Key Men’s T-Shirt Prints: 2013

Introduction

The reach of print and pattern is seemingly endless. Designer collections have been inundated with them for a number of seasons now and they’ve been rapidly applied to everything from shirting and footwear to tailoring. It comes as no surprise that this trend has reached t-shirts – although not in the more generic form of slogan-laden and graphic tees that are available year in, year out. This year’s offering is supported by vibrant, all-over prints ready to pep up your off-duty ensembles. From floral to animal, menswear’s bold turn continues as print looks to supersede plain and simple in the t-shirt department. Today we tackle the current top five t-shirt prints you should be considering for your wardrobe for the remainder of 2013 and the transition into 2014…

1. Animal Print

We kick things off with one of the most daring prints to infiltrate collections this year: animal. Much like floral, animal print has long remained the domain of our female counterparts, yet more and more men are beginning to embrace their inner wild side. Leopard has become the frontrunner within primal prints and it is available in a number of variations – from traditional skin to contemporary takes featuring alternate palettes. The other beast that has made its presence known is the zebra. Its monochromatic colour scheme makes it slightly less conspicuous and thus the easier of the two to get to grips with. Make no mistake though, whichever animal you decide to sink your teeth into, confidence is key to pulling off the look. These prints are eye-catching at the best of times and a full print tee is a rather unrelenting statement; it will turn heads without fail. If going full animal isn’t your thing, integrating it via detailing is a much easier way to build up your confidence. Printed detailing has been applied to sleeve roll-ups and contrasting pockets, sleeves and panels ? it is up to you to find just the right amount of statement for your wardrobe and personal style. As always, be wary when mixing prints and patterns, especially ones with such bold intent. A leopard print tee would look great in an all black ensemble, channelling your inner rockabilly, so try combining one with your staple black jeans and leather jacket for an edgier look. Juxtaposing it with camouflage trousers or floral shorts, however, just isn’t going to work.

Worland Leopard Pocket Tee
Asos T-shirt With Leopard Print Roll Sleeve
Native Youth Leopard Print Pocket T-shirt
Topman White Hem Leopard T-shirt
River Island Grey Zebra Print Crew Neck T-shirt
Burberry Prorsum Animal-print T-shirt 163198
Pro Green X Puma T-shirt Honey B Leopard Print
Topman Grey Denim Wash Leopard High Roll T-shirt
Acne Animal-print Cotton-jersey T-shirt
River Island Pink Leopard Print T-shirt
Burberry Prorsum Giraffe-print Cotton-jersey T-shirt
Acne Men?s Fine Print T-shirt

Mini Trend: Animal Motifs

On the subject of animal, it’s not just prints that have been advocated by the industry, but motifs as well. Everything from lobsters to lions has made the cut. The origins of this mini trend can be traced back to the now iconic Givenchy ‘Rottweiler’ t-shirt – which has been spotted on the likes of Kanye West, Usher and Professor Green – with ~~knock-offs~~ variations now trickling down to the high street:

Kanye West, Usher & Professor Green Have All Been Spotted In Givenchy’s Rottweiler T-Shirt

The range of styles encapsulates everything from statement baroque pieces to more subtle motifs set against plain, neutral backdrops. Whichever direction you take, it will help inject a focal point into any look, especially if worn simply with a pair of shorts or trousers. They work exceptionally well under a plain bomber or leather jacket for a rough and ready streetwear-inspired ensemble:

River Island Ecru Baroque Leopard Print T-shirt
River Island Ecru Mirrored Lion Print T-shirt
Givenchy Doberman-print Cotton-jersey T-shirt
Topman Criminal Damage Rottweiler T-shirt
Katie Eary Lobster-print Cotton-jersey T-shirt
Topman Black Bear Head Print T-shirt
Soulland Owl T-shirt
Marc By Marc Jacobs Space Bear T-shirt
Supremebeing Lobo Lunar Tee

2. Nautical-Inspired

Nautical Motifs

Give an almighty nod to nautical this season with these maritime-inspired prints. As a trend, nautical refuses to die down, and like military it enjoys peaks in popularity but will always have a place in our wardrobes due to its influence on many menswear staples. This more literal interpretation is fronted by graphic motifs, especially anchors, which have been applied to tees, shorts, jewellery and knitwear – proving it is one trend that can be worn all year round. Anchor and general maritime prints are extremely versatile and work well in any casual ensemble. They don’t make the statement that animal print does nor are they as fresh as floral but they are incredibly easy to wear. Requiring very little thought, they will inject a touch of detailing and character into any outfit. These prints are also very easily dressed up, especially when Riviera favourites are incorporated – think navy blazers and slim white trousers.

Topman Abandon Ship Anchor T-shirt
River Island Grey Friend Or Faux Pirate Radio T-shirt
Asos T-shirt With All Over Nautical Print And Roll Sleeve
Asos T-shirt With All Over Nautical Print
Selected Homme Anchor – Basic T-shirt – Blue
Asos T-shirt With Anchor Print Pocket
He By Mango Ship Print T-shirt
Moncler Maglia Hand-painted Anchor T-shirt
London Collections. Men J.w.anderson Flocked Cotton-jersey T-shirt

Stripes

Sticking with the nautical theme, stripes have been big news within the industry this year. Of course, a classic Breton tee will never go out of style, but for SS13 stripes dominated collections in every manner possible. With the nautical influence remaining as popular as ever, stripes continue to be an integral part of this aesthetic. When it comes to printed tees, horizontal remains top of the pile – although size and colour aren’t so entrenched. Standard Breton and navy/white stripe versions are no longer your only option, though they do possess a genuine timelessness so shouldn’t be disregarded all together. Big and bold variants are worth looking into for those that want to stand out from the crowd. Alternatively, muted stripes that step away from the traditional navy/white palette are great for giving your casual looks a subtle, understated spin. Stripes are a print that can be easily styled up, especially when applied to a t-shirt. Dressing up tie-dye is sartorial suicide whilst floral and animal prints present a much more complicated style conundrum. However, stripes work flawlessly with a blazer, especially when the nautical influence is prevalent. Their versatility should not be underestimated and, ultimately, it makes them a great option for those who adhere to the capsule wardrobe concept.

River Island Navy And White Striped T-shirt
Topman Green Stripe Crew Neck T-shirt
He By Mango Striped Slub-cotton T-shirt
Shore Leave Burgundy Mock Stripe Tee
American Apparel Pinstripe Jersey Short Sleeve T-shirt
Asos Stripe T-shirt With Cut And Sew Panels
Burberry Brit Striped Cotton-jersey T-shirt
J.crew Striped Slub Cotton-jersey T-shirt
J.crew Austin Striped Cotton-jersey T-shirt

3. City/Place Name References

Another print style that appears to be trending within both high-end and high street collections is that of city/place reference graphic tees. Between the usual NYC, London, Tokyo, Paris and Milan references that make the rounds due to their obvious fashion links are cities like Berlin, Amsterdam and Dublin as well as summer destinations such as Santa Cruz, Hawaii and Rio. The print has certainly enjoyed a geographical expansion for the SS13 season. High fashion designs have a somewhat reserved feel, often featuring toned down illustrations/graphics or typography, which makes them great for adding some simple detailing to your off-duty looks and enables them to transition effortlessly through to autumn/winter. On the other hand, the high street has, by and large, taken the opposite route – the majority of styles feature bolder graphics and photography that is designed to grab the attention. These are probably more suited to the spring/summer season, where colour reigns supreme, but both styles will add a point of interest to casual looks, especially artfully done jeans and tee ensembles.

Saturdays Surf Nyc Nyc Printed Cotton-jersey T-shirt
A.p.c. Printed Cotton-jersey T-shirt
Kitsune Tee Ny Tokyo Paris
River Island White London Print T-shirt
River Island Blue Miami Sunset Print T-shirt
River Island Ecru Hawaiian Print Honolulu T-shirt
Reclaimed Vintage East Coast Baseball T-shirt
Asos T-shirt With Oslo Print
Stussy T-shirt World Tour
Topman Burgundy Burnout Nyc T-shirt
Topman White Santa Cruz Crew Neck T-shirt
Burton White Tokyo Printed T-shirt

4. Florals

The current industry obsession with floral print presents us with a new opportunity to push our style boundaries and stand out from the crowd. They are incredibly popular with the team here at FashionBeans as the majority of men still shy away from them – even though Shane recently proved that there is a floral style for everyone this year. Banishing all thoughts of gaudy shirts circa 1980 and approaching them with an open mind is imperative. Thankfully a floral tee isn’t as loud as, say, a pair of trousers or a full suit in the print and with the t-shirt being such a casual piece their boldness is immediately toned down slightly. The eye-catching nature of floral print can be neutralised further by utilising your tee as an under layer with lightweight knitwear or a jacket worn over the top. That being said, a simple t-shirt and neutral jeans/shorts/chinos combination provides just the right amount of statement without becoming garish or over the top. After all, ‘wacky’ slogans and uninspired graphics appear to be the go-to option for many sartorially challenged men, making your choice of floral a much more stylish statement among the sea of tees.