You probably don’t give much thought to a white T-shirt when you see it even if you own one. After all, it’s only a simple article of clothing, which is probably something you’ve always had in your closet, right? T-shirts with a crew neck are an essential component of every person’s wardrobe because of the ease and adaptability with which they may be used.
In this article, you will discover what a crew neck is, the background and genesis of the most popular piece of clothing in the wardrobes of American men and women, as well as when and how to wear T shirts correctly.
The Origin of Crew Necks
A crew neck is a variant of the traditional T-shirt which features a round, collarless neckline. Crew neck T-shirts have been in use for more than a century, and despite the proliferation of different types of T-shirts, their look has remained unchanged and uncomplicated. It may come as a surprise to hear that such a fundamental article of clothing has a long and interesting history, but it does.
The origin of the crew neck may be traced back to the maritime industry when oarsmen and boatmen were responsible for popularizing the style of a plain white T-shirt. The origin of the term “crew neck” may be traced back to the people who work on board ships. The crew neck was eventually adopted by stevedores and miners, but the crew neck has a far longer and more interesting history than that.
Union Suit
When the one-piece “union suit” was separated into two separate garments in the 19th century, the undergarments that were worn at the time gave rise to the T-shirt. The primary reason why miners and stevedores used them was for their ease in sweltering situations. The basic crew neck became popular among farmers and agricultural labourers over time because it offered a comfortable fit, was straightforward to clean, and was affordable to purchase.
The United States Navy
1913 was the year when the Navy first mandated that all service members wear a white T-shirt with a crew neck as a mandatory undergarment underneath their uniforms. These T-shirts earned the moniker “gob” shirts since “gob” is a slang synonym for “sailor.” After a while, the crew neck became popular to put on after a hard day’s work or to wear to work parties. This trend began with sailors.
In the year 1932, the crew neck was chosen to be the principal piece of underwear worn by American football players underneath their outfits. Crew necks are perfect because of how well they fit and how affordable they were to buy in bulk. Additionally, the cotton material absorbed moisture, which helped keep the shoulder pads from rubbing against the wearer’s skin.
Retail
It wasn’t until 1938 that clothing stores started promoting the “gobs” for 24 cents per shirt, even though crew necks had been prominent in the Navy for many decades before that year. The only distinction was that the retail chain referred to them as “T-shirts” owing to the form of the garment, which resembled a “T”.
