What comes to mind when you hear the word “retro T-Shirts”? What are flares? Worst wallpaper ever? A Betamax?
Of course, none of these are very trendy. But while the past few decades have given us some awful things, they’ve also given us some of the most magnificent clothes ever.
It might not be suitable for you to live in the past. It looks good on retro T-shirts, whether you’re into the nineties fashion comeback like the tie-dye trend or have yet to grow out of your favourite Nasa t-shirt. Stop looking to the future for fashion ideas and start looking through old clothes instead.
It would help if you got these retro T-shirts right now. They range from old football shirts to band t-shirts from rock and roll royalty.
RETRO SPORTSWEAR
There’s no need to be a Royal Tenenbaum to rock some retro sportswear. But before you go all out with the tracksuit and headband, check out what’s offered in the T-shirt section first. Some of the most popular classic retro t-shirts come from sports brands; many styles have stayed the same for generations.
Wear chino shorts in the summer or slim-fit jeans in the winter to pull off the look. Add some stripped-back running shoes for an extra dose of retro sportswear to finish the look.
BAND TEES
What better way to show off your retro style than by putting pictures of your favourite old bands and singers on your torso? The band t-shirt is one of those few things you can still wear today, even though you wore it as a greasy-haired teen. We hope that you’ve since replaced the too-big Limp Bizkit T-shirt with something a little less… well, you pick the last word of that line.
Black is the standard colour for rock music, so this is the best place to wear it. Pair it with dark, slim-fit jeans, black boots, and a leather jacket for the best look. The only other rule is that you can’t wear a band you have never listened to. Thousands of students who were not into the Ramones in 2009 disregarded this fashion rule.
GEEK T-SHIRTS
As time passes, it becomes clearer that geeks run the world. And what could be cooler than being totally into what you like, showing your heart, and being happy about it? Even if your favourite things are side-scrolling video games from the 1980s, old computers, and old Star Trek: Voyager episodes.
I feel like a kid again with a retro T-shirt that looks like it was made for Bill Gates. Also, you’re not in school anymore, so there’s a much smaller chance you’ll get in trouble for wearing a Nintendo 64 shirt.
RETRO FOOTBALL SHIRTS
Football fans who care about brands on the stands in the 1980s and Hector Bellerin’s walk-in closet are just two examples of the close connection between football and fashion. Then there are the shirts. Some lovely football kits have been made over the years, and you don’t have to be a high-paid Premier League left-back to wear them.
An old football T-shirt is great for a festival, so why not wear Madchester with shorts, a bucket hat, and your favourite sneakers? If they’re Adidas Sambas, that’s extra points.
SKATE & SURF TEES
As we know it today, streetwear might only have existed with the surfing and skateboarding culture. The most famous fashion patterns and pictures come from board sports brands. For example, the Thrasher Magazine font and Shawn Stussy’s renowned script logo are inspired by board sports.
The good news is that you no longer need to dress like a kid to pull these looks off. Now that streetwear is popular, you can wear a retro T-shirt with anything from a suit and cropped pants to jeans and a flannel shirt. There’s no reason not to take part.
TIE-DYE T-SHIRTS
Like it or not, tie-dye is back in style, largely thanks to Justin Bieber and the strange rise of the scumbro. These days, this loud, irritating style is just as likely to be worn by movie and TV stars as it is by the old hippy who runs your neighbourhood health food store.
Don’t get scared, though. This style needs steel-like determination and the right clothes to go with it. For instance, you can’t wear a tie-dye T-shirt with dress pants and brogues. Instead, choose bright versions of your favourite casual pieces. You could wear acid-washed jeans or leggings with blocks of colour, bright dad sneakers, hats, and beanies. You have to do everything right if you want to get this right.
EIGHTIES & NINETIES TEES
In these 20 years, things like MTV, Tamagotchis, game systems, and the internet came into the world. It may be over, but its spirit lives on in the fashion world, for better or worse. This means that men’s fashion is obsessed with anything that could have come from the Fresh Prince of Bel Air’s closet.
Getting a t-shirt with the eighties or nineties vibe is a safe way to try the trend without going all out and looking like Mr Motivator. To nail it, look for big, bright prints, nod to old pop culture, and loose fits.
