5 Great Brands for the Classic Vintage Look

The logo tee with the vintage-style branded design and text reading something like “est. 19XX” is a veritable staple of the t-shirt world.  Walk into any mall clothing retailer, and you’ll usually find at least a couple of these.  I call this “genre” of t-shirt design “classic” because it’s tried-and-true and has been around for ages, and it’s not just limited to major fashion companies — you’ll also find plenty of these guys in the collections of a large percentage of indie brands.  A lot of us in the indie community tend to scoff at these for being formulaic and overplayed, and in most cases I would have to agree.  However, just because a lot of these ‘classic’ designs stick to a pattern doesn’t mean they can’t be good or innovative.

Charleigh Co.

Indie brand Charleigh is one of the first examples that comes to my mind when I think of this look.  I still remember when this brand was first starting out, with only a couple of tees on hand.  Now they’ve expanded into a much larger line and a nicer-looking website.  However, one thing has remained consistent: the clean, timeless style of their branded shirts. The blending of vintage and modern graphic design sensibilities is just fantastic.

Price Range: $16-22

Make Believe Clothing

Make Believe Clothing Co. is another one of my favorites. The shirts here will especially appeal to those who like vintage American iconography.  Like Charleigh, the designs here represent qualities of both vintage and modern design, this time more the latter than the former.  I’m a big fan of the bold forms and typography. I just wish they had a bit more!

Price Range: $25

CXXVI Clothing Co.

CXXVI is the priciest option on this list, but nonetheless worth checking out if you don’t mind shelling out a bit more.  This brand boasts exceptional branding, a slick website, a huge catalog, and of course some fantastic vintage-style designs. The distressed textures, antique fonts, and Americana work together to create a very appealing, unified visual style.  Surprisingly, CXXVI tends to stay away from incorporating their own name/logo into the designs, instead using iconic images, slogans, and emblems.

Price Range: $36

MNKR

MNKR goes back to the basics with simple but effective typography and a more lighthearted feel than the other brands mentioned here.  I’m a big fan of the way MNKR’s designs are clearly inspired by vintage shirt designs, but with a cheeky sense of humor flavored by current events.  I also like the proliferation of tri-blend tees, which are insanely comfortable during the summer!

Price Range: $26-28

Regan Smithe Clarke

Regan Smithe Clarke has moved away from the elaborate illustrations inspired by vintage art  into simpler pieces, but the retro inspiration is still alive and well.  I especially like the way the designs are more artistic plays on older design styles, instead of simply imitating them.  The store is also home to several equally-good non-branded designs.

Price Range: $25

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