Back-to-School Cool: Stylish Graphic Tees for Moms, Kids, & Teachers for the New School Year

The graphic tee is a beloved fashion item, making a statement about your favorite band, your approach to life, or just displaying a beautiful image. Today, they’re worn by just about everybody, just about everywhere.

But where did graphic tees come from? Some believe they started being made in the 1970s but that’s just when they exploded into the mainstream. The truth about this popular garment is that the first examples were made by the US military in the 1940s!

Let’s look at how today’s stylish graphic tees provide instant back-to-school cool for everyone from moms to teachers to kids. But first, let’s review how to add them to your wardrobe effectively and for maximum impact.

Some Simple Graphic Tee Guidelines

While graphic tees are a fun part of any wardrobe, there are definitely some ground rules about wearing them. You don’t want to be the grown-up dressed like a kid (the “kidcore” trend notwithstanding.) Neither do you want to be a living billboard. Like any other wardrobe component, graphic tees are to be approached thoughtfully, keeping in mind the following guidelines:

• No logo: I think it’s generally agreed that being a human billboard is not the mission of the graphic tee. While it’s certainly been true that many brands have exploited both the popularity of graphic tees and the newly broadened popular appeal of the luxury fashion market, there’s nothing less classy than advertising for that market’s brands.

Wearing a brand name or a logo achieves the opposite effect many believe it does. Of course, there are exceptions to this rule.

• The Rule of “KISS”:

“Keep It Simple, Stupid” is a great rule to apply to graphic tees. While it’s tempting to go hard, choosing the busiest, most colorful T-shirt out there doesn’t always work.

Coco Chanel said that everyone should look in the mirror before leaving the house and remove one piece of jewelry or one accessory. Graphic tees that clash with other pieces of clothing you’re wearing or that sport loud patterns are difficult to wear. These graphic tees should be reserved to wear with jeans or cargos. And while that may seem obvious to those reading, look around. It’s not obvious to everyone.

Graphic tees are worn with everything now, from mini skirts to suiting looks, so know what looks best with the T-shirts in your closet before committing a fashion faux pas!

• Words Aren’t Always Required:

Simplicity applies to the content of your graphic tee, the imagery, and the wording employed. But not all graphic T-shirts need a message. In fact, sometimes a message can detract from the visual content.

Sometimes, a simple graphic image is all you need. Famous art pieces, classical statues (like Michelangelo’s David, for example), a single letter of the alphabet, and so many other ideas in graphic T-shirt design today are dramatic and perfectly suited to making a fashion statement.

Your Mom’s Super Cool

You know your mom likes to look trendy but she’s also a force of nature, organizing the other moms to get things done. When she’s not raising money to send the school marching band to a festival, she’s cheering your team on in the stands. She’s the mom all the others look to as their example.

There’s no better way to express the whirlwind of activity moms are responsible for than cute mom shirts in graphic tees, sweatshirts, and so much more. All moms (especially yours) are cool, so let her proudly declare her super-coolness with cute graphic tees!

Band T-shirts are another way for moms to signal their maternal command of cool. But choose a band the kids will be impressed with. While you may be tempted to choose a graphic T-shirt from Dua Lipa, resist the urge. What will earn the respect of this tech and music-savvy generation is a Queen T-shirt. That’s right! Queen is a huge favorite with Gens Z and A, both. Leverage the knowledge and win, Mom.

Savvy Teacher Cool

Teachers are responsible for the development of the future’s great minds. But how do you reach the youth of today? Well, you flaunt them with your outrageous coolness the minute they saunter into class.

Choose a graphic tee that echoes what you’re passionate about. Be a climate or peace advocate, wearing your agenda on your sleeve. This activist generation will hang on every word you say as you gently steer them toward related information they never knew they were interested in!

As you cover the walls of your classroom with the inspirational stories of heroes and heroines for them to emulate, wear your feminism in a graphic tee to start a conversation.

“Who’s that, teach?”

“Oh, that’s Susan B. Anthony!”

Teachable moments abound for savvy, ultra-cool teachers when they leverage graphic tees for learning.

It’s All About the Slogan Wear, Kids!

Just like I said above, there hasn’t been a generation quite this dedicated to sharing its opinion since the 60s. Gen Z and A are both committed to changing the world on a grand scale and on a societal level.

For these emerging world changers, slogan wear is sending their message from Dior’s high fashion “Everyone should be a feminist” to the ubiquity of “No problemo” emblazoned tees showing up all over the streets of UK cities and beyond. But slogan wear is about more than light sarcasm. There’s a socially critical edge to many of the offerings falling under this rubric. One perfect example is Hailey Bieber’s “Nepo baby” T-shirt. Slogan wear is a fashion-forward way for young people to speak their cultural presence, lending sartorial resonance to these emerging generations.

Get back to school as cool as a cucumber this year, whether you’re the uber-engaged mom, the teacher with all the teachable moments, or the kid with the sarcastically edgy slogan wear. With graphic tees, you’re way too cool for school.