Happy 100th Year Anniversary to the U.S Navy’s T-shirt

Happy 100th Year Anniversary to the U.S Navy’s T-shirt!

To commemorate this iconic piece of clothing’s 100 Years of history on this Veterans Day jump in to my time machine! Buckleup…

1913, T-shirts were invented by the U.S Navy for it’s men on deck. The Navy introduced it’s T-shirts to Navymen as standard-issue uniform undergarment. Appreciated for it’s freedom of movement they offered to the men, the tee was cheap to make, easy to clean and quick to dry.

1948, T-shirts would channel it’s first official mark in U.S pop history. The first political T-shirt is thought to be “Dew-it-with-Dewey” for the 1948 presidential election.

1950s, Within the next 2 years The film “A streetcar named desire” would Popularize the civilian use of the U.S Navy’s T-Shirts by no other than a guy name Marlon Brando! Leave to a guy named Brando to  brand such an iconic world wide use of something that NAVY men wore as underwear.

1960s and 70s hippies tie dyed the T-Shirt to promote peace and love in the world. Also to protest against the harsh unpopular Vietnam war. We’re still using T-Shirts to protest war and promote love till this day, they were high yes, but you can’t say that they weren’t hip.

1980s the star cast of the hit series “Miami Vice” wore T-Shirts under expensive suits and jackets, with more expensive church shoes with no socks, boat shoes I can clearly understand, but chasing down bad guys in fancy Italian shoes with no socks, tucked in T-shirt under a blazer is ummmm, No Comment. I’m an 80’s baby, yes, but that’s all I got to say about that and the 80s fashion.

1995, I decided to print my name on the back of my basketball camp T-Shirt for the first time out of pure inexpensive will to have Randy in the back of my jersey. Long story, so I won’t divulge too much into that process. Lets just say that I had determination, a black spray can and  a manila folder! lol I was the only 14 year old kid running around with my name on the back of my jersey during our last game of the camp, so the announcer kept saying my name throughout the whole game, even though I was balling, it helped that on top of that he knew my name to call it out when I made plays, I actually got MVP after we won the championship later that evening.

1997, 16 years old, the T-shirt possibly saved my life, I almost got arrested had it not been for my John I. Leonard P.E shirt, which had my name on the back of it. To make a long story short I got caught up doing something stupid one morning, got handcuffed, then the Cop asked me for my name and I couldn’t fake a name, because my shirt had my name and where I went to High School. For not telling him a lie he took me home instead near after a long talk, he asked my mom for my name, got Randy and let me go! Told me had I lied, he would have booked me. Who knows what would be of the king today had I gone down that day. Hhmmmm

1998, I officially launched Pipclothing in my High School, John I. Leonard to be precise, I had my school on blast, there’s nothing like having your peers and teachers accepting your brand, talent, ideas and work as the norm around school, to the point where they’d buy it and wear it in class next to you without thinking much of it, that was a crazy experience…! I thank every last one of my peers for that, thank you! If it hadn’t been for you guys supporting me early on back in those days, who knows what I’d be doing now, I’d probably be a Janitor somewhere!!! So thanks again LANCERS!!!

2004, T-Shirts self employed me, I quit my part time job and decided to focus on making T-Shirts full time, right after getting my first apartment! Challenging, but fun times! Learned to survive by applying structure and the business management major courses that I was taking at the time. I learned that if I was going to be around T-Shirts for the rest of my life that I would need more than talent and creativity to hang around, i would need a business plan everyday…

2005-06, I released the Pipclothing Rep’ Ur Hood 561 Collection in my County of Palm Beach, a series of T-Shirts imprinted with various designs complimenting the love and Rep of Palm Beach County, one of the most successful collection out of my company to date. Because of those T-Shirts, my whole community grew closer to me and one to another alike. I would even open my first clothing store the year after, so Big Thank you to my Hometown, my Kingdom Palm Beach for always supporting the PC Brand. Love the PBC!!!

2013, I’m still in this dream of running a business revolving around T-Shirts, something that the U.S Navy innovated 100 years ago! It saved my life in more ways than one throughout my life, so to you its probably just a T-Shirt, but to me, in so many ways it’s FREEDOM.

Those were a few of many great T-shirt stories of mines, yes most of it was corny, but they’re mines Danggit LOL.

Special Shout out and Thank You to a close Brother of mines a True Navy Man Robert Rodriguez

Happy 100th Birthday T-shirts! We got so much in common, you’re even a Cancer just like me! Shout out to the U.S Navy for developing something 100 years ago when even the fashion industry wasn’t thinking about it at the time, and for that same innovation meeting me on my path to devoloping a key component of realizing my dreams. Big Ups U.S Navy! You Guys saved a civilian life way offshore… Thank you! Selah.

Written and Timelined by Randy Pipman for Musiqplug.com

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