Talk to the tee'

It’s settled. T-shirts are making a comeback and how! The fun to style and easy to wear wardrobe staple is having a moment on the 2017 spring runways this season but with one slight variation – they are wordy and seek to empower or coax out a chuckle! With the outspoken trend getting nods from some of the biggest fashion houses and street style stars in biz, it’s now safe to say, that this year, you’ve got to let your shirt do all the talking.

From Paris to New York, fashion’s nobility are taking on the trend head on. Best known for her sustainable ethics, designer Stella McCartney’s models sashayed down with versions that read ‘Girls Thanks, and No Fur, No Leather,’  Haider Ackermann’s edition read ‘Be Your Own Hero’ and ‘Silent Soldier’, while Ashish Gupta responded to Brexit with a celebration of Indian culture and ‘Love is Devotion’ tees at the London Fashion Week. The master of the slogan tee, Henry Holland celebrated 10 years of his line with updates to the tees that first made him famous – some truly beating it to the bold. Taking the cake was Dior’s first female creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri making a strong political statement with her ‘We Should All Be Feminists’ tee.

“The idea is simple – they seek to convey a message while attempting to change the world through fashion in some way,” says Bengaluru designer Runa Ray whose designs were a huge hit at the New York Fashion Week. With ‘evolve’ splashed across her designs, she too sought to bring attention to just like how muslin can be evolved into an outfit, our lives too are blank canvases waiting to be moulded.

“The trend cycled back into the picture sometime last autumn and it’s only gotten better since. It started out by taking on pop culture – Céline’s Célfie top, for instance,” notes fashion blogger Smrithi Rao of Vintage Obsession. Making an interesting observation, she adds, “When big names are leant to the cause/topic itself, it brings awareness to the issue and why they are talking about it.” The slogan tee’s versatility is another bonus – you can wear it to the gym or let it speak for you. Like how after fashion editors almost declared war on fashion bloggers at Milan recently, one of the world’s biggest fashion bloggers and influencers, Chiara Ferragni’s ‘I ? haters’ tee at the  Paris Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2017 seemed to speak her mind. Like we said, let it do the talking.  

Dior’s first female creative director made quite the statement with this tee.

‘Wear’ to go!
According to stylist Nishka Naidu:

• At the gym, style with leggings or joggers and sneakers.
• For a night out or casual brunch, pair your slogan tee with skinny jeans or a denim skirt, platform sneakers for shoes and throw on a jacket if it’s chilly.
• If you absolutely must wear it to work, make sure it’s not offensive but is in good humour instead. Pair it with ankle-length pants and throw on a casual blazer with loafers or brogues.
• Feeling experimental? Pair your slogan top with a tulle skirt and some open-toes heels, platform loafers, or metallic heels...(ditch the wedges please.)
• Take your tee a step further by layering it on a crisp formal skirt and pairing it with a midi skirt and some understated nude heels. Make sure the slogan is neutral!