Oct 3, 2025 3 min read

Old School: To a Tee

"....You name a color and there’s a shirt out there. You have a magenta and chartreuse pair of pants? No problem...." Photo courtesy Snapped Garters Blog Spot.

By Carol McEwen,

Call me crazy, but I like tee-shirts, and judging from what I see when I’m out and about, I’m not alone. They’re light-weight and the all-cotton ones are cool, especially important in the sweltering summer heat. They’re stretchy, too, or “forgiving,” as a savvy salesperson might say. Since I’ve put on a few pounds over the years, those shirts just keep growing with me. And heaven knows, there are plenty of choices. You name a color and there’s a shirt out there. You have a magenta and chartreuse pair of pants? No problem. You can probably find a tee in either color, or maybe even both. And, of course, cheapskate that I am, I like the price. I hesitate to call them affordable, since nothing seems reasonable these days, but as prices go, tee-shirts are a bargain.

...."For some unknown reason, I dug out an old shirt from a company picnic at my husband’s workplace in 1991...." Courtesy Carol McEwen.

My younger daughter, as a kid, wanted to collect tee souvenirs from the Hard Rock Cafés. Her collection began with one from D.C., but during my husband’s international work travels, we added to her collection from distant places, like Berlin, London and even Sydney. We heard there was a café in Vienna, so we hustled to the place and bought a shirt. Later, we found that the place was not part of the chain. It became a family joke that we even had a shirt from a place that wasn’t legit.

"....Red was a local boy and my mother’s childhood playmate...." Comedian Red Skelton. Courtesy Turner Broadcasting via Facebook.

Because I enjoy my own tee-shirts and the memories they hold, I keep certain special ones. I have one from 2008, commemorating the annual Red Skelton Festival held in my hometown. Since Red was a local boy and my mother’s childhood playmate, I only wear it on special occasions. Another one gave me a good laugh while at the gym — something we all need when we’re in that torture chamber. For some unknown reason, I dug out an old shirt from a company picnic at my husband’s workplace in 1991. As I was huffing and puffing, I heard a male voice intone to my trainer, “That shirt is older than you are, kid.” I turned to find a former co-worker of my husband’s, long-since retired. We had a good laugh, happy to see each other. Now I ask you, what other article of clothing can cause a mini-reunion?

"....I only wear it on special occasions...." Courtesy Carol McEwen.

OK, so maybe some of my shirts are a little faded and stretched out, but this Old School type will keep wearing them until you can see daylight or my underwear through them.

Image created using Chat GPT. Can you tell?

Carol McEwen is a writer for Stroll By The Bay, Mirimar Beach, Florida, and authored the weekly Old School column for the Arlington Sun Gazette/Gazette Leader. She may be reached at: carolwrites4fun@gmail.com.