The heart baby tee made famous by Brittany Murphy’s character Tai in Clueless is once again making the rounds, this time as the quarantine style favorite seen on Instagram feeds everywhere.
Since the cult film’s 1995 debut, there have been countless outfit recreations: Cher’s yellow plaid skirt suit, Dion’s over-the-top hats, and Tai’s tie-dyed heart baby tee. Where did everyone buy the latter from? A beloved brand, known in the ‘90s as Tease Tees, created by stylist Linda Meltzer. The fashion line, which Meltzer started two years prior to the release of Clueless, was already revered by A-listers like Drew Barrymore and Naomi Campbell. It was when the film made its way onto the big screen, though, that Tease Tees’ popularity skyrocketed.
According to Vogue, Mona May, the costume designer for the film, didn’t actually source the T-shirt design from Meltzer, who first created the shirt based on a Grateful Dead band tee she owned. Even so, following its release, every teenage girl and her crew of Clueless obsesses wanted to get their hands on a Tease Tees shirt. Eventually, Meltzer, whose brand has since been re-named Pretties, stopped producing the style. That is, until two years ago, when she released a re-issue.
Fast-forward to now, two years after the re-issue caused every nostalgic 20-something to post a #throwback photo in Tai’s baby tee. It’s 2020, and we’re all quarantining at home, trying to entertain ourselves in whatever ways we can, which, yes, includes re-watching our favorite ‘90s movies like Clueless. Just like the first time, we’re drawn into the world (and revolving closets) of Cher, Dionne, and Tai — and the latter’s iconic heart tee style.
Over the last five weeks of quarantine, we’ve spotted the T-shirt — in a long-sleeved version and the original short-sleeved edition — all over Instagram. Step aside matching sweatsuits, the baby tee has officially become the It item of quarantine.
And luckily, since Pretties is still open to online orders, you can still get your hands on the baby tee. See how it’s being styled and shop the trend for yourself, below.
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