If there is one piece that has been frequently revisited on the runways, it’s the graphic T-shirt. The once humble and plain tee has yet again regained momentum in the fashion spotlight, with even greater relevance. Tier-A brands, like Kenzo, Gucci, Prada, and Burberry, have lined this wardrobe essential to be the forefront of their runways, making it yet again an influential statement piece. Sometimes you will even see them accessorized with a great pair of Gucci sunglasses.
On that remark, the remaining question is: What fuels its recurrent influence? All answers point to one thing – its ubiquity.
Even today, we still don’t do enough justice to this timeless classic with all its fashion presence. The cool graphic t-shirts are maybe the most underrated asset to our wardrobe. Until recently, we considered tees complementary to explicitly sporty combinations – with jeans and sneakers and maybe under a blazer, for a warmer pile up.
By uplifting in influence, graphic t-shirts reversed their role and transformed from underling wardrobe asset into high fashion pieces. Versatility and comfort are the most powerful features, with visual artistry as a bonus to further power up the supremacy. Strangely enough, their simplicity is what gives them a standout dimension. With the ability to stand simple and still add character to a look, graphic sweatshirts & hoodies exceeded the boundaries of practicality and reshaped the versatility concept. The breakthrough in street fashion revealed a new disruptive side of graphic t-shirts and boosted its relevance.
With all this in mind, let’s address the elephant in the room: how to dress up with cool graphic t-shirts, without looking basic? It’s ironic that we refer to this timeless piece as very versatile, yet we still google ways to find a complementary combination.
The simple way is the best way – pairing graphic t-shirts with jeans
Never overlook a foolproof option. Graphic tees paired with jeans and sneakers are the case in point. Jeans and their style-flexible nature, coupled with the versatility of a graphic t-shirt, deliver a blend of comfort and trend-savvy coherence. When the time wasn’t working in our favor in the mornings, we all have at least once put our trust in this combination and hasn’t disappointed on any front.
To add a pinch of formality, you can throw a blazer. The ability to combine a more serious-forward piece with a simplistic piece reflects the power of the graphic t-shirt, bridge the gap between the styles, and balance out the proportions. This contemporary trinity pairs well both with heels and flats.
Now, for a more nostalgic touch, the black leather jacket does the trick. After all, the fashionistas in the ’80s swore the combination to remain timeless, and they weren’t wrong. Decades after, a graphic t-shirt under a leather statement piece still draws attention among a crowd. Evergreen seal – checked.
Lining down on the list as additional pieces with jeans and graphic t-shirt are cardigans, kimono-like robe, button-down hoods, etc.
Dynamic Duo – Graphic T-shirts and Skirts
A more contemporary merging choice with a graphic t-shirt is a skirt. Until recently, we thought this pairing to be of poor taste, with kitsch predispositions and excessive garish. However, the combination has overcome all previous beliefs and has shown a lot of untapped potentials.
When combined in good taste, the skirt-graphic tee pairing reflects rather chic and contemporary modernism, that cohesively stands on the body. This goes for denim skirts, pleated midi skirts, striped skirt and bold-colored, monochrome skirts.
Black belt, fedora hats, and cat-eye sunglasses coherently partner well with the dynamic skirt-graphic tee duo.
Suit Up: Business Casual With a Twist
Business casual has become an extremely popular style choice among young women in recent years due to its versatility and comfort. It’s probably the best option if you aim towards a business appropriate but, at the same time, ultra-modern look. This particular style enables women to give out that vibe of being a cool, modern businesswoman ready to conquer the world.
The best way to achieve this is by combining a suit with an eye-catching graphic print t-shirt. You have plenty of room for mix and match so you can make your outfits whatever you want them to be. You can pair jeans with a graphic tee and a blazer. If you want to look a little bit more ravishing then go for palazzo pants instead of jeans. As for footwear, it’s totally up to you whether you’d go for a pair of sneakers or heels. They’ll both look amazing with this style.
The only thing you wanna be careful about is what type of message your graphic print t-shirt conveys. You wouldn’t want some inappropriate and offensive words or graphics on it. Your safest option would be to wear a shirt with an inspiring and positive message that uplifts people.
The “Grace Wins” shirt is a beautiful example of this as it sends a message of hope and redemption. The best part is that it offers an altruistic dimension as well – 10% of the profits are donated to impoverished kids, with an aim to alleviate their living conditions. To date, they have managed to provide help to more than a dozen kids with the help of the shopper community.
It’s produced out of 100% combed and ringspun cotton and made into a maroon canvas. The shirt is size-friendly and is available at a reasonable price point. It comes with a toned-down outlook, that fits the criteria of the minimalist-oriented fashionistas, with elegant quote design. On a wearability note, the “Grace wins” shirt is designed to provide well all body shapes and run true to size.
Embrace the Full Potential of The Graphic T-Shirts
To all curious fashionistas reading this: seize the versatility of the graphic-shirt and use it to your advantage. Graphic shirts made a lot of “hassle” across the runways, and absolutely delivered on expectation. It is wardrobe pieces like these we have to look after, as they always reveal a novel side, ready to be tackled and pushed to the utmost aesthetic.
Dennis Nothdruft once said: “The T-shirt is a really basic way of telling the world who and what you are”.
Contemplate the true meaning of that and allow yourself to explore the untapped aesthetic of the graphic t-shirt and “test the waters” with bold combinations. Who knows, you may end up in a fashion Narnia that will be able to capture all your inner callings in a cultivated fashion look.