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The t-shirt is no longer just a casual article of clothing, with a limited menu of occasions for which it is an acceptable mode of dress.

Or as Rothco's John Ottaviano explained, the times they are a' changin'.

"Nobody wears button-down shirts anymore. Polo shirts and t-shirts have become socially acceptable in many more situations than ever before," Ottaviano said.

Not only are t-shirts at home in almost any wardrobe for any occasion (for example, the t-shirt under the blazer is a common look), but they also function as billboards for the wearer's personality, political beliefs, proclaimed mastery of the universe, social skills and as a advisory warning others that the wearer is much smarter, sassier, stronger and sexier than thou.

Despite the widespread appeal of the attitude tee, for the army/navy retailer, the military theme and support for the military still holds sway over the shelves.

For Rothco, that means the vintage, washed out look is going great guns, with an emphasis on the military look of the 40s through the 70s.

More complex graphics seem to be in, at the expense of the simpler designs such as the basic heather P.T. shirts and even the recently trendy iconic-logoed tees. If anything, the urban and skateboard crowd prefers more color and edge to their t-shirt graphics now.

"We're finding that tees with skull artwork and other more dramatic designs are taking over from other iconic themes," noted Ottaviano.

Ottaviano still finds basic camo tees to be steady sellers, and the digital camo pattern is gaining ground against the traditional patterns. Business is picking up for law enforcement tees such as SWAT, BORDER PATROL and POLICE. But Ottaviano cautions retailers against selling tees with more specific imprints such as FBI or CIA, since the wearer may use it to cross the line into impersonation of a law enforcement agent, a Federal crime.

Military Productions of Baltimore, Maryland specializes in tees with authentic U.S. military insignia, especially aappealing to veterans, collectors, historians, military families and present-day military personnel. One of their currently popular items is a t-shirt honoring POW-MIA personnel. It is a black tee with color double-sided imprint and the slogan "A Grateful Nation Never Forgets." Ten percent of the proceeds of each sale are donated to The National League of Families of American Prisoners and Missing in Southeast Asia.

Cockpit USA, New York, NY is launching a line of vintage-style tees in more upscale and modern fabrics that feature artwork replicated from World War II recruitment posters.

Arkansas Quartermaster, Little Rock, Arkansas sells a vintage Vietnam-era tee in jungle green with a line are map of Vietnam on the back. It's designed to appeal to Vietnam vets and to others with memories of that era.