Before the 1940s t-shirts were merely undergarments. Since then, they’ve been used as promotional tools as well as a platform to express opinions and creativity. The following list is so famous, they aren’t just t-shirts but actually cultural touchstones. If you click on the item picture it will link you to eBay where many of these items are available now! Enjoy!
Here is a list of the 101 most iconic t-shirts of all time.
101. NIKE
Bill Bowerman and Phil Knight founded Nike in 1964. Initially, it was called Blue Ribbon Sports. The swoosh logo was designed by Portland State student of graphics design Carolyn Davidson in 1971. They paid her $35. In 1983 she was gifted 500 shares of Nike stock (32,000 shares currently). Here is Nike’s current stock price. So she was appropriately compensated I would say.
100. JUST SAY NO
Similar to D.A.R.E. Just say no campaign was aimed to discourage kids from using recreational drugs. It was designed by First Lady Nancy Reagan. The verdict is out on its effectiveness but it certainly produced some classic merchandise!
99. LED ZEPPELIN
Yes yes, you know all about the band and the incredible music and imagery. Did you ever wonder why they have a picture of the crashing Hindenburg on their debut album? Cause its the original LEAD ZEPPELIN. This shirt has the Icarus logo. Icarus flew too close to the sun with wings of wax and feathers. The wax melted and he crashed to his death. Should’ve just flown Delta.
98. PEACE SIGN
The logo was designed by Gerald Holtom in the 50s for the British Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament. It later became known internationally as a symbol for peace. His inspiration was directly drawn from Francisco Goya’s painting entitled The Third of May 1808. If you spin that guy upside down and put a circle around him you get the peace sign.
97. VIRGINIA IS FOR LOVERS
This is one of the most iconic of all the 70s tees. The saying was created by David Martin and George Woltz in 1968 as a travel and tourism slogan for the state. It’s been in use ever since and has generated many millions of dollars of revenue for the state.
96. ROLLING STONES TONGUE & LIPS
The tongue and lips design is one of the most iconic logos ever. It was created by John Pasche after he was commissioned by Mick Jagger and paid about $80. The band liked it and it first appeared inside the 1971 Sticky Fingers album. There have been many variations but it’s synonymous with the Stones. This one is from their 1981 tour of the USA.
95. UNCLE SAM
Uncle Sam is the personification of the American Federal government. He beckons you to enlist in the military and aid the war effort. The character was created in 1917 by J.M. Flagg. Supposedly named after Samuel Wilson and directly based on a 1914 British war effort poster of Lord Kitchener. Apparently Uncle Sam’s face is just a modified version of the artists own.
94. TUXEDO T-SHIRT
I couldn’t find a definitive resource on the origin on this print, but they were first manufactured by the Athletic Supporter company in Livonia Michigan in 1980. At least the vast majority of tuxedo tees circulating were. Also if you ever meet someone wearing one. You know they’re a party mammal!!
93. TIE DYE
Its called tie-dye because you tie off different sections of the shirt then dye them. It originated in 6th century India. The swirl pattern is the most common but there are many variations. Hippies adopted the style in protest of the Vietnam war. The bright designs were notably the opposite of military colors. Most notably olive drab.
92. I LOVE NEW YORK
Designed by Milton Glaser in 1976 as a slogan to promote tourism in the state, although most commonly associated with New York City. You’ll find this logo at every souvenir shop on every imaginable piece of merchandise. The artist also created other iconic works like the psychedelic Dylan poster.
91. RUN DMC
Only a few bands made our list and this is the only Hip-Hop logo. RUN DMC consists of 3 members. Reverend RUN, Darryl McDaniels (DMC) and Jam Master Jay. Jay never made the title. Just in case you were curious about the logo font. It’s Franklin Gothic designed by Fuller Benton in 1902.
90. DON’T WORRY BE HAPPY
Lyrics from the popular 1988 Bobby McFerrin song. Winning him Record and Song of the year at the 1989 Grammys. Skyrocketed him to superstardom even though he was well established in the jazz community. You’ll recognize his sound from the opening theme music of the Cosby show as well. Sometimes I slap my chest and sing like Bobby too.
89. MARLBORO
Established in 1920. They’ve been the world’s top-selling cigarette brand since 1972. Some of their memorable slogans are “Mild as May” and “Come to where the flavor is”. My friends and I refer to them as the “Cowboy Killers”.
88. COORS LIGHT
THE SILVER BULLET! Coors light was initially created in the early 1940s but discontinued during WW2. It was re-introduced in 1978 after they saw the popularity of Miller Lite. It’s one of the world’s most popular brews. So says BEER WOLF!
87. PLAYBOY BUNNY
This bowtie wearing silhouette has been the official mascot of Playboy magazine since 1953. Designed by then freelance artist Art Paul it’s been the face of the brand ever since.
86. DR. PEPPER
In 1885 (one year before Coke) a beverage called “Waco” was created. It contains top-secret ingredients and even today the recipe is split and locked in two separate Dallas banks. “I’m a Pepper” and “Just what the doctor ordered” are two of their most memorable ad campaigns…and yes Diet Dr. Pepper does taste more like regular Dr. Pepper.
85. PROPERTY OF…
These shirts have been popular for decades. Mostly associated with schools and sports teams. It’s meant to proclaim your endorsement with whatever the shirt is advertising. Either that or it means you stole the shirt.
84. NASA
National Aeronautics and Space Administration since 1958. Before that it was NACA. National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics. NACA was focused on aircraft flight, once they got pretty good at that they refocused on Space exploration and rebranded. Soon we will have SPACE FORCE!
83. JOHN DEERE
John Deere was an inventor who designed the first commercially successful steel plow in 1837….the same year he started the company. I always find it fascinating when a brand long outlives its creator and still remains relevant. Wonder if my great grand nephews will take over my blog? Hopefully, just as long as they take a second to think about their old grand-unkie!
82. F*CK YOU
This is such a classic t-shirt. You can walk around all day totally incognito then with a lift of the shirt. BAM!! You just got roasted. Also, an optimal time to show off your abs if you got em.
81. CAMEL
R.J Reynolds was the creator and launched the product in 1913. Within a year he had sold 425 million packs. Upon their hundredth anniversary, Robert Proctor commented on how Camel had sold 4 trillion cigarettes and “have probably caused about 4 million deaths.” Well, their logo is dope! Camel related merchandise is still very popular.
80. DONT MESS WITH TEXAS
Originally created in 1985 by the Texas Department of Transportation as a campaign to reduce litter. The saying “Don’t Mess With Texas” quickly caught on and became one of the state slogans.
79. PINK FLOYD DARK SIDE OF THE MOON
This could have easily been The Wall t-shirt as well. The Dark Side of the Moon was released in 1973. It is one of the best selling albums in history. Certified platinum 15X. Amazing songs, beautifully styled. Brilliant. If you haven’t heard about it. You can time the record with The Wizard of Oz. Click here to read about it.
78. BATMAN
The caped crusader made his debut in May 1939 and his logo has undergone dozens of changes. This shirt is a promo from the 1989 Michael Keaton Batman film. You can see the evolution of the bat symbol by clicking here.
77. MASH
Ever wonder what M.A.S.H. stands for? It means Mobile Army Surgical Hospital. 4077th was just the number of the unit. Also, most people think that the show was regarding Vietnam, but it was actually about the Korean War. Another fun fact MASH is the most-watched network TV show finale in history. 105 million viewers.
76. AMERICAN FLAG
The Star-Spangled Banner, Old Glory, Red White and Blue, Stars and Stripes. Whatever you want to call it, the American Flag t-shirt is iconic and will live on as long as humans do. It’s a great looking flag.
75. GHOSTBUSTERS
Ghostbusters was the highest-grossing comedy of the 80s. Here’s the irony though, it was the second highest-grossing film of 1984…after Beverly Hills Cop. It’s ironic because Eddie Murphy turned down the role of Winston Zeddemore in Ghostbusters…to play Axel Foley In Beverly Hills Cop.
74. THE HEARTBEAT OF AMERICA
The brilliant ad campaign launched in 1986 and ran until 1994. It was tied to pride and patriotism along with good old fashion US auto manufacturing. Americans are good at doing that.
73. HAWAII VACATION T-SHIRT
These shirts were simple and sold in abundance. A vacation t-shirt from the year you visited Hawaii. This is the oldest one I’ve ever seen or sold. If you have an earlier version, message me and send me a pic.
72. PEPSI
Created in 1898 by Caleb Bradham. It was initially known as Brad’s drink. Much like Dr. Pepper was created in a drug store to aid digestion. This particular slogan was used between 1984 and 1991 and is one of the most memorable. The logo is slick and symmetrical and eye appealing.
71. WHERE’S THE BEEF
Wendy’s most memorable ad campaign. It launched in 1984 and started Clara Peller. After the ad run ended Wendy’s sales went into a slump for several years until its founder Dave Thomas started appearing in ads. Wendy’s makes a superb hamburg btw. Here’s the original Where’s the Beef commercial.
70. IT’S BETTER IN THE BAHAMAS
This classic t-shirt slogan was created for the Ministry of Tourism by Simpson McKinney. If you sell vintage t-shirts you’ve seen tons of these. Here’s the original commercial from 1982.
69. ITS MILLER TIME!
It’s interesting when an expression engrains itself into the vernacular of a culture. The “Miller Time” slogan was meant to promote beer but it ended up becoming a colloquial expression for relaxation and the end of the workday.
68. SPUDS McKENZIE
THE ORIGINAL PARTY ANIMAL!! I don’t think there’s ever been a mascot more embroiled in controversy. First of all Spuds wasn’t a he. HER actual name was Honey Tree Evil Eye (Evie). She first appeared in a SuperBowl ad in 1987. The main issue was that Spuds was trying to promote beer but the character was appealing to children. I grew up in that era and tell you first hand. A radical surfing bull terrier doesn’t make you want to drink beer. High school awkwardness makes you want to drink beer. Leave spuds alone. RIP.
67. AIR JORDAN
This is the second Nike shirt on the list. The Air Jordan sneakers debuted in late 1984. Insanely popular this brand accounts for a large percentage of annual Nike Sales…around 3 billion. Netting MJ around $150 million per year.
66. CAMOUFLAGE
Used in various forms throughout human evolution and history. The modern camouflage shirt appeared during WWI. It derives from the french word camoufler….to disguise. In the 80s camo started to be worn as fashion and not just by the military.
65. I’M WITH STUPID
This is a classic 1975 iron-on t-shirt from ROACH. It was usually paired with another shirt that said “stupid”. There is a cute modern variation to the shirt that says. “I’m not with stupid anymore.”
64. SUPERMAN
Arguably the most iconic superhero logo in existence. Since its inception in 1938 there have been slight variations but has remained fairly consistent. It’s a symbol of power and truth. Fun fact. The original creators of superman sold the rights to DC comics for $412. In 2012 the check that was written to them sold at auction for $160K.
63. CATS
We had to include Cats musical t-shirt on the list. Based on the poetic works of T.S. Eliot. it debuted in 1981 in New London theatre with music composition by Andrew Lloyd Webber. It ran for 18 years on Broadway only to be eclipsed by the Phantom of the Opera. The logo is iconic. I saw Cats at Detroit Fox theater in 1987.
62. GRATEFUL DEAD
The Grateful Dead has some of the most beautiful and creative imagery ever. They have several iconic logos with the band…including the Grateful dead bears, terrapins and steal your face This logo is known as Skull and Roses or Bertha who was named after the 1971 song. Many of the coolest GD shirts are actually fan-inspired art.
61. BART SIMPSON
The Simpsons were created by Matt Groening and debuted on the Tracey Ullman show in 1987. Bart’s name is an anagram for Brat. He has two unique catchphrases. “Don’t have a cow man.” and “Eat my shorts.” I have never heard any human ever utter either one of those sayings at any time in my life. Neither have you. BTW, Bart is supposed to be 10 years old. Which means he was actually born in 1977. Feel old yet?
60. COCA-COLA
Coca Cola has been around since 1886 and has annual sales of just north of 31 billion. They also own that font in their logo and very strict on its copyright. So don’t go making a spoof or parody shirt!
59. LONE WOLF
This is the quintessential wolf print. People seem to really identify with wolves. They’re a powerful majestic beast that DGAF.
58. REESE’S PEANUT BUTTER CUPS
H.B. Reese created these tasty cups in 1928. Upon his death, he left the company to his sons who merged it with Hershey’s in a stock trade. The stock is worth 2.8 billion today and pays an annual dividend of 49 million. WOW. Let’s be honest. If you sat down and had a pile of them in front of you how many could you eat? Probably 8-10 conservatively. Canada also released a HALF POUND Reese peanut butter cup in 2011.
57. FAHRVERGNÜGEN
In a brilliant ad campaign in 1991, German car company Volkswagen (Das Auto) introduced a foreign word into the English lexicon. FAHRVERGNUGEN which means driving pleasure. It spawned several spoof t-shirts including Far-fig-newton and Far-from-pukin. The latter of which became the staple tee of the frat party animal/drug plug.
56. YOU’VE COME A LONG WAY BABY
Virginia Slim cigarettes used this motto to target 18-35-year-old fashion-oriented women. The slogan infers that women had come a long way and now had their own cigarette brand. The smokes were longer, skinnier, and more feminine in appearance. The ads and imagery virtually eliminated men from their target audience. Their other tagline was “It’s a woman thing.”
55. STAR WARS
Since it’s 1977 release, the Star Wars franchise has earned billions. I still remember seeing Jedi in the theater in 1983 with my cousin and how transfixed we were. You probably glanced at the shirt and missed something. Notice it says REVENGE of the Jedi. Not Return of the Jedi. This was the original title of the film and merchandise was printed. Then George Lucas realized a Jedi wouldn’t be out for revenge so he changed the title. The original stuff is still out there and very collectible.
54. KEEP ON TRUCKIN
The most famous imagery and phrase from the reclusive artist Robert Crumb. His illustrations are unmistakable. His life is revealed in a fantastic documentary by Terry Zwigoff called Crumb. I highly recommend that movie. His work is highly collectible. Tony Danza has the Keep On Trucking tattoo on his forearm.
53. JAMAICA NO PROBLEM
Jamaica may only have a population of 3 million but its cultural influence on the world is significant. It’s food and music are unique and so is its language. It’s called Patois. If you listen to a native speaker you’ll understand 2 or 3 words every sentence. Hopefully just enough to follow along. Here’s a great video explaining it.
52. GOLDS GYM
We’re halfway through our list with an absolutely iconic shirt. Gold’s gym logo was designed by Arnold Schwarzenegger’s training partner and friend Ric Drasin. He also designed the World Gym logo (virtually the same except its a gorilla lifting weights). Ric is one of the most well-rounded humans ever. He’s had success in bodybuilder, powerlifting, artist, actor, military and he’s a musician. Arnold must’ve rubbed off on him. He also has a popular Youtube channel called Rics Corner.
51. ARMY
The US Army was established on June 14th 1775. It is the oldest branch of the military and has over 1 million uniformed personnel. They have an operating budget of around 640 billion dollars annually. It also has really comfy t-shirts. It’s rare to find one in pristine condition because they get well worn during basic training.
50. JAWS
Jaws was released in 1975. It was a massive hit. In fact, it coined the phrase “blockbuster” because of the crowd lined up around the block to see the film. In Canada, the shirt was re-popularized in 2016 when Gord Downey wore it nightly on The Tragically Hip farewell tour.
49. D.A.R.E.
Launched in L.A. in 1983 Dare was similar to the Just Say No campaign with the exception that it was also to prevent kids from violent activities and joining gangs. I wrote a blog about how I used to sell these on eBay for an inflated price even though it’s a very common shirt. Check it out.
48. HANG LOOSE
The Hang Loose hand sign is also known as the Shaka. It’s a friendly Hawaiian gesture that was adopted by surf culture. If you twist your wrist and angle the thumb towards your mouth and tilt back it’s international symbol for cranking brewskis!
47. MICKEY MOUSE
This list wouldn’t be complete without arguably the most popular shirt in history. Mickey Mouse!! He has different names around the world. In China, he’s known as Mi Lao Shu. In Italy, he’s called Topolino and in Sweden Musse Pigg. He’s just as popular today as ever. It costs about 200K to license Disney products just in case you were interested in making your own Mickey tees.
46. SHAMU
The original Shamu was captured in 1966 and died in 1971 after 5 years of performing at Sea World. No one was sure when she was born but the life expectancy of an orca (Killer Whale) can be up to 100 years. Captive whales live an average of 14 years (big difference). The name Shamu has been used by several different Orcas since. That name has become synonymous with killer whales.
45. ATARI
Atari was founded in 1972. The first game was Pong. Later they created a home console with memorable games like Asteroids, Space invaders and Centipede. In 1982 they added Pac-Man to their catalogue. The computing power of these early systems were weak. That’s the reason the screen flickered in Pac-Man when there were too many ghosts on the screen. It was because there wasn’t enough ROM to handle the workload.
44. WHITE CASTLE
Walter Anderson created White Castle in 1921. He’s also credited with the invention of the hamburger bun. Their burgers are different than any other fast-food chain as they’re basically steamed on a bed of onions. Fun fact. White Castle sold its billionth burger 2 years before McDonald’s. Although that’s not saying much considering you can eat like 8 sliders in one sitting.
43. DON’T SQUEEZE THE CHARMIN
Before the Charmin Bears, there was Mr. Whipple aka George the Grocer aka The Charmin man, who would scold customers and say “Please don’t squeeze the Charmin.” The fictional character was portrayed by Dick Wilson. He appeared in more than 500 toilet paper commercials. In a poll, in 1978 he was the 3rd most recognizable man in America behind Richard Nixon and Billy Graham. Even ahead of President Jimmy Carter.
42. HARLEY DAVIDSON
The coolest t-shirts of all time. So many designs and cities and variations. One of the world’s most recognizable brands. Do you know why they call them HOGS? It’s because hog is an acronym for Harley Owners Group. Highly coveted and collectible, especially in Asian countries.
41. MAXELL TAPES
If you grew up in the 70s and 80s this campaign is very familiar to you. This Maxell ad first appeared in Rolling Stone magazine in 1980. It’s known as the “Blown Away Guy”. The UK model for the ad was Peter Murphy from Bauhaus. There was also a commercial made in 1981 that ran throughout the decade. Click here to watch.
40. WHO FARTED?
We couldn’t find any record of this shirt being around before Revenge of the Nerds in 1984. Booger made it famous.
39. KOOL-AID
Kool-Aid is a fruit-flavored soft drink beverage. Its mascot is an anthropomorphized pitcher of red Kool-Aid that’s known for making a dramatic entrance. His catchphrase is Oh yeah! Wonder who the ad exec was that came up with that gem. Well, I guess it worked because the character spawned tons of merchandise including video games and comic books. Kool-Aid man is beloved.
38. USA OLYMPIC RINGS
The iconic symbol of the Olympics. 5 united rings representing 7 continents. Blue for Europe. Yellow for Asia. Black for Africa. Red for North/South America. Green for Australia and Oceania. If you include the white background, all the possible colors of every countries flag are represented.
37. BUCKWHEAT
Buckwheat from Our Gang was played by Billy Thomas and is one of the most beloved of all the Little Rascals. The show ran from 1934 to 1944 but still lives on in syndication. The character was re-popularized in 1981 when Eddie Murphy portrayed the character on Saturday Night Live. Coincidentally one year to the day after Billy Thomas died.
36. SMILEY FACE
No, it wasn’t created by Forest Gump. The original Smiley Face was designed by Harvey Ball in 1963 to boost morale at an insurance company. It took him ten minutes and he was paid $45 dollars. It’s since gone on to sell millions of pieces of merchandise and monetized in every way imaginable.
35. LIFE’S A BEACH
The phrase is a play on the saying “Life’s a bitch.” It puts an optimistic twist on the classic idiom. It has been used in conjunction with every beach and tropical location imaginable. You can still find it today at virtually every warm climate souvenir shop or boardwalk kiosk.
34. SHI*T HAPPENS
No, Forest Gump didn’t come up with this phrase. It has been around since 1964. Although this classic slogan is on a t-shirt the overwhelmingly most popular version of this was a bumper sticker. Shout out to bumper stickers by the way. I always enjoy a good one.
33. THE FEW THE PROUD THE MARINES
The Marines (USMC) are a branch of the US military. Established in 1834 there are approx 182,000 active personnel. It’s an elite division and well known for its torturous basic training. The actual Marine Corps motto is Sempre Fidelis (Always Faithful).
32. MORRIS THE CAT
The loveable sarcastic orange tabby was the mascot for 9 Lives cat food. There have been 3 different Morris’s. The original died in 1978. All cats to play Morris have been rescued animals. My favorite 9 Lives commercial is when Morris goes to the beach!
31. MAKIN BACON
Another funny saying from the ROACH brand iron-on transfer company. Roach was a leader in iron-on technology in the 70s and sold MILLIONS of transfers. It’s interesting how rhyming words always make the phrase more humorous.
30. ADIDAS
Adidas isn’t an acronym for All Day I Dream About Soccer. It actually stands for the inventor’s name. Adolf (Adi) Dassler. Their logo has changed several times over the years but the trefoil one is still the most popular.
29. JACK DANIELS
Jack Daniel’s whiskey started in 1875. During the early/mid part of the 20th century, the distillery had to be closed or moved several times due to prohibition and World War 2. The factory employs around 500 people and still operates in Lynchburg Tennessee (which is a dry county btw). Annual sales are about 12.5 million cases. In 1987 they changed the recipe from 90 to 80 proof. The original logo is most certainly an icon. Old #7 was just the government registration number.
28. THIS BUD’S FOR YOU
Lager beer has been produced in the town of Budweis for centuries. In 1876 a German, Adolphus Busch went on a trip to the Czech Republic and came back with the idea to make his own bohemian style lager in St Louis Missouri. Budweiser was born! One ingredient variation to Bud that’s different is rice. Its added to achieve crispness.
27. RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS
The star of affinity logo is an eight prong asterisk that was drawn by Anthony Kiedis in 1984. Both him and John Frusciante have it tattooed on their left wrist. The logo is synonymous with the band and definitely iconic. It’s funny how nobody refers to him as Tony Kiedis. It’s like Scottie Pippen. Nobody ever calls him Scott.
26. HANDS ACROSS AMERICA
On May 25, 1986, approx 6 million Americans held hands for 15 mins in an attempt to make a human chain across the contiguous United States. Technically there were enough people to achieve it although there were large gaps in certain areas. Participants each donated $10. After operating expenses the charity raised around 15 million dollars. The event was orchestrated by USA for Africa which arranged the We Are the World charity a year earlier. It raised 100 million for Africa in 1985.
25. CLUB MED
Club Med started in 1950 by Gerard Blitz. He set up a bunch of straw beach huts on the Spanish island of Majorca. Early on the club was popular for singles or couples but eventually transitioned to families. Med stands for Mediterranean but they have resorts worldwide. They also have a cruise ship.
24. HYPER-COLOR
We included hyper color on the icon list because they made a massive impact in a very short time. Between February and May 1991, Generra Hypercolor sold 50 million dollars worth of shirts. Although they went bankrupt in 92′ because of mismanagement. The fabric changes color due to a thermochromic ink. Most peoples shirt just changes color when they’re getting sweaty! I couldn’t find anyone still making these but you can still buy them on eBay.
23. LOS ANGELES RAIDERS
Probably one of the coolest looking logos ever. The original design was made in 1960 and the model used for the raider was actor Randolph Scott. First, they were the Oakland Raiders, then they moved to LA, then back to Oakland and now they’re in Las Vegas. I’m sure they’ll move back to California at some point.
22. PEE ON T-SHIRT
There are a million variations to this logo. Generally its Calvin from the Calvin and Hobbes comic strip peeing on a rival sports team logo. I included this image because I thought it was funnier. You can read all about the origin of this cartoon spoof here.
21. RON JON SURF SHOP
Ron DiMenna opened his first surf shop on Long Beach Island in 1961. Two years later he opened the iconic Cocoa Beach shop. The Florida location also houses a surfing museum and is open 24 hours a day. So if you need surf wax at 4:30 am on a Tuesday in February….they’ve got you covered.
20. MTV
Launched on August 1, 1981 Music Television featured the most popular bands and musicians of the day. It’s where the term VJ (video jockey) was coined. It was a 24 hour channel and the very first thing to air on the network was the song “Video Killed The Radio Star” by the Buggles.
19. GILLEY’S
Mickey Gilley is a country singer. In 1970 he opened a night club in Pasadena. Referred to as the “World’s Biggest Honky Tonk”. It was huge and had a mechanical bull as was portrayed in the John Travolta movie Urban Cowboy. Mickey did a remake of the song “Stand by me”, for the film and it was a huge success. Afterward, Gilley’s sold tons of merchandise. Fun Fact. Mickey’s cousins are Jimmy Swaggart and Jerry Lee Lewis.
18. BO KNOWS
This is the third Nike appearance on the list. Bo Jackson was a cross over athlete in the early 90s. He played both professional football and baseball for the Raiders and the KC Royals. He’s known as one of the most athletic humans in history. He won the Heisman trophy and is well known for a specific college football game in the Iron Bowl in 1982. Nike created the “Bo Knows” campaign with a humorous commercial of him competing in various other sports including golf and tennis. Iconic.
17. CHAMPION
This logo is classic. Clean simple memorable and powerful. Champion is a timeless and consistently popular brand for over 100 years. Champion usually has an embroidered C on the sleeve of its shirt as well.
16. NOTRE DAME FIGHTING IRISH
The Notre Dame Leprechaun is probably the most iconic college mascot ever. It was designed by graphics artist Ted Drake in 1964 for $50. He’s the same guy that designed the Chicago Bulls logo in 1966.
15. WORLD’S GREATEST
These shirts have been around for ages. World’s greatest mom, dad, auntie, uncle, grandpappy, etc. Not a whole lot of content but iconic none the less.
14. P.O.W.
A POW is an acronym for prisoner of war. It’s any person (military or civilian) who is held captive during or directly after an armed conflict. Many times long after a war has ended. If you want to read about what being a POW is like. Have a read of Senator John McCain’s Wiki page.
13. WHERE THE HELL IS…?
These tees became popular in the 70s and 80s. The premise is simple. If a small town has nothing going for it…no notable landmarks or beautiful scenery then you make a funny shirt and sell it at the corner store or gas station. This shirt could be from Moose Lake Minnesota or Alberta or Manitoba.
12. CORNY RHYMING BIRTHDAY SHIRT
You’ve seen them all. Dirty thirty. Lordy, lordy look who’s forty. That’s right the cheesy dim-witted birthday shirt. This one says still nifty at 50. Have you ever heard anyone ever say nifty? No…..no you haven’t. So it shouldn’t be on a shirt. Same with the word scrumptious. No one ever says that.
11. TAKE THIS JOB AND SHOVE IT
This is a classic. The David Allen Coe song that was popularized by Johnny Paycheck in 1977. Take this Job and Shove it is considered a “snowclone”. Meaning a cliche term that can be used in multiple variations. Something like “Take this job and (blank) it”. or “Take this (blank) and shove it.” The term snowclone derives from how Eskimos have dozens of words for snow.
10. PUMA
Remember earlier when we talked about Adidas and how it was created by Adi Dassler? Well, Puma was created by his brother Rudolf Dassler. I know you’re thinking why didn’t he call his brand Rudidas? That’s a great question. I’d love to ask him but he died in 1974. Anyway, Puma is still a giant international brand with an epic logo. Both Adidas and Puma are headquartered in Herzogenaurach, Bavaria, Germany.
9. LIVE AID
Considered one of the most legendary days in concert history. Live Aid took place July 13, 1985, in London England and Philadelphia Pa. All the biggest artists and bands from that year performed. It’s a list that is far too long for this post but you can read all about it here. This is one of the tees from the Philly event.
8. EINSTEIN
Kinda killed two birds with one stone here. Not only is Albert Einstein’s image iconic but he was also left-handed. In the 80s lefties needed lots of approval and reassurance for some reason. That’s why there were so many t-shirts and other related merchandise for the southpaws. If you’ve ever wondered about Einstein’s theory of relativity. You can watch a short video that explains it. E=MC2
7. CHEERS
Cheers was a hit NBC sitcom between 1982 and 1993. It launched the careers of Ted Danson, Kelsey Grammer, Bebe Neuwirth, and Woody Harrelson. The show was hilarious and had one of the most-watched finales in TV history. It also had a very memorable song written by Gary Portnoy. You have to listen to this version by Foy Vance its INCREDIBLE!!
6. LOUSY/STINKING T-SHIRT
These slogans were popular in the 70s & 80s. A family member goes on vacation and brings you back a lousy t-shirt instead a quality souvenir. The reason this print and others were popular is because they weren’t licensed or copyright. So they could be easily changed for any city or country.
5. HULKAMANIA
Hulk Hogan (AKA Terry Bollea) wrestled under the name Sterling Golden in the 70s. One day he was on Memphis TV with Lou Ferrigno (The Incredible Hulk). The host commented on how Terry was bigger than the Incredible Hulk (Hulk Hogan is 6’7″ with 24-inch pythons). Afterward, he started wrestling under the name Terry “The Hulk” Boulder. In 1984 Marvel Comics filed a quitclaim and subsequently obtained the rights to “Hulk Hogan, “Hulkster” and “Hulkamania” for twenty years. They were paid a percentage of all this merchandise and wrestling matches. This is one of the classic tees!
4. MIGHTY MOUSE
Everyone’s second favorite anthropomorphic mouse! Mighty mouse is an icon in his own right. His comic shorts ran between 1942 and 1961. He was a spoof of the Superman character but in rodent form. “Here I come to save the day”, was his classic saying. He ran into some criticism in the 80s when a cartoon depicted him snorting a pulverized flower. People thought it was too similar to snorting coke. Hey man it was the 80s.
3. I DON’T GET MAD I GET EVEN
Another sarcastic saying t-shirt. The 70s and 80s were great for those. My brother had this bumper sticker. Rolls off the tongue easier than “I don’t get mad I get revenge.”
2. WRAP YOUR ASS IN FIBERGLASS
Chevy’s Corvette line started in 1953. Most cars of the day were built out of steel. In the 70s they started making the bodies out of fiberglass. Hence the rhyming saying. There have been close to 2 million Corvettes sold since 1953. Chevy’s all time top seller is the Impala. 16 millions units sold since 1958.
1. PLAIN WHITE CREW NECK T-SHIRT
Remember this is a list not a ranking… but we decided to come back full circle with a classic white crew neck t-shirt. Popularized by James Dean and Marlon Brandon. It’s simple, stylish, and timeless. Hopefully, you’ve enjoyed our list! Many of these items are available now! Just choose the shirt you like and click on the picture, you’ll be linked to that specific eBay search.
