I'd like to bring my trove of old concert t-shirts to the office. I have been collecting them for years and some of them are rare and eye-catching. But I can? How do I style them without looking ridiculous? —Jen, Seattle
The vintage t-shirt industry (especially vintage concert t-shirts) has become an increasingly exclusive collecting space, inspiring the same level of knowledge, obsession and knowledge as any decorative art. These types of t-shirts often exist in extremely limited quantities (and sizes), have their own graphic value, and represent a specific moment in culture and politics.
In a world where it often seems like fashion has become generic and every piece of clothing is the same everywhere, vintage t-shirts have a different appeal. I consider it the three S's: unique, special and sustainable. Taken at face value, they mostly look cool, but for those who recognize their provenance, they act as a secret password: those who know, know.
That's why, for example, a 1967 Grateful Dead t-shirt sold at a Sotheby's auction in 2021 for $17,640. That's why sites like WyCo Vintage (where you can search by year, color, band, and measurements) and Ellie Mae Studios (where a '90s Nirvana Nevermind tour t-shirt is currently on sale for $890) are carrying like secrets.
And that's why the question of whether you can wear such a garment to work is more complicated than simply: Should we wear a t-shirt to the office? It's also about how much of your private passion you want to share in a professional space.
On the one hand, being able to dedicate yourself fully to work, including your more serious hobbies, is satisfying and often restorative. Additionally, these personal details can serve as a conversation starter and icebreaker at any meeting.
On the other hand, they're also eye-opening, and you'll have to deal with any preconceptions that someone who may not know you well will bring to the table if, for example, you suddenly show up in a (highly coveted) Iron Maiden t-shirt like that. maybe). And some professions (law, finance) obviously tend more than others to the generic philosophy of the suit, where personality is subsumed to the institution.
However, these dress codes are becoming more and more flattened, meaning there is more wiggle room no matter what job you have. That means the best approach for apparel collectibles, like concert t-shirts, may be to introduce those costume items strategically. (Note that this is true regardless of your gender.)
Jon Caramanica and Jacob Bernstein, colleagues and t-shirt connoisseurs, suggested combining the t-shirt with a cardigan and well-cut pants. According to Caramanica, “it is an approach that allows you to show only a thin segment of the shirt to arouse the curiosity of others,” or gauge their interest.
Alternatively, he said, you can opt for a jacket or even a suit, though that approach brings you closer to a popular early-to-mid-2000s aesthetic known as “indie sleaze.” (That period is in the middle of a major trend cycle, so it actually looks contemporary.)
Another potentially more versatile option is to wear the t-shirt under a button-down shirt of your choice, leaving the top two buttons undone. Just be sure, Bernstein said, to pair the T-shirt with a good watch or other type of jewelry and good shoes. Then we have what Caramanica called “the right combination of honesty and modesty.”
Something like: more things are happening down here than you imagine. Hint Hint.
Your style questions, answered
Each week on Open Thread, Vanessa will answer a reader's fashion-related question, which you can submit to her anytime via email either Twitter. The questions are edited and condensed.
