In the days where glam rockers had somewhat feminized fashion in the music world, it was time for the hard rockers to show that they has the masculinity necessary to rock out. Accentuating the bicep in all its bulging, chiseled glory was the muscle tee and every hard rocking group from The Scorpions to Judas Priest were eager to show that they had the muscle necessary for old fashioned rock and roll.

Musically linked fashion trends come and go but this was one that was destined for longevity. A simple variation on an iconic wardrobe item, the muscle tee was simply a tee shirt that had the sleeves removed – simple as that. But for those who sported a little girth in the upper arm area, they were now free to expose their brawn without the restrictive tubes of sleeve getting in their way. And even those that had no remarkable definition of any sort embraced the style nonetheless. It mattered little what kind of bicep you were packing – a muscle shirt epitomized a style, an attitude. Heck, even the emaciated and haggard arms of Keith Richards looked cool in a muscle shirt.

When fitness became king in the 80s, the muscle tee gained an entirely new following from gym rats eager to show their wares. Whether it was the type with a small circle at the shoulder - or the type that gaped wide open at the sides to accentuate every lat and pec in the vicinity, whether it was the factory manufactured variety or a homemade version where the sleeves were simply ripped from a regular t-shirt, it mattered little. Anyone in a muscle shirt looked just a little tougher, a little edgier. And should you have the matching ripped Levis and mirrored sunglasses, and better yet, a stylishly sleek Trans-Am or Camaro to wrap yourself in, the opposite sex was sure to take notice.