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2 min readIf you buy one thing this summer, make it a tourist T-shirt. The once humble souvenir has been given a high-fashion makeover just in time for the summer travel season.
The first convincing argument that the item is worthy of a second look came in Chanel’s Métiers d’Art collection. With the show set in a Manhattan subway station, the inclusion of the classic “I Heart NY” T-shirt (albeit rendered in sequins) felt appropriate for the setting. Matthieu Blazy opted to style it with a natty tweed skirt suit to lend it a polish the tourist tee often lacks. The addition of the slouchy Chanel handbag tucked under its model’s arm gave the runway look an air of real-life wearability.
Just as it was on the Chanel runway, a tourist T-shirt, which states a destination’s name clearly, is a breath of fresh fun that brings a wry smile to off-duty combinations. But, as ever with all great fashion ensembles, context is key. We’re not saying that you can’t wear your vacation fashion find with flip-flops and a sarong, but it’s best worn with pieces that don’t so strongly signal “paid time off.”
Chanel’s take sets the example, but these sorts of T-shirts—with their retro logos and jaunty graphics barely updated in 40 years or so—can also be worn with other polished pieces. Think a pair of sleek leather trousers and dainty ballet flats, or perhaps it’s just the right item to offset this season’s statement skirt. The graphic design of these pieces also contrasts well with the gargantuan earring moment currently filling our jewelry boxes.
Alex Consani wears the Chanel look.
The tourist tee is best bought in bright colors to add to that note of irony. It’s an easy way to introduce bold colors and a sense of playfulness to the day-to-day wardrobe. You might not be on vacation any longer, but that’s not to say your sartorial mindset can’t be. There are options you can buy on home turf with neat “New York” graphics in serif fonts and sepia hues readily available, and they’re lovely. That said, those willing should take it further with the kind of tees you can only buy when you’ve jet-set to a faraway place. You know, the kinds with phrases like “Someone who loves me very much went to [enter Mediterranean resort of choice] and all I got was this lousy T-shirt.”
The memo is clear: When you finally reach your summer holidays, it’s straight to the gift shop to claim a version for yourself. Sure, we all love New York, but the more niche locations are sure to bring about not only enviable travel insights but new fashion credentials, too.
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