Nothing is more iconic than a graphic shirt
The graphic shirt has been a mode of expression for a long time. It’s one of the most popular choices in merchandise and eventually becomes one of the most coveted treasures in vintage stores.
It’s known for its effective, yet understated appeal—broadly signaling low-effort and common sense. Sometimes all it takes to make a statement is to wear a slogan across your chest, and maybe match the look with your favorite pair of jeans.
Most of the time, the graphic tee conveys something cheeky, like a pun or a sly remark. But even the most complex or divisive of issues can be deftly condensed into two to three words.
Here are some celebrities who have done it best.
1. Paris Hilton
Before we begin, maybe it’s best to clear the air. The infamous “Stop Being Poor” shirt we all claim to remember Paris Hilton wearing is actually photoshopped. In reality, she was wearing a “Stop Being Desperate” shirt, which is a little more on brand.
She wore the shirt all the way back in 2005 to the launch of her sister Nicky Hilton’s clothing line, Chick by Nicky Hilton. In 2021, she took to social media to clarify the exact content of what she was wearing.
2. Drew Barrymore
Another celebrity who revisited a past shirt is Drew Barrymore. She wore the iconic “My Boyfriend is Out of Town” shirt in 2003 for the premiere of “Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle.” She shared the story behind it through her intimate talk show, “The Drew Barrymore Show.”
Though not everyone can pull it off the way she did—with ink-black leather pants, smoky eyeliner, and a bottle of wine in her hands—she acquired it pretty much the way we all do: by scouring a cool vintage store.
3. Zendaya
As you’ll see throughout this list, doing press for a Hollywood film is probably the coolest way to wear a graphic T-shirt. It’s definitely the most common because it gets the job done—it sends a message, and it just looks good on you.
While promoting “Challengers,” Zendaya wore the “I Told Ya” shirt she also wore in the film. Jonathan Anderson, who was the film’s costume designer, shared that the shirt was an homage to John F. Kennedy, Jr. and his effortless style.
The shirt even caught on, as celebrities outside of the cast were seen wearing it, too. Jennifer Lawrence, for one, was seen casually wearing the viral Loewe while out on the streets of New York.
4. Ryan Gosling
Ryan Gosling is another addition to this growing selection as he brilliantly wore a “Directed by Greta Gerwig” shirt at CinemaCon in 2023. He styled it with a Pepto-pink jacket with white lining that seamlessly matched his intentional, yet laid-back attire.
Wearing this T-shirt to CinemaCon was perfectly aligned with his character, Ken, the dopey beach boy counterpart to Barbie. At the same time, it’s a matter-of-fact way to celebrate that this major Hollywood production he is starring in is led by a woman director—a known industry minority.
5. Lili Reinhart
Before she filled her wardrobe with rom-com references for “The Love Hypothesis” press tour, Lili Reinhart went on a graphic shirt spree for “Forbidden Fruits.” Her stylist, Ib Abdel Nasser, sourced various shirts that were snarky and hilarious to match the femme-cult horror film in which she starred as one of the leads.
Among the shirts was a tank top that read, “I support a man’s right to shut the fuck up” and a shirt that read “Imagine dating me, it won’t happen but just imagine.” According to her, there were plenty more she couldn’t wear that we’ll just have to catch her in another time.
6. Troye Sivan
Moving on to people who wore graphic tees outside of press tours, we have Troye Sivan. The Australian artist participated in wearing Conner Ives’ “Protect the Dolls” T-shirt while posing for a picture with Lorde, Charli XCX, and Billie Eilish. He also shared another photo of himself with one of fashion’s most favorite dolls, Alex Consani.
Many other celebrities wore the shirt in trans solidarity as well, notably Pedro Pascal, Madonna, Tilda Swinton, Addison Rae, and Laverne Cox.
7. Sabrina Carpenter
While Sabrina Carpenter is most commonly seen on stage lounging in lingerie, Carpenter wore a hilarious shirt while performing at Coachella in 2024. The iconic tee was a pun on her last name, slyly comparing herself to Jesus.
Her “Jesus was a Carpenter” shirt was worn while she sang the highly anticipated, ever-changing outro to her hit song “Nonsense,” ensuring that the tee got prime coverage. It was one of the show’s most unforgettable and clairvoyant moments, as she used the lyrics to manifest her headlining the festival in the future.
8. Hailey Bieber
While most graphic tees say much by saying less, not all graphic tees hit the mark. Take Hailey Bieber, for example, who wore a shirt that read “nepo baby” as a nod to the nepo baby discourse.
Sometimes it’s cool to show people that you’re in on the joke, but other times a greater responsibility needs to be enacted. When it comes to the nepo baby discourse, Hollywood celebrities tend to be flippant when a more serious conversation ought to take place.
Whether she intended to make light of the industry’s systemic inequality, she did succeed in making a statement. And that’s the power of a graphic tee.
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