A T-shirt (or tee shirt) is a shirt which is pulled on over the head to cover most of a person's torso. A T-shirt is usually buttonless, collarless, and pocketless, with a round neck and short sleeves. The sleeves of the T-shirt extend at least slightly over the shoulder but not completely over the elbow (in short-sleeve version). A shirt that is either longer or shorter than this ceases to be a T-shirt. T-shirts are typically made of cotton or polyester fibers (or a mix of the two), knitted together in a jersey stitch that gives a T-shirt its distinctive soft texture. T-shirts can be decorated with text and/or pictures, and are sometimes used to advertise (see human billboard). A tagless T-shirt was invented by Charles Bevington which is now used on any article of clothing.

T-shirt fashions include styles for men and women, and for all age groups, including baby, youth, and adult sizes.

History

The origin of the T-shirt is obscure. The shirt has been a part of clothing since ancient Egypt, consequently, there have been many garments which resemble a T-shirt. A type of cotton T-shirt was developed in England around 1880 as a form of underwear to be worn under men's shirts. It was originally called a "vest" or "under-vest". From 1913 to 1948 there was continuous development.

Most research mentions the possibility that the idea of the T-shirt came to the United States during World War II when US soldiers noticed the light cotton undershirts European soldiers were using while the US soldiers were sweating in their wool uniforms. Since they were much more comfortable they quickly became popular among the Americans, and because of their design they got the name T-shirt. Other experts credit the U.S. Navy's "light undershirt" from 1913, called a "crew neck". The Los Angeles Times claimed in 2006 that the Navy shirt as described in 1913's regulations state that the "light undershirt" was different from what is commonly worn today, with the Navy's version boasting an "elastic collarette on the neck opening" and other odd features.Randye Hoder, You Saw it Here First, Los Angeles Times, October 22, 2006.

On these grounds, there are claims that Howard Jones asked the underwear company "Jockey" in 1932 to develop a sweat absorbing shirt for the USC Trojans football team, which they propose was the "modern T-Shirt".Virginia Lynn. The History of the T-Shirt, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, February 13, 2007.

The origin of the name is uncertain: it may refer to the shape of the shirt as a "T", or it may derive from the use by the army as a "training shirt". The shape-based theory is supported by the existence of an A-shirt in the 1930s, which was the typical undershirt later referred to as a tank top. It is also a possibility that the name "tee" comes from amputee, a reference to the shortened length of the arms.