T-Shirts

I've been thinking about T-shirts lately. For my morning walks, I usually pull on one of the several T-shirts I've received the last few years as a cancer survivor. There's the purple one from my first Relay For Life. Sometimes I wear the bright pink from the Race For the Cure. If I don't feel like being too bold, I put on the white Race For the Cure. But there are other T-shirts that can be worn for everyday use. I still have two shirts that Ryan brought from Hawaii: LDS Church Relief Team (Hurricane Iniki).

How boring were clothes closets before the invention of the T-shirt? I researched a little of their history. They came on the scene before the 1900's as union worker underclothes...mine workers, industrial laborers, etc. Then during war times, soldiers wore them for extra warmth in cold weather. But because they were not really considered underwear, a military shirt could be taken off in hot weather and the man could still be considered "clothed" for service. According to the source I read, it was Marlon Brando that spiked the interest in everyday wear of the T-shirt in his movie "A Streetcar Named Desire".

I admit I have never seen Marlon's movie. But I can imagine his shirt was white, and plain, and had rolled up sleeves...pretty cool for 1950. It was not too long after this that Walt Disney caught the vision with printed T's adorned with images of Mickey Mouse and other "Goofy" characters. It didn't take long for businesses to realize "human billboarding" could pay off in effective marketing. Because of the fact that I didn't really pay for my survivor T-shirts, I am obliged to accept the printed advertisements of those who actually did pay, namely the sponsors that expended tax-deductible dollars: FM 100.3, Pepsi, Yoplait, UPS, Ford, Bank of America, and a host of drug companies who names I cannot pronounce.

Very seldom do you find a plain T-shirt in today's fashion world. Sometimes we proudly wear a shirt that helps the gross margin of Nike. But most often our choice of apparel makes a statement of our emotions, our devotion, our humor or our political passion. We declare our commitment to the Utah Jazz, USU, Atlanta Braves or another favorite sports team. Onlookers can immediately determine where we spent our summer vacation by our donning of shirts from Yellowstone, Grand Canyon or Disney World. Mass production of shirts creates a bond with those who wear them, such as our Race For the Cure. The whole point is that the T-shirt is an avenue for personal expression. The term "human billboard" extends beyond our personal agreement to advertise Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Awareness. What we wear advertises who we are and what we represent as a person.

Do we need catchy logos and Fruit of the Loom cotton to do this? Can someone look into my face and determine what I stand for? Do my actions speak louder than my T-shirt? I hope so. It would be wonderful if those who see me in the grocery store could read the feelings of my soul rather than the words printed on my chest. I would hope that my life's T-shirt advertises what is really dear to me: faith in God, hope for a sunny day, the love of family, a sense of belonging, willingness to serve and a commitment to work.

On the lighter side, if I ever start my own T-shirt business, here are some favorite sayings that I think would make for great reading:

"Some days you are the bug; some days you are the windshield."

"I went to the 30th reunion of my preschool. I didn't want to go, because I've put on like a hundred pounds."

"I hate housework! You make the beds, do the dishes -- and six months later you have to start all over again."

But for now, I will stick to my survivor shirts that remind me to: "Take charge of your health!", "Imagine a world without breast cancer", and "Celebrate, Remember, Fight Back".