The past few years have been tough for graphic tees. A longtime Americana staple, Merchant’s much-publicized death two years earlier posed an existential threat to the style, as men around the world increasingly turned from colorful tees to earthy button-ups and simple blanks.
But you can’t keep a nice guy or a funny portrayal of a golfer at all biffing it– Down for a long time. This summer, the streets of New York, Paris and London are full of stylish people talking through their T-shirts. Some people are taking their fit in a completely maximalist direction, pairing these tops with sporty shorts and shades. Others are keeping the rest of the formula classic — chinos, a suit, some denim — and letting their fun tees show that they still have a personality.
Both approaches are great. Once you’ve decided what’s for you, simply choose what you want your t-shirt to telegraph. Your favorite band? Sports team? Your evolving judgment on the long-term viability of capitalism? That’s the magic of the graphic tee – there’s nothing it can’t say or show.
To help you get started with the search, I polled our entire editing staff to gather what some of our favorite options are on the market right now (beyond the odd gems of yesteryear you can always get for low on eBay) as well as the categories into which they broadly fit.
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playful graphic tees
Most respected tees right now? A cheeky style shows that you have a sense of humor, don’t take yourself too seriously, and are happy to dress up to entertain other people as much as yourself. After all, summer is the least serious of all the seasons, and your clothes should celebrate it in some way. The league leader, currently, is Emily Dawn Long, but the vibe can also be achieved with a serious repro maker like The Real McCoy.
