With classic Nantucket t-shirts, there is no exception to this rule. Local fashion designers have even revived the old-school style of the vintage tee to something more modern, updating fashion trends on the island by patching together new and old in a quilt of fantastic color blends. But where did these patches come from? What is the history behind something from the 1980s that didn’t fly off the shelves, or, perhaps, didn’t even make it to the shelf?

The ever popular happy spouting whale indicative of Nantucket’s whaling heritage now can be found in a variety of colors and sizes; from wee ones in brilliant blue to teens grabbing a cone at The Juice Bar in lime green hoodies, the Nantucket Whale seems to be one of the quintessential patterns donned on island garb. Originally introduced in the 1980s, the classic Nantucket Whale design took a respite during the 90s, and has been re-introduced with great success in recent years. The tee-shirt can now be found in a variety of novelty shops around Nantucket.

Another classic that’s still in existence today is the Nantucket Arch shirt. You know which one we’re talking about: the light colored lettering in an arch shape, usually accompanied by a brick colored or navy background. These popular tees are another classic product of the 80s, and became even more popular on the men’s summer staple, “The Beater.” We can’t say that The Beater is a style of shirt that looks good on everyone, but when you put the word “Nantucket” on the front, it’s hard to argue.