Frankie Says Relax, Nirvana's smiley face, Choose Life... a simple T-shirt can quickly become iconic. From the '70s, when the band tee you wore defined your subculture, to the '80s, when activist sentiments came through in AIDS awareness slogans, to the '90s, when tongue-in-cheek rave smileys filled dance floors, T-shirts have always been wearable art, a loud and proud way to assert your personal and political beliefs.
The wardrobe basic has undergone a renaissance in recent seasons: an army of street style stars stepped out in Vetements' SS16 £185 'DHL' T-shirt, Gucci's £320 logo tee fast became a must-have for every fashion influencer, while Dior's £490 (!) Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie-inspired 'We Should All Be Feminists' number proved controversial.
These T-shirts are often a divisive subject, with many arguing that hundreds of pounds for a cotton T-shirt is simply not the same as saving up for a hand-crafted Italian leather handbag, and that these buzz-worthy trends are perfect examples of buyers mindlessly following the crowd. There have been raised eyebrows, too, about who could and should wear a statement T-shirt – can you don a Metallica tee if you’ve not listened to the band beyond their top three Spotify hits? Should political and ideological beliefs, like feminism, be co-opted by brands to sell product, or is wearing said product a statement in itself (albeit a very expensive one)?
One thing is for sure: The T-shirt isn’t going anywhere, so whether you sport an irreverent message, show your love for your favourite metalheads or invest in a cult favourite, here’s some inspiration for your threads. Click through to see the best T-shirts we’ve spotted on our feeds.
We love musician Keke Richardson's 2017 take on punk.
Motocross is everywhere this spring, from racing stripes to checkerboard prints, and Diana Veras' helmet tee is a cute nod to the trend.
Julia knows how to dispel a skirt suit's corporate connotations – add kicks and a statement tee. Her Les Fraudeurs number is a cult favourite.
Madeline Poole's head-to-toe red (and matching backdrop) taps into spring's favourite fiery colour.
Lotta-Liina Mikael gives it to us straight with her slogan tee.
'90s-style T-shirts celebrating everyone from Louis Theroux to David Attenborough are everywhere right now – we love Anaa Saber's homage to R&B queen Aaliyah.
Marie Jedig keeps it camo cool in this supermarket sweep.
Freddie Harrel is a ray of sunshine in her Sézane T-shirt.
Areta Szpura matches her hair to her skirt, and her Beastie Boys band T-shirt tops it off.
Megan Ellaby wears her heart on her chest with this sweet Topshop tee.
Reese Blutstein gives a good lesson in making neutrals interesting with her top from graphic T-shirt brand Monogram.
Bettina Looney sports Dior's divisive 'We Should All Be Feminists' T-shirt and works print-clashing like a pro, with brocade trousers and a ladybird coat.
Emili Sindlev's Ganni T-shirt is peachy keen.
Freja Wewer's look is full-on '90s: Kurt Cobain tangerine sunnies, TLC-style camo cargo trousers, and a slogan tee from Modstrom.
More camo, this time from Jeanette Madsen, who styles hers workwear-suitable.
Tamu McPherson spins flamenco ruffles, SS17-style. Layer your T-shirt under your best dress.
Jeanne Damas is our go-to girl for French inspiration. Wicker basket? High-waisted denim? Minimum-effort tousled hair? Check. Here, she's sporting a T-shirt from her own brand Rouje. Mais oui.
ASOS Insider Kicki's oversized surfwave T-shirt looks casual cool with wide-legged trousers and iced-out hair.
Guri Heli's Jour Nuit tee is by Dover Street Market favourite, sunglasses brand Tom Wood.
Pandora Sykes goes white-out, letting her Gucci T-shirt do the talking.
Grey marl T-shirt, '80s ripped denim, and cult trainers are a winning combination for Dilan.
Loulou de Saison's stripes 'n' gingham get-up is spring perfection, topped off with feather-laden Miu Miu sandals, and Loewe's latest animal bag.
Francesca Cristini has reworked the classic black tee with indigo mum jeans and a heavy-duty belt. Top marks.
Maria Bernad is the queen of the blazer and here she schools us on casual dressing: just add a T-shirt and your best denim.
Do Good USA has gained a cult following. We love Salem's knotted style.
Alya Mooro's T-shirt is cute and for a good cause – check out her Girls Vs Cancer campaign.
Ganni has produced some of our favourite statement T-shirts this season, and Brittany Bathgate's lemon is no exception.
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