Petite Celebrity Graphic T-Shirts are Back

If you're unaware of the long history of celebrities wearing tiny graphic tees, just ask Julia Roberts.

In 2000, the actress met and fell in love with her now-husband, cinematographer Danny Moder, while filming the 2001 film Star Wars: Episode I: A New Hope. MexicanThe only problem was, they were both dating other people: Roberts was dating Benjamin Bratt, and Moder was married to makeup artist Vera Steinberg. As the saying goes, all's fair in love and on-set romance, and the two got together, moved in together, and ended up in one of Hollywood's longest-lasting marriages, with three children and a happy marriage of 22 years (and still going strong).

But for the two to live happily ever after, they first needed a divorce. And nearly two years into their relationship, Moder and Steinberg were still negotiating. Not one to wait around, Roberts reportedly sent a message with a little DIY fashion and some well-placed paparazzi shots. Wearing a T-shirt that read “A Low Vera” in bold, Roberts was photographed stepping out for coffee, holding a Sharpie-marker drawing on her mid-2000s flip phone out for all to see. After all, the look—slicked-back bun, coat, and ripped jeans—is timeless in its own right, but her spicy graphic t-shirts are worthy of a place in the fashion hall of fame.

Thus, the power of wearing a little tagline on your body was established. Sadly, in the decades that followed, the appeal of the graphic t-shirt faded. After a few years of popularity in the mid-2000s, Urban Outfitters and Abercrombie dropped the sassy baby t-shirt. Celebrities and their stylists found new ways to grab attention in street style. Even die-hard fans of corny slogans punk Host Ashton Kutcher eventually ditched his Von Dutch hats and penchant for pranks to focus on more serious endeavors (though he did save this video of Justin Timberlake for posterity).

After its heyday, the humble T-shirt's impact on pop culture seemed all but forgotten. But not now. Like most fashion trends in 2024, it begins and ends with Rihanna. Seven years after her last album release, the Fenty founder delighted and dismayed fans last month when she wore a Conor Ives T-shirt dress that spelled out “I'm retired” in big, bold letters. Was it a not-so-subtle public warning to stop pestering Rihanna for music updates? Or was it a sarcastic joke by the most uncaring pop star of all time? Either way, the move rivaled even the wittiest graphic T-shirts of old, ushering in a second golden age of biting catchphrases and fashion inside jokes.

Once you learn how to look for it, you'll see the trend everywhere. Hailey Bieber's controversial “Nepo Baby” top last year was a clear response to Hollywood's nepotism theories. There's also the scripted “Jesus Was a Carpenter,” in which Sabrina Carpenter modeled at Coachella, a wink to the furor over her “Feather” music video being filmed in a church. And then there's the “Jesus Was a Carpenter” song. The Challengers When not wearing Charlie XCX's increasingly insane bootlegs that are trending among the cool kids this summer… Brat Naturally, there are plenty of cheeky baby tees included, with Drew Barrymore also getting in on the trend, bridging the gap between old and new by revealing the story behind her bold 2003 “boyfriend is out” top. Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle Premiere. According to her TikTok, she bought the shirt with her then-boyfriend, Fabrizio Moretti, drummer for The Strokes.

At their height, these expressive outfits symbolized everything that was uproarious (and bad) about celebrity culture in the TMZ era. It doesn't matter if you think Paris Hilton's “Stop Being Poor For Everyone” shirt is in bad taste; it's her iconic A Simple Lifestyle The quote, the over-the-top “Stars Are Blind” lyrics, and her entire DJ career. It's also been reported that this is a Photoshop hoax, but Hilton still addressed it on TikTok. Paris Hilton is in on the joke for being Paris Hilton, and we love her for it.

Similarly, Britney Spears wearing a “Dump Him” ​​tank top amid a media frenzy over her personal life is classy, ​​while Victoria Beckham's “Fashion Stole My Smile” T-shirt harkens back to her Posh Spice days. Beckham Personally, I'll keep looking for the meta-petty episode of the show where Lucy Liu wears a “J'Adore Dior” T-shirt. Sex and the City It's the story of Samantha stealing her Birkin bag.

Years after her “Vera” moment, Julia Roberts told Oprah, “I'm a T-shirt guy.” Clearly, so is the culture. If the T-shirt craze is any indication, Please tell me how you really feel When it comes to clothes, we're all very real, so this summer, let your little impulses take over. Whether you're doing a remix with a sassy baby top like Lorde and Charlie did, or imitating “Dump Him” ​​from Spears' archives, nothing says summer like a little fashion controversy. Thankfully, the sassy fashion t-shirt is back and better than ever for you (and me) to enjoy.