If you’re anything like me, you might have purchased a tote bag or two on the back of a funny slogan (‘Yves Saint Croissant’, ‘Bonjour, beaches’ and ‘Emotional baggage’ are a few from my own collection). You may also have a T-shirt that said something similar or perhaps a cap complete with a double-entendre. And before long, your wardrobe looks more like a game of catchphrase than a collection of chic clothing – guilty as charged. But as I sift through my T-shirt collection in search of a simple style without big, bold letters, I can’t help but wonder when we all started getting so hooked on slogans.

With the rise of quiet luxury (aka borecore), we’re all well aware that fashion has fallen out of love with logos. It’s no longer a common occurrence to see Balmain or Boss written across the front of a top. Perhaps because of our increasingly tightening purse strings, our rapidly changing trend cycles or the fact that the high street is now bursting with so many great options, there’s little need to spend £100 on a T-shirt. It seems slogans have stepped up to the plate to replace the word-filled hole they once left, and it’s not just the high street getting involved.

Victoria Beckham, famous for her chic, sleek aesthetic, created a slogan T-shirt late last year, pegged to her ‘My dad had a Rolls-Royce’ comment, and it sold out within minutes. Since then, Beckham has released additional lines, including ‘David’s wife’ and ‘Fashion stole my smile’. Dior got in on the action with its ‘We should all be feminists’ shirt, and Off-White’s ‘No, you cannot have my number’ caps are currently creating a splash in fashion circles. 

So, instead of opting for lettering that makes us look like walking adverts, we’re now reaching for slogans that offer us the chance to show a bit of personality, whether it’s a clever play on words, a lyric to a favourite song or simply a message we want to associate ourselves with. 

“Someone might choose a statement slogan like ‘Born in Paris’ to generate conversation or simply attract attention,” says Dr Carolyn Mair, a cognitive psychologist, author of The Psychology Of Fashion and fashion business consultant. “[They] might wear a T-shirt or a cap with an inspirational slogan to express their personal values, beliefs or motivation, or to inspire and uplift others around them,” says Dr Mair. This correlates with findings from trade publication Fashion United, which found that slogan fashion became popular in the 1960s “as symbols of rebellion and social change”, showcasing how fashion can be both a “personal statement and a public declaration”. So it’s not surprising to see similar acts of people taking a stand, too, and slogan fashion seems like the perfect vessel.

Luckily, there’s no short supply of slogans to choose from, and we’ve rounded up some of the ones that have caught our eye. Although do keep in mind less is certainly more when it comes to slogan styles, if you can have a full-on conversation with your wardrobe, it’s probably time to pull back.

Images: Getty; courtesy of brands