Literary and Book T-Shirts for Readers

Literary T-Shirts for Book Lovers

Book t-shirts are a great way of your love of reading, and, luckily, Etsy has no shortage of literary graphic tee options. In my searches for book lovers t-shirts, I’ve found a handful of styles that caught my eye. These styles range from colorful artsy tees to minimalist line-work tops. From Shakespearean references to floral book art, cottagecore Little Women vibes to witty remarks, here are some of the best literary t-shirts for book lovers!

Bookish T Shirt

Looking for more great gifts for readers?
Check out my full bookish gift guide here!

Shop the Bookish Tees

Book Lovers’ T-Shirts

As much as I love to dress up, there is something just so comforting about a great graphic tee. In my opinion, these pieces are made even better when they are paired with a favorite theme or hobby. Book t-shirts are some of my favorites, whether you go with a traditional print style or a colorful artsy graphic. Plus, they make for the basis of a great gift for readers in your life!

Book Lovers Graphic T-Shirts

Top Row: Fairycore Shakespeare T-Shirt | Cute Book Cat Shirt | Shakespeare Dark Academia Shirt | Wildflowers Book Shirt 
Bottom Row: Jane Eyre Library Card T-Shirt | Jane Austen Pemberley T-Shirt | Fictional Wanderlust Shirt | Sylvia Plath Quote Shirt 

Of these two sets of bookish tees, I am particularly drawn to the cottagecore and dark academia themed styles, especially the two Shakespearean styles in the top row of the image above. This Fairycore T-Shirt is subtle, with an oversized style, making it ideal for daily wear, as is this Edgar Allen Poe Literary Quote T-Shirt. The Shakespeare Dark Academia Shirt and the Reading Raven Shirt, on the other hand, are both more dramatic designs, with rich imagery.

Literary T-Shirts from Etsy

Top Row: Read Books Stay Weird Tee | Edgar Allen Poe Literary Quote T-Shirt | Little Women T-Shirt (more styles tagged here) | Tarot Themed Bookish Tee
Bottom Row: Reading Raven Shirt | “I’m With Banned Books” T-Shirt | “I Bring Books to the Bar” Tee | Slouchy Tea & Books T-Shirt (also available as a tank top)

For the most whimsical designs, I am torn between the two open-book options in the first image (leaning towards the cat one, for obvious reasons!), as well as the simple Tea & Books T-Shirt just above. These each come in a variety of colors, too, so there are plenty of options to choose from. For a more subtle-yet-fictitious style, this Jane Austen Pemberley T-Shirt is the perfect find for English Lit majors like myself!

Which of these book t-shirts are your favorite?
Do you prefer book quotes on such tees, or do you like the
reference graphics, like the Jane Austen and Shakespeare tops here?

 *This post was originally published in January 2023. It was most recently updated on December 3, 2023.


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