The most iconic t-shirts of all time

When tabloids were shamelessly bold, when social media had not yet arrived but the relentless pace of pop culture was already sailing full steam ahead, catchy slogan t-shirts began to spread among celebrities at the same speed as weight loss pills. Except for a few instances where they served a political protest purpose, film and television stars used prints to express their frustration with criticism. Despite platforms like X and TikTok being territories where freedom of speech is law, the phenomenon continues to have a strong grip on pop culture fans. The latest example comes from the atelier of Victoria Beckham, the English designer who, after witnessing the success of the documentary about her husband, decided to launch a t-shirt on the market that features one of the most acclaimed moments of the series, where the former footballer attempts to associate himself with the working class by asking what car his father had when he was little. «My dad had a Rolls Royce.» This is not the first time the former Spice Girl has made fun of herself; in 2017, she was photographed wearing the t-shirt still available on her website, «Fashion stole my smile,» in response to comments about her "long face."

In a sense, Beckham paid homage to her roots because the politicization of slogan t-shirts took hold in the '70s and '80s thanks to two English designers, Vivienne Westwood and Katharine Hamnett. The former brought punk subculture to the runway through sharp styling and prints that addressed environmentalism and the fight against consumerism, while the latter appeared in 1984 at a meeting with Margaret Thatcher, then the UK Prime Minister, in a white t-shirt denouncing nuclear war. From then on, slogan tees still spoke about politics but soon transformed into a subjective manifesto by a celebrity against paparazzi and petty journalists. Now that even the latest statement by Linda Evangelista has become a meme - «I don't want to hear somebody breathing» - slogan tees with the most iconic phrases from fashion system stars have never seemed more perfect for a Christmas gift.

So, here are 10 unforgettable slogan tees that have marked the history of pop culture.

Stop being desperate

It's impossible to talk about catchy graphic t-shirts without mentioning her, Paris Hilton. Throughout the 2000s, the DJ, model, singer, and entrepreneur was caught by paparazzi numerous times, and many of those times she was photographed wearing tops with the boldest phrases. Among the most memorable, we recall «Stop being desperate,» immediately photoshopped into «Stop being poor.»

Dump him

Like Paris Hilton, the y2K outfits of Britney Spears have made history. How can we forget the «Dump him» t-shirt in reference to her ex Justin Timberlake when rumors circulated about the singer's alleged new girlfriend? Coffee in hand and the inevitable low-rise sweatpants, this look continues to be undeniably cool, capturing the hearts of one generation after another.

A low vera

In the history of the most memorable clap-backs of the 2000s, Julia Roberts remains on the podium while sipping tea wearing the «A low vera» t-shirt. Although it may seem like an innocuous, senseless phrase to some, it's a critique of Vera Steinberg, makeup artist and ex-wife of cinematographer Danny Moder, who refused to sign the divorce contract from Roberts' partner. You've hit rock bottom, Vera.

Nepo Baby

It didn't have the desired effect, perhaps it even exacerbated the haters: the «Nepo baby» t-shirt worn by Hailey Bieber (Baldwin, before marrying Justin Bieber) last January did not silence the criticisms against all nepotism babies. Do clap-back t-shirts still work in 2023? Perhaps only if you happen to be on social media's side.

Skinny Bitch

Completing the magical trio of the 2000s that made us dream, between paparazzi and drama, is Lindsay Lohan. With the «Skinny Bitch» t-shirt, she once and for all expressed her displeasure at the constant body-shaming criticisms the tabloids directed at her in those years. The font resembling wooden blocks to indicate the English saying "skinny as a twig," the t-shirt confirmed Lohan's media dominance in the gossip section of those years.

Corporate magazines still suck

In 1992, Nirvana had reached the peak of their success, but frontman Kurt Cobain was already tired of the media attention trying to make them a mainstream phenomenon. On the cover of Rolling Stones, the singer wore a t-shirt with the inscription «Corporate magazines still suck,» soon becoming an icon and copied by Vetements for the FW19 collection. Just as his jeans were sold for almost half a million dollars, once again Cobain's image was instrumentalized by fashion, becoming an imagery far from the anti-capitalistic one the frontman dreamed of.

Naomi hit me...And I loved it

In 2005, top model Naomi Campbell was accused of assaulting her personal assistant. Tired of media speculation, she decided to speak out with a t-shirt. During an outing in New York, Campbell wore a black t-shirt with the inscription «Naomi hit me,» and on the back «and I loved it.» We still don't know how the assistant took it, but one thing is certain: the top model continues to be chosen for the most coveted Fashion Week runways.

My boyfriend is out of town

Drew Barrymore

Drew Barrymore

Drew Barrymore

Charlie's Angels (2000) marked the beginning of an era in grand style. Cameron Diaz, Lucy Liu, and Drew Barrymore opened the doors to the most iconic "girl squads" of the new millennium. At the film's premiere, Barrymore stamped her captivating and bold character on a t-shirt: «My boyfriend is out of town,» a look that is still inspiring Halloween costumes, complete with a bottle of bubbly.

...When you could just be quiet?

Among the most iconic t-shirts of recent years is undoubtedly the one worn by Frank Ocean on the stage of the Panorama Festival in 2017. Already a must-have among rapper fans, the tee is from the independent brand Green Box Shop, featuring the antidiscriminatory phrase «Why be racist, sexist, homophobic, or transphobic when you could just be quiet.» The brand is famous for its charitable initiatives: sometimes part of the sales revenue is donated to the cause supported by the t-shirts.