Grand View Research predicts the custom t-shirt printing market to reach the $9.18 billion mark by 2030. This emphasizes the fact that the graphic t-shirt industry is not dying out any time soon. It leaves the door open for you to explore the market and find a variety of graphic tees that suit your needs.
Graphic tees are here to stay in the fashion world. They’re versatile and fun, but you have to know how to style them correctly if you want to look professional. Who says you can’t be a little bit edgy in the workplace?
Just follow these tips for styling your graphic tees to look like the cool kid at a college campus while still keeping it professional.
1. Choose a Darker Color Palette for Pants
When styling graphic tees, you want to make sure that the color of your pants complements the color of your shirt.
Darker colors help to bring out the design on your shirt and create a nice contrast for an eye-catching look. You can also use darker-colored pants to help create a slimming effect on your body by creating shadows around your waistline, which will make it appear smaller than it really is.
Finally, because dark-colored pants are more formal than lighter ones (think black or gray), they might be more appropriate for casual occasions like lunch with coworkers or drinks after work with friends.
2. Don’t Get Too Matchy-Matchy with Jeans
If you’re wearing jeans, don’t get too matchy-matchy with them. Don’t wear the same color as your jeans, don’t wear the same print as your jeans, and don’t wear material that’s similar to denim (like chambray or flannel).
Instead, pair a graphic tee with something else entirely. A bright red shirt will look great under a white button-down or paired with a patterned blazer.
Prints can be tricky. Try playing off of stripes by pairing them together but in different directions. Think of one horizontally striped top and one vertically striped top. If all else fails, go monochrome: black on black works well for an edgy vibe. Go white on white for clean lines and blue on navy for classic vibes.
Globally, the Denim jeans market is set to cross the $88 billion mark by 2030, according to Allied Market Research. This means you’ll get to explore different styles of jeans over the next few years. However, don’t get tempted to go overboard with jeans when pairing them with graphic t-shirts. Just because you can match a tee with a pair of jeans doesn’t mean you should do it.
3. Go for Balance
With a little creativity, you can use accessories to balance your look. For example, if you’re wearing a bold graphic tee and jeans, add a simple necklace to create more contrast between the two pieces. This will help prevent your outfit from looking too busy or too casual.
Another option is pairing a graphic tee with a blazer or button-down shirt. The jacket will give your outfit more weight and structure while still letting the t-shirt be visible underneath it by showing off some of its color or print.
4. Wear Something Solid with Your T-Shirt
Wear a solid top or jacket with your graphic tee. This tip is more for women because men can wear graphic tees with pretty much anything. However, for those of us who have to worry about whether our tops match, this is an important rule to follow.
If you’ve got a shirt that has a cool design on it, don’t pair it with another graphic tee. It will just look like you’re trying too hard and making things harder than they need to be. Instead, pair your shirt with something solid such as a plain t-shirt with jeans or khakis. This way, the eye will focus on both pieces instead of just one, and both pieces will be elevated in style points.
5. Know How to Accessorize
For this final tip, we’ll be talking about accessories.
Accessories are an opportunity to style your graphic tee in a way that makes it more interesting than just wearing the shirt on its own. While you may not want to wear sneakers with your graphic tee every day, you can make up for that lack of footwear by adding an accessory like a watch or bracelet to balance out the look and draw attention away from the feet.
This is also helpful if you’re wearing these shirts as part of your work uniform. It’s much easier than having to change outfits every day.
There are lots of ways to accessorize your graphic tees.
Scarves are an easy way to add some color and personality to your outfit. They’re also great for transitioning between seasons since they can be worn in many different ways, like a belt or tied around your neck.
Hats are another great accessory because they allow you to express your style while still keeping your head warm.
Watches are also great accessories as they can be worn every day and will always look polished. They are perfect if you’re going for a formal look.
According to McKinsey, the global fashion industry was generating around $2.5 trillion every year before the pandemic. As the pandemic situation has calmed down to a great extent, this industry will once again go back to its former glory. Things might even get better for this industry, and graphic t-shirts will go on to play a huge role here.