<P> They soon became popular as a bottom layer of clothing for workers in various industries, including agriculture . The T - shirt was easily fitted, easily cleaned, and inexpensive, and for those reasons it became the shirt of choice for young boys . Boys' shirts were made in various colors and patterns . The word T - shirt became part of American English by the 1920s, and appeared in the Merriam - Webster Dictionary . </P> <P> By the Great Depression, the T - shirt was often the default garment to be worn when doing farm or ranch chores, as well as other times when modesty called for a torso covering but conditions called for lightweight fabrics . Following World War II, it was worn by Navy men as undergarments and slowly became common to see veterans wearing their uniform trousers with their T - shirts as casual clothing . (1) The shirts became even more popular in the 1950s after Marlon Brando wore one in A Streetcar Named Desire, finally achieving status as fashionable, stand - alone, outerwear garments . Often boys wore them while doing chores and playing outside, eventually opening up the idea of wearing them as general - purpose casual clothing . </P> <P> Printed T - shirts were in limited use by 1942 when an Air Corps Gunnery School T - shirt appeared on the cover of Life magazine . In the 1960s, printed T - shirts gained popularity for self - expression as well for advertisements, protests, and souvenirs . </P> <P> Current versions are available in many different designs and fabrics, and styles include crew - neck and V - neck shirts . T - shirts are among the most worn garments of clothing used today . T - shirts are especially popular with branding for companies or merchandise, as they are inexpensive to make and purchase . </P>

Where does the name t shirt come from