A small loop of fabric that is placed on the back of a men’s shirt, used to hang the shirt on a hanger in the closet so that it does not wrinkle.
Many people do not know that it exists for a specific reason, and that its history goes far beyond its practical function.
First, it’s called a “locker loop.”
This small detail, located behind the collar or in the middle of the back of the shirt, has a history that dates back to the mid-20th century. Its purpose was simple: to allow the shirt to be hung on a hook, in very tight spaces, without the need for a hanger.
According to the history of clothing, the “locker loop” was first used by sailors.
There were no regular closets on the ship, only small metal lockers, not enough for hangers. For this reason, shirts were equipped with a loop that could be hung on the hook, preventing them from folding and creasing.
Gear Patrol has written that it is often said in the history of this practice that “hanging a shirt was the easiest way to keep it tidy in difficult conditions”.
From the sea, this detail passed to land.
The American clothing brand, GANT, was the one who made the “locker loop” part of fashion, including it in the Oxford-style shirts it produced for students at elite American universities.
In the 1950s and 1960s, GANT was the official brand of Yale University and its shirts became a symbol of the style of Ivy League students, influencing men’s fashion and clothing style throughout the United States.
But over time, the “locker loop” also took on a social meaning.
In the 1960s, it became a romantic signal.
Girls would often tear off the shirt cuffs of boys they liked as a way to show interest or “mark territory.”
On the other hand, some boys would cut off the cuffs themselves to show that they were already in a relationship.
“A shirt without a buttonhole meant his heart was taken,” the accounts of the time say, according to Gear Patrol.
In return, girls would often wear their lover’s scarf or clothing as a symbol of their bond.
However, the popularity of this detail also brought a dark side.
Uncut loops were often pulled or torn as a joke, but in some cases they were also used for mockery and insults.
A shirt with a loop became, unfairly, a means of implying that someone was not in a relationship or of making homophobic insinuations, using offensive and derogatory nicknames.
Today, the “locker loop” no longer has any social or symbolic meaning.
It has remained mainly as a design element and a reminder of fashion history.
Fashion brands such as “Brooks Brothers”, “GANT” and “Gitman Vintage” continue to include it on their shirts, as a classic and heirloom detail.