In the 90s, we were fascinated with regular objects that changed color. I don’t know if it was some colorful holdover from the 80s or if we all used way too many Lisa Frank products in school, but there was nothing more exciting than something that changed colors: mood rings, nail polish, and, of course, Hypercolor clothing.
Hypercolor shirts, much like grunge, originated in Seattle, making Seattle the birthplace of two terrible fashion choices.
The shirts featured technology from Japan (the 90s loved anything from Japan–Hello Kitty, tamagotchis, etc.) called thermochromic pigment that changed color when heat was applied.
As the area cooled it would return to its original color, but not before leading to awkward photos like this:
Unfortunately, anyone who made the mistake of purchasing one of these shirts realized exactly how short-lived the thermochromic pigments were. They would eventually lose their effect after a few passes through the washing machine or if you made the mistake of using bleach, hot water, a dryer, or an iron–in other words, by treating it like a shirt.
a white t-shirt in dirty bathwater.
No doubt spurred on by a heavy dose of nostalgia and short memories, a few different companies have brought about a revival of these thermochromic shirts. This means that if you, in the year 2015, would like to waste your money on novelty items by refusing to learn the 1991 lesson of Hypercolor, you can do so here.
Emily Regan 