# What was the first article of clothing that used word(s) as a decoration? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 6, 2024, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-article-of-clothing-that-used-word-s-as-a-decoration/1002573 "2024-06-06T23:40:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2024, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-article-of-clothing-that-used-word-s-as-a-decoration/1002573/1 "2024-06-06T23:40:22Z")
These days a large percentage of clothing has words (often advertising) on it. But, what was the first time this was used? ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2024, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-article-of-clothing-that-used-word-s-as-a-decoration/1002573/2 "2024-06-06T23:44:38Z")
The first “slogan t-shirt” was supposedly created for Thomas Dewey’s 1948 presidential campaign and was emblazoned with the words **Dew It With Dewey**. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2024, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-article-of-clothing-that-used-word-s-as-a-decoration/1002573/3 "2024-06-07T00:22:51Z")
Levi’s first put the “red tab” Levi’s mark on the back pocket of their jeans in 1936 specifically to separate them from competitors. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2024, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-article-of-clothing-that-used-word-s-as-a-decoration/1002573/4 "2024-06-07T01:21:21Z")
I’m pretty confident we’ve been slapping words on apparel for as long as we’ve been writing. [Here’s an inscribed helmet from around 2700 years ago.](https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/256978) ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2024, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-article-of-clothing-that-used-word-s-as-a-decoration/1002573/5 "2024-06-07T02:31:57Z")
> ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2024, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-article-of-clothing-that-used-word-s-as-a-decoration/1002573/6 "2024-06-07T03:09:53Z")
Baseball uniforms had team names and cities on them back in the 1880s. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2024, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-article-of-clothing-that-used-word-s-as-a-decoration/1002573/7 "2024-06-07T03:33:10Z")
[Letterman jackets were first created at Harvard in 1865](https://www.unitedsportapparel.com/help/blog/historyandevolution), specific to achievement for baseball players, and quickly more schools and more sports began using them. It seems like the letterman sweater was pretty popular in the 1920s and 30s, but just for men. But as far as I can tell from examples, they were always just the [school name letters](https://www.stjohns.edu/150th-anniversary/our-history/digital-history-exhibit/school-spirit) or [your grad year](https://www.amtraq.com/dehen1920-the-varsity-v-neck-sweater/). Not sure if that really fits the OP’s question tho (nor do sports uniforms or [fan sports apparel](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/450148925234915144/), IMHO), because while the sweaters weren’t uniforms they were still given out by the teams and clubs and not for sale to the general public. I’m pretty sure @beowulff is looking for slogans or brand names. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2024, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-article-of-clothing-that-used-word-s-as-a-decoration/1002573/8 "2024-06-07T04:05:06Z")
What was the first time someone wrote the days of the week on their underwear? ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2024, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-article-of-clothing-that-used-word-s-as-a-decoration/1002573/9 "2024-06-07T04:42:43Z")
What like… Monday forward, Tuesday backwards, Wednesday inside out, Thursday inside out and backwards? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2024, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-article-of-clothing-that-used-word-s-as-a-decoration/1002573/10 "2024-06-07T05:17:15Z")
That’s better than the 12 pairs of underwear system. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2024, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-article-of-clothing-that-used-word-s-as-a-decoration/1002573/11 "2024-06-07T06:46:37Z")
I’m going with prison clothing. If numbers are included. I just so happy I don’t see young ladies with big block letters spelling PINK on their butts anymore. That was asinine. 🤭 (Didn’t very early British navy have letters on their sailor hat thingys…oh do we include embroidered monogrammed clothing? That’s been around a long long time) ---
**Author:** ![hibernicus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hibernicus/32/2802_2.png) [@hibernicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hibernicus)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2024, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-article-of-clothing-that-used-word-s-as-a-decoration/1002573/12 "2024-06-07T07:51:13Z")
Just a thought: What about priestly robes? Are there religions that have letters or characters on priests’ garments, maybe going back centuries? ---
**Author:** ![md-2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9d8465/32.png) [@md-2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md-2000)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2024, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-article-of-clothing-that-used-word-s-as-a-decoration/1002573/13 "2024-06-07T12:11:28Z")
This was my thought too… King Charles’ new cipher is in the news recently (“CR”), and I assume that as long as ciphers and such have been a thing, they have also been embroidered on the ceremonial robes. I guess too the issue is “how?”. Silk-screening is a tedious process suitable for mass production, and requires a dye or such that won’t bleed. Sewing cut-out letters on does not easily lend itself to mass production in the days before automation, nor does embroidery. But those wall hangings with embroidered sayings and bible verses were a thing in the 1800’s and earlier. The Bayeux tapestry was embroidered with plenty of words describing the action, in the 1100’s, so the concept of text embroidery on cloth was obvious and practiced back then. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2024, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-article-of-clothing-that-used-word-s-as-a-decoration/1002573/14 "2024-06-07T20:11:42Z")
I can do you some knitted socks with the word “Allah” from around the 1100s… > **[Arabic inscriptions on knitted stockings](https://loopholes.blog/2017/10/arabic-inscriptions-on-knitted-stockings/)** > > A descriptive catalog of Textiles in Egypt 200–1500 AD in Swedish museum collections, prepared by Marianne Erikson and published in 1997, includes a “Knitted stocking with Arabic text.” It belongs … ---
**Author:** ![APB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e8cbc/32.png) [@APB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/APB)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2024, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-article-of-clothing-that-used-word-s-as-a-decoration/1002573/15 "2024-06-07T22:01:08Z")
The twelfth-century coronation robe of the Holy Roman Emperors has a Kufic text embroidered round its edge. [Kunsthistorisches Museum: Der Krönungsmantel (khm.at)](https://www.khm.at/objektdb/detail/100435/) ---
**Author:** ![Tatterdemalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/43a26b/32.png) [@Tatterdemalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tatterdemalion)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2024, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-article-of-clothing-that-used-word-s-as-a-decoration/1002573/16 "2024-06-08T03:53:54Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > I just so happy I don’t see young ladies with big block letters spelling PINK on their butts anymore. That was asinine. 🤭 Some years ago, I saw a little girl, maybe 8 - 10 yrs old, wearing a pair of pants with somewhat stylized lettering on the seat. I am somewhat ocd about text so I focused on it trying to make out what it said. I soon realized that I was staring at a little girl’s butt with the word juicy written on it. [Something like this, only on a little girl.](https://juicycouture.com/collections/apparel/products/juicy-couture-big-bling-towel-terry-track-pants-pear) Who on earth thought that was a good idea? ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2024, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-article-of-clothing-that-used-word-s-as-a-decoration/1002573/17 "2024-06-08T04:03:34Z")
Oh, they make diaper covers for babies with words you wouldn’t believe. I don’t know who thought of it. But over-sexualized clothing for little girls has been around awhile. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2024, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-article-of-clothing-that-used-word-s-as-a-decoration/1002573/18 "2024-06-08T04:07:45Z")
The Greeks have been doing embroidery since forever. (China too, I’m sure) There were women and probably men who were very adroit with needlework. And faster than you’d think. Also they had slave labor to choose from. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2024, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-article-of-clothing-that-used-word-s-as-a-decoration/1002573/19 "2024-06-08T04:19:50Z")
That’s really gross. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2024, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-article-of-clothing-that-used-word-s-as-a-decoration/1002573/20 "2024-06-08T04:22:37Z")
Juicy is a brand of clothing for preteens and teens. They are very sexy styled. I find them\* reprehensible to be marketing to young girls. They’re not the only ones. \*And their parents who purchase them. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-article-of-clothing-that-used-word-s-as-a-decoration/1002573.md?page=2)