PORTLAND, Maine — Among the exhibits at the Maine Historical Society Museum this year, clothing has taken center stage.
Deputy Director Jamie Rice walked through the largest gallery in the downtown Portland building, pointing out a flawlessly preserved beaded collar and cuffs, once worn by a chief of the Penobscot Nation. Around the corner were old soldiers' uniforms, party gowns from the roaring '20s, and a powder blue prom tuxedo from the 1970s.
Travel down a nearby hallway, and one might think they ended up at the lost and found. But take a closer look, and other chapters of Maine history are on display.
Mannequins wearing cotton T-shirts stand next to pictures of more and more shirts, many sent into the museum by admirers, staff, and families.
It’s called “Fashion for the People.”
Formalwear survived time to mark fashion in Maine’s early years, but T-shirts might mark another point in history.
And is that bad?
"They tend to survive because there’s memories association with them," Rice said of the antiquities in the main gallery. "But you can see the same for T-shirts. I don’t think it’s really about what it is but what you associate with it. We might have a lot of wedding dresses in the collections or a lot of formal gowns or something worn to a particular party, but the T-shirts, I think, can convey that just the same."
From politics to Moxie pop, the Ice Storm of '98 to a push against nuclear energy in the '80s, a shirt can be a protest.
It can also be a purpose.
Just a kid from Maine
It’s hard to tell Maine’s history of T-shirts without mentioning Kyle Poissonnier. In 2016, the Smithfield native made a shirt reflecting his love for his home in five simple words: Just a kid from Maine.
He estimates he's sold more than 20,000 "Just a kid from Maine" shirts. His business is called Catalyst for Change Wear, and his Maine loyalty alone doesn’t make Poissonnier Maine T-shirt royalty.
During his own fight with depression and suicidal thoughts, Poissonnier wanted others to know they’re not alone. So, he designed new shirts to sell alongside his best-seller: shirts with phrases like "refuse to sink," "keep going," and "mental health matters" line his racks, but not for long.
Poissonnier consistently partners with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention - Maine Chapter and the Maine Children's Cancer Program, frequently benefits the Maine Veterans Project and Natural Resources Council of Maine and includes upwards of 50 charitable organizations in all when he can.
All told, he said, proceeds from his shirt sales have spread up to $70,000 to those organizations to date, all because Mainers love to show off their state and support their neighbors.
"Maine’s amazing. It’s a hidden gem," Poissonnier nodded. "It has the best people, the hardest working people, a community like no other. And there are a lot of amazing things happening here."
A T-shirt can tell others where the wearer is from and what they like.
When it makes others feel loved and valued, well, that shirt deserves its own exhibit.