The story of my favourite T-shirt and why it has my face on it
Truthfully, t-shirts are very rarely part of my everyday wardrobe. Any t-shirts I own, I use as pyjama shirts or to the gym. However, my favourite t-shirt I own was gifted to me on my 18th birthday.
In Filipino culture, a young lady’s 18th birthday, their debut, is a massive celebration with many traditions. One tradition is called 18 candles, in which 18 important women in the celebrant’s life, gifts the celebrant with something small and meaningful and presents it alongside a candle. One of my childhood friends, gave me a t-shirt that she designed herself. It is a simple white shirt with a rectangular graphic of the movie poster of the 2006 film High School Musical. However, instead of the main character’s head, she has edited it with a picture of my own face.
This shirt means a lot to me because it represents a core memory for both me and my friend, growing up together and watching Disney films. As we learned, T-shirts are supposed to represent a message or a meaning, and for me personally, portraying my interests in fashion is the biggest representation of who I am as a person. The memory behind it ties to my childhood, people I love and even my culture.
Whilst, the image has faded over time, this memory will last forever. Since the shirt is 100% cotton, the wearability will be forever as well. It was fascinating to learn about the history and political background of t-shirts. I would like to learn more about how the design and production process behind a basic t-shirt, to see the depth and skill that goes into creating a garment that is so severely underestimated in modern times.