The shirt, as a garment, has roots dating back to ancient Egypt and the 18th dynasty, with the oldest preserved example being a linen shirt from around 3000 BC. While initially worn as underwear, the shirt evolved into a more prominent garment, with the modern button-down shirt emerging in the 19th century. 

Here's a more detailed look at the shirt's history:

Ancient Origins:

The oldest preserved shirt, a linen garment, dates back to around 3000 BC in ancient Egypt. 

These early shirts were likely worn as underwear, made from a rectangular piece of linen folded and sewn up the sides, with openings for arms and a hole for the head. 

Middle Ages and Beyond:

In the Middle Ages, shirts became more important as clothing became more closely fitted. 

Normans developed shirts with neckbands and cuffs in the 14th century. 

By the 16th century, shirts began to be embellished with embroidery, lace, and frills. 

The Modern Shirt:

The shirt, as we know it today, with buttons and a collar, emerged in the 19th century. 

A tailor named Brown from Davis & Co. patented a shirt that buttoned entirely to the waist in 1871. 

Before that, shirts were worn without buttons and had to be pulled over the head. 

The T-shirt

The T-shirt, which is a type of shirt, was originally worn as an undershirt, but has since become a popular casual wear item. 

The T-shirt's name comes from the shape it makes when laid flat, resembling the letter "T". 

T-shirts have also become a medium for self-expression and advertising, with any imaginable combination of words, art and photogrphs on display.