should be clear and eye-catching

• Consider a design that expresses identity and what you want people to think about your graduating class

• Let's go to Seesaw and try out a few ideas.