There are many styles of t-shirts. Scoop neck, v neck, henley neck, turtle neck, bateau neck, nick neck paddy whack give a dog a bone…the list goes on. But when it comes to vintage tees there are only 3 BOSSES.
What are the most popular styles of vintage t-shirts? The three most popular styles of vintage t-shirts are crew neck, ringer, and raglan. These are by far the most common and desirable types of vintage tees. These garments defined a generation.
CREW NECK T-SHIRT
Just to clarify, in this article we aren’t talking about specific brands or memorable prints. We’re getting elbow-deep in the nitty-gritty. We’ll discuss each garment and what it’s comprised of as it applies to a particular shirt style. Sound like a bunch of gobble dee gook? Well, hang on Sally cause we’re going full send on this one.
Whenever someone mentions a vintage t-shirt, what’s the first thing that pops in your head? Most likely a classic crew neck, 50/50 poly-cotton blend, tube body, single stitched with a printed logo. BILLIONS have been manufactured and sold over the last 70 years. 9 out of 10 shirts are in this style. They’re used for advertising, concerts, sports teams, schools and everything else you can think of. If you are selling or hoarding, at least 70% of your stash will consist of crew necks.
They’re unisex and appeal to anyone with a pulse. I would imagine every single human on earth owns at least one t-shirt (with the exception of that primitive Brazilian tribe that Nat Geo did a documentary on). They may be off the grid but I’d bet if they got their grubby mitts on an 80s crew neck they’d give up that caveman life for good!
RINGER T-SHIRT
Up next on the hit list is the ringer t-shirt. If you grew up in the 70s and 80s you’ll remember this style being extremely popular. They’re cool because a contrasting trim color on the sleeves and neck add style to the garment. It’s a little flashier than a typical monochromatic crew neck.
As you can see in the example, the colors in the print also match the ring shade. This is a fun way to tie in your logo color scheme with the actual garment. Ringers have been around since the 50s but really had their heyday during the 1980s. They are slightly more expensive due to the time and effort put into sewing the neck and cuffs but worth every penny. Also, the sleeves tend to be more fitted than a conventional crew neck because of the elastic content of the rings.
RAGLAN T-SHIRT
Now onto my personal favorite style of vintage t-shirt. The RAGLAN!! Also, know as a baseball shirt or often referred to as a jersey. Growing up we always called them jerseys (still do). It’s like a ringer on steroids. It has all of the attributes and appeal of the ringer plus stylish 3/4 length sleeves.
These tops were very popular in the late 70s and 80s as concert tees. Some of the most valuable and collectible rock tees are printed on raglans (Iron Maiden comes to mind). Once again, desirable because of the contrast colors with the torso and the ability to color coordinate with the logo. Probably my favorite and most worn shirt of all time is my Detroit Tigers 3/4 sleeve raglan. Navy blue trim and white torso with the Old English D left chest print. HEAVEN!
Single Stitch VS Double Stitch
Just to go further down the rabbit hole lets quickly explore the two most common types of seam stitching. Up until the mid-90s, single stitch construction was the industry standard. You can tell because the front of the garment will have a single visible stitch.
When you flip it over there will be what’s called a lock stitch. It secures the thread so that even if it breaks the damaged stops dead in its track and doesn’t unravel the entire seam. This is the most common stitch in real vintage t-shirts.
I still receive messages almost daily from customers inquiring about the type of stitch. It’s one way to verify whether the item is authentic or a modern reproduction.
Double stitching became the standard in the late 90s and continues to this day. One of the reasons for the extra stitching was the transition from lightweight 50/50 fabric to heavyweight cotton. This stitch is less appealing to collectors.
Double stitch tends to make the shirt buckle or pucker after repeated washings, and since the shirt is most likely 100% cotton when it shrinks it will only get worse. So unless you properly dry and iron the cotton shirts every time, it can eventually start to look pretty warped along the seams. No Bueno.
Tubular Body VS Side Seams
This next section is a topic of annoyance for most vintage lovers. SIDE SEAMS. They’re the hallmark of a cheap t-shirt. Every value-priced tee has them. Luckily the vast majority of vintage t-shirts are sans side seam.
Tubular torsos have become less common because it’s cheaper to manufacture flat pieces of fabric and sew together. Fabric tubes are more expensive because every one is made for a specific size. For example, if you have a 40″ circumference fabric tube. It can only be used for medium-sized shirts. Nothing bigger and nothing smaller. If you just have a flat piece of fabric it can be sewn to create any size.
Rarely in the 80s and early 90s did you see side seams. But they’re everywhere now. I look at it this way. The more seams the more chance for seam splits. For some reason, it’s just not as appealing ascetically either.
*ALERT* If you find a vintage shirt that you think maybe a reprint or bootleg….check for side seams and whether there is a single or double stitch. It may solve your mystery. If you find that you have a bootleg. Toss it in the nearest volcano. We don’t need anymore knock offs in circulation.
Raglan Sleeve VS Set-In Sleeve
Now let’s talk raglan vs set-in sleeve. In the 1800s a clothing company called Aquascutum specifically made a coat for Field Marshall FitzRoy Somerset (Lord Raglan) and named it after him. It had “Raglan” sleeves. It enabled him to easily wield his sword in battle. That guy’s a real trooper considering he only had one arm but was still willing to get in sword fights.
Instead of a traditional set-in sleeve. The raglan seam runs diagonally from the armpit to the collarbone. Apparently it makes movement easier. That’s why baseball players wear them. I like both styles and wear them often. Although I don’t really notice an increase in mobility. I just think it looks cool. You’ll notice raglan sleeves on a lot of vintage sweatshirts and hoodies as well.
*BONUS* STYLE V-NECK T-SHIRT
I felt guilty about leaving out v-necks. They are fairly common in the vintage realm. Although much more popular today. Think of it as crew neck’s sophisticated cousin. It’s possible to wear a v-neck with a pair of jeans and still look like an adult. Something about the plunging neckline that adds an element of class.
The v neck featured here is actually a bit of a vintage hybrid. It has ringer style sleeves and neck trim. Usually, they just have typical crew neck style short sleeves and neck trim. But you guys are special so I wanted to treat you. I hope this demystifies any questions concerning the most popular vintage t-shirt styles.