![Peace sign tee, £40, by Moschino from thrifted.com, Organic sunshine tee, £70, samsoe.com, Organic khaki tee, £35, finisterre.com](https://media.guim.co.uk/c1e0d16e591e47155349043afa8700f22218a5a5/0_0_2083_1250/1000.jpg)
If all fashion is about communication, a printed T-shirt is – quite literally – your wardrobe’s sartorial signpost, a device to tell the world your likes and dislikes, taste and mood, without opening your mouth. This makes them, pun intended, a winner on two fronts: a way to make a bold statement but also an easy style solution when you haven’t got the headspace to think about your outfit in the morning.
Buy a T-shirt that says something – Finisterre’s “Protect Your Blue” is about an ocean campaign, for example – or one set to start conversations, like Mowalola’s with its frankly amazing, and very bendy, model.
If a lot of designer T-shirts have great graphics, they are also often priced around three figures. Renting allows you to play with these different designs – from Gucci’s trademark snakes to Ralph Lauren’s cult polobear – without shelling out.
Retro printed T-shirts are a fashion prize. Rummage around vintage sites, boutiques and charity shops to find prints from other eras. The 70s and 80s excel here – while anything from the Y2K era, like this Moschino peace-sign design, will score highly when it comes to style in summer 2022. Add wraparound shades and low rise jeans if you dare. Lauren Cochrane
Buy it
![£35, finisterre.com](https://media.guim.co.uk/6a01769f18c39e63ccaba61fb4a0480db37bf726/90_291_1958_2243/873.jpg)
Organic khaki tee, £35, finisterre.com
![£185 by Mowalola from brownsfashion.com](https://media.guim.co.uk/997b82832c51b3352fc00da64cf6e4a70428c6d6/0_0_1920_2410/797.jpg)
Woman printed tee, £185 by Mowalola from brownsfashion.com
![£70, samsoe.com](https://media.guim.co.uk/7a113bf4cce9a204157d1eae00ac0d09d474f298/0_168_1333_1664/801.jpg)
Organic sunshine tee, £70, samsoe.com
Rent it
![£22 for 4 days rental, by Coach from mywardrobehq.com](https://media.guim.co.uk/796a8f8eba51be9952f5fd3072fe562a94155b22/0_0_1000_1000/1000.jpg)
Bambi sequin detail tee, £24 for four days’ rental, by Coach from mywardrobehq.com
![£39 for one month (as part of a subscription), by Ralph Lauren from thedevout.com](https://media.guim.co.uk/bd2aac208d4ff55e1d97071af38ac5e6a4cffd3a/0_27_683_854/400.jpg)
Bear print, £39 for one month (as part of a subscription) by Ralph Lauren from the devout.com
![£42 for 3 days rental, by Gucci from byrotation.com](https://media.guim.co.uk/6fd6356293c952a1bf511228ab8b4169a0e48716/0_160_1080_1139/948.jpg)
“Guccify” tee, £42 for three days’ rental, by Gucci from byrotation.com
Thrift it
![£29.95, goldsmithvintage.com](https://media.guim.co.uk/3426f522a40e7dd34b3c14d4381583071e34cfdb/47_97_1153_1326/870.jpg)
Blue “spa” tie-dye tee, £29.95, goldsmithvintage.com
![£40, thrifted.com](https://media.guim.co.uk/89475cef1e4925159bbc58666089f8524f205622/0_0_1024_1024/1000.jpg)
Peace sign tee, £40, by Moschino from thrifted.com
![£22, beyondretro.com](https://media.guim.co.uk/71039263c5b0007829ae926f6d4640b78118b20f/0_0_366_476/366.jpg)
Purple tee, £22, beyondretro.com