Today the modern T-shirt has spawned a vast textile and fashion industry, worth over two-billion dollars to the world's retail trade. The unlikely birth of the t-shirt was a rather unspectacular event, however this humble piece of attire was set to change the styles and fashions of cultures for generations to come. Eventually the T-Shirt would be used as a political tool for protest and in certain times and places in history, a symbol of revolution and change.

If you are a fashionista or if you just love to shop for the latest fashions both on the net and offline, I have collated a list of  the top fashion social networking sites for the style addicts and design freaks. They're almost as fun to peruse when you can do no more than 'window shop' as when your wallet is full, the best selection of clothing, shoes and beauty products, shop till you drop or make a wish list of the best buys! I've not placed the sites in any particular order, they all offer a great quality service. However, I have marked my personal favourites out to show you what networks I use and why I think they stand out from the crowd!

Last week I had a short vacation to New York with a friend and we splashed out in all the big name stores and had a whale of a time. In the midst of all the chaos of that weekend I managed to remember my partner, in particular a selection of jeans they were after and the massive showcase Abercrombie and Fitch store.  I was bowled over by the prices, they were incredibly low. Now I understand that with the healthy exchange rate of UK Sterling to the US Dollar I had a distinct advantage when it came to the power of my British purse. But I was in for a shock.

The mood has lightened over at Amplified, home of Vintage Rock t-shirts. The dark and slightly noir skulls, snakes and heavy rock bands have been replaced by brighter graphics in bold and bright colours. Dare we say it, Amplified has come over a bit ‘disco’ with its Studio 54 range of designs that play homage to the legendary 70s nightclub.

For an artist, selling something he or she has made is really gratifying. As many of them admit, it's one thing to get feedback from people they know, but there is something about a complete stranger liking their art piece, design, song, painting, or idea.

A brief history of the new rage in fashion: funny, rude, expressive tee shirts.