V-neck t-shirts are everywhere these days, but have you ever thought about where did this style come from and who wore it first?
Labourers, sailors and military men work classic crewnecks since the late 1800s; however, the V-neck count only a little over half a century of existence.
This short period didn’t stop this tee from becoming one of the ultimate wardrobe staples, beloved by many. It must be said, though, that V-necks turned out to be a much more controversial tee than any other style.
So let’s look into the history of a V-neck t-shirt!
The humble beginnings
It’s hard to imagine our lives without t-shirts today, but this simple piece of clothing has quite humble beginnings as an undergarment.
At first, it covered the whole body, making sure no sweat or grime touched the top clothes of labourers (yes, showers weren’t that common in the 19th century!).
As time went by, the tee started shrinking to its current size, but its purpose didn’t change though, and it was unimaginable wearing only a t-shirt for a grocery run, for example.
The classic tee had a round collar called a crewneck which would often pop out of under a dress shirt. While nobody minded that for a while, in the 1960s, men’s fashion started changing, and the clothing producers came out with a new undershirt designed to stay invisible under any top layer. Hence, a V-neck with a deep V cut was born.
Mid 20th century boom
The mid 20th century turned out to be an excellent time for the t-shirt as military personnel and famous Hollywood actors started wearing it as the main piece, completely changing its purpose.
The V-neck too quickly became not just a part of underwear but something a guy could wear as a fashion statement.
With World War II and the Korean war and various shortages ending, garment producers also had more capital to invest in different fabrics, colours and designs, making V-neck t-shirts more stylish and desirable.
The T-shirt debate
When talking about the V-neck tee, it’s important to address not just its quick rise but also the resistance to it.
From the start, this style of the T-shirt was considered more “posh”; therefore, for many men, it was a sign of reduced manliness.
Being the modern take on the traditional crewneck, V-necks became much more popular with the younger generations, leaving the older ones mumbling under their breaths. Young guys loved that this tee sculpts their appearance, enhances their figure, is not too baggy, and gives elongating and slimming effect.
V-necks also hit a little bit of a bump in the early 2000s, when thanks to way-to-deep cuts and reality show personalities, it became a laughing stock worldwide. But not for too long.
The case for a V-neck
After the rough start of the millennia, V-necks came back with a vengeance and now are one of the must-have staples for every guy.
It now comes in multiple styles (deep, medium or short V cuts), colours and fabrics. It’s also beloved because wearing a V-neck makes you look like you’ve put in an effort when you actually didn’t.
V-necks are also the perfect layering piece under sweaters, jackets, blazers, cardigans and pretty much anything else.
We’re truly thrilled that this exciting piece of wardrobe has not been forgotten and, after a long and bumpy journey, has taken its well-deserved place in fashion.
So if you don’t have any V-necks in your closet, it’s time to change that; just always remember to go for the best quality. Choose brands like Fresh Clean Tees for the highest quality V-neck t-shirts. Click here to see their selection of white v-necks: freshcleantees.com/products/white-v-neck
