Vintage 1970s Stedman Hi Cru T-shirt

     I found this garment at Cure Thrift Shop, a thrift store in New York. This is a graphic tee for the Harbor View Hotel printed on a 1970s Stedman Hi Cru blank t-shirt. 

     When I say blank, I am referring to the standard t-shirt produced by a particular brand or company that can be used by other companies for their own printing needs. Blanks are usually purchased at wholesale in bulk quantities.

How do i know that this is a true vintage t-shirt? 

• I cross referenced the branding on the tag with other 1970s Stedman Hi Cru t-shirts in order to properly date the piece
• I conducted this cross referencing mainly through an initial google search as well as looking at similar eBay listings 
• The t-shirt is made in the USA, as noted on the back of the tag
• Paper thin material shows signs of a well-worn garment
• Single stitch on the sleeve hems, this is a prevalent construction technique used in vintage garments. A single row of stitches secures the hem on the sleeves, opposed to a double row of stitches used on modern day blanks

     The t-shirt itself is in great condition for being nearly 50 years old. Although the t-shirt shows wear through some minor distressing, the overall condition is amazing. The t-shirt is fairly thin giving a weightless fit when worn and the collar lays perfectly on the neck, being placed slightly higher than a normal shirt. 

     The fit for this size large (42-44) Stedman Hi Cru blank measures out at 21.25" across the chest, and 25" from the top of the collar to the bottom of the hem. This boxy and slightly cropped fit is one of the best I have found so far in my vintage collection. The screen printing has also held up really well, with only slight fading and very minimal cracking. 

     

     If you want to find a graphic tee like this, I recommend searching on eBay due to the rarity of the age. It would be fairly difficult to find a 50 year old tee in a thrift store, so it may be more practical to search online. 

     These t-shirts range from $10-$100 for a size large on eBay, but I would say they are well worth it. I purchased mine for $50 and will be getting plenty of wear out of it.