Slogan Sass

Slogan tees have certainly been around for a while in the fashion industry. However, more recently, designers have grown more creative and more progressive with their use of slogans on various garments.

According to Alyssa Hardy (2017), “What you wear can say so much about your personality and beliefs. Lately, with so much uncertainty in the world, brands across the country are coming up with ways to incorporate these causes into something that everyone can wear: the classic white tee.” Therefore, the slogan tee has certainly become a political statement, in addition to a fashion statement. Additionally, slogan tee dates back to the 1960s with the birth of individuality in the fashion industry, and survived through many decades of evolving fashion. Why are these statement pieces still relevant in today’s street style and runway shows? Racked author, Elyse Hauser, think that social media may have an influence. “Maybe that’s why the slogan tee has boomed in popularity during the Internet era. It’s how we talk to each other. Text messages. 140 characters or less. A new post every day” (Hauser 2017).

Perhaps social media is responsible for the continuation of this style, but also, the blossoming of brands that dedicate a major portion of their brand to slogan pieces may have made a contribution. For example, Wildfox features lines of graphic tees and slogan sweatshirts each and every season. With their global partnerships with brands such as Coca-Cola and Mattel, they are able to create quite popular designs. Personally, I just purchased a Wildfox slogan sweatshirt from the Marshall’s in Athens, Georgia and I cannot wait to wear it with leggings to class and over a swimsuit once summer rolls back around.

Mary Kate Donahue, 2017.

Additionally, major fast fashion retailers such as, Forever 21, H&M, Zara, Urban Outfitters, Nasty Gal and Asos, among others, all stock various slogan tees. On the other end of the spectrum, couture designers like Gucci, Dior, Paco Rabanne, Moschino and Givenchy have incorporated the trend into their recent collections. In addition to unique slogan tees for the individual, some brands designed these tees for coordination with a friend. For example, Show Me Your Mumu featured “Big Sis” and “Lil Sis” tees this season and last season they saw success with a “Fun Brunette” and “Smart Blonde” slogan tee pairing.

Slogan tees can tell a story. Whether that story is a political one, a personal one or simply a playful one, the message is seen by numerous people via a slogan tee. These garments give the individual the power to show what causes she fights for or if she is an avid coffee drinker. Some like to wear their heart on their sleeve, but others like to put words in its place.

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References

Hardy, A. (2017, October 30). T-Shirts With Protest Slogans That Actually Help Causes You Care About. Teen Vogue. Retrieved from https://www.teenvogue.com.

Hauser, E. (2017, March 7). Sassy Slogan Tees Are Here to Stay. Racked. Retrieved from https://www.racked.com.