DGK Notorious Tee Black
The T-shirt DGK Notorious Tee Black evolved from
undergarments used in the 19th century. First, the one-piece
union suit underwear was cut into separate top and bottom garments, with the top long enough to tuck under the waistband of the bottoms. With and without buttons, they were adopted by
miners and
stevedores during the late 19th century as a convenient covering for hot environments.
As slip-on garments without buttons, the earliest T-shirt dates back to sometime between the 1898
Spanish–American War and 1913, when the U.S. Navy began issuing them as undergarments.
[1] These were a crew-necked, short-sleeved, white cotton undershirt to be worn under a uniform. It became common for sailors and Marines in work parties, the early submarines, and tropical climates to remove their uniform jacket, wearing (and soiling) only the undershirt.
[2]
They soon became popular as a bottom layer of clothing for workers in various industries, including agriculture. The T-shirt was easily fitted, easily cleaned, and inexpensive, and for those reasons it became the shirt of choice for young boys. Boys' shirts were made in various colors and patterns. The word
T-shirt became part of American English by the 1920s, and appeared in the
Merriam-Webster Dictionary.
[1]
