Recently, I read a blog post entitled “Why T-Shirts Matter” and I have to admit that I initially looked at it somewhat skeptically.  Even as someone who runs a t-shirt company, I needed to be convinced that t-shirts “mattered.”  The blogger was the unofficial t-shirt designer for LinkedIn, having made many designs over the past few years, and he argued that t-shirts mattered to his company (and others) because people actually cared more about them than the $10 they cost to make.  He’s probably right, but after I thought about it, I had some of my own thoughts about why t-shirts matter.

Here are three reasons why I think t-shirts matter:

1. They’re accessible to everyone.
Everyone can throw on a t-shirt and feel equal with everyone else, regardless of whether you’re wearing Ed Hardy, Fruit of the Loom, or Hand-me-down.

2. They are versatile.
From the tattered “work shirt” to the tuxedo shirt, t-shirts can fit any mold (kidding).  But really, they serve almost as a staple of attire for any occasion (at least for guys), giving them ubiquity in the fashion world.

3. They are our own personal billboard for our values, interests and loves.
In a (Western) world where personal “branding” (aka tastes) are so closely scrutinized, the t-shirt remains an acceptable medium for sharing that which you care about most.

T-shirts really are the great equalizer.  Ok, maybe underwear are slightly more egalitarian, but really t-shirts are the everyman garment of the world.  Men and women, young and old, rich and poor, skinny and not-so-skinny, serious and not-so-serious…everyone wears t-shirts (albeit for different reasons).  T-shirts unite us…and in fashion-ally speaking, t-shirts are our shared humanity.

Tell us why you think T-shirts matter.  Have you ever had a t-shirt challenge your viewpoint, encourage your team, or make a statement?