20th Century Television
The Simpsons Bart Simpson with Slingshot T-Shirt
$19.99on amazon.com · Aug 7, 2026
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Television Animation
Bart Simpson
Bart was the show's initial breakout and, for roughly the first three seasons, its centre of gravity — to the point that his catchphrases were printed on millions of shirts and several American schools banned them, which is the kind of moral panic that now seems quaint and at the time was front-page news. His name is an anagram of brat, chosen deliberately.
- First appearance
- The Tracey Ullman Show (1987), Fox
- Created by
- Matt Groening
- Also known as
- Bartholomew JoJo Simpson, El Barto
- Universe
- The Simpsons
- Appears in
- animation, television, film, comics
Who is Bart Simpson?
Bart was the show's initial breakout and, for roughly the first three seasons, its centre of gravity — to the point that his catchphrases were printed on millions of shirts and several American schools banned them, which is the kind of moral panic that now seems quaint and at the time was front-page news. His name is an anagram of brat, chosen deliberately. The interesting thing about the character is that the show largely stopped foregrounding him: as the writers moved weight to Homer, Bart's stories became more melancholy and more concerned with his limitations, and the later series treat him with real sympathy as a bright child who has decided he is stupid. The 1990 T-shirt controversy is also one of the clearest instances of licensed character apparel becoming a genuine cultural flashpoint.
Bart Simpson: the details
- First appearance
- The Tracey Ullman Show shorts, April 1987
- Created by
- Matt Groening, who substituted Bart for himself in the otherwise autobiographical family names
- The name
- An anagram of brat, chosen deliberately
- The hair
- Always drawn with exactly nine spikes
- Banned from schools
- Several American schools prohibited his catchphrase T-shirts in 1990, generating national news coverage
- Voiced by a woman
- Nancy Cartwright has voiced the character since 1987
- Displaced as the lead
- The writers progressively shifted focus to Homer from around the third season
Why Bart Simpson endures
The breakout character of the series and the subject of one of the few genuine moral panics ever caused by a T-shirt. His merchandising in 1990 is a documented case study in licensed apparel driving a cultural argument.
What Bart Simpson looks like on a shirt
Signature motif: Yellow skin, nine-point spiked hair, orange shirt and blue shorts
The spiked-hair silhouette is unmistakable and works as a pure outline. This character has an unusually strong history in apparel specifically — the 1990 shirts are a documented cultural moment, and retro reproductions of them remain a significant category.
The nine-spike hair silhouette works as a pure outline at any size. Reproductions of the 1990-era catchphrase shirts are a distinct and durable retro category. Strong on black, orange and red. Not carried on this site's kids' pages.
Bart Simpson T-shirts
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The Simpsons Bart Simpson Squishee Brain Freeze T-Shirt
$19.99on amazon.com · Aug 7, 2026
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The Simpsons Bart Simpson Eat My Shorts Funny T-Shirt Tee
$17.99on amazon.com · Aug 7, 2026
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The Simpsons Bart Simpson Moods T-Shirt
$17.99on amazon.com · Aug 7, 2026
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Bart Simpson Boys Short Sleeve T-Shirt and Mesh Short 2pc Set
$15.91on amazon.com · Aug 7, 2026
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Bart Simpson Boys Short Sleeve Tee & Mesh Short 2pc Set
$16.04on amazon.com · Aug 7, 2026
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The Simpsons Bart Simpson Bartman Running Super Hero Logo T-Shirt
$19.99on amazon.com · Aug 7, 2026
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The Simpsons Bart Simpson Soccer Ball Kick Up T-Shirt
$19.99on amazon.com · Aug 7, 2026
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Buying from outside the United States? Prices shown are amazon.com in US dollars. Links redirect international readers to their local Amazon, where pricing, sizing and availability are shown in local terms.
Price and availability are taken from Amazon at the time shown and can change. The price on Amazon at the time of purchase applies.
Sizes: kids to adult
Bart Simpson shirts are produced across the full US size range. These links run a live Amazon search filtered to each band, so they show what is genuinely in stock rather than a cached list.
| Band | Ages | US sizes | Search |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toddler | 2–4 years | 2T, 3T, 4T | Search toddler sizes |
| Kids | 4–7 years | XS (4/5), S (6/7) | Search kids sizes |
| Youth | 8–14 years | M (8), L (10/12), XL (14/16) | Search youth sizes |
| Adult | 15+ | S–3XL | Search adult sizes |
US sizing shown. Cut and measurement vary between brands — see the size guide before ordering, especially for youth sizes. Base search: Bart Simpson t-shirt.
Who has played Bart Simpson
| Performer | Production | Year | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nancy Cartwright | The Simpsons | 1989 | Voice |
Bart Simpson T-shirts: common questions
Who created Bart Simpson?
Bart Simpson was created by Matt Groening, first appearing in The Tracey Ullman Show in 1987 (Fox).
What does a Bart Simpson T-shirt usually look like?
Yellow skin, nine-point spiked hair, orange shirt and blue shorts. The nine-spike hair silhouette works as a pure outline at any size. Reproductions of the 1990-era catchphrase shirts are a distinct and durable retro category. Strong on black, orange and red. Not carried on this site's kids' pages.
Are Bart Simpson T-shirts made for children?
No. Bart Simpson comes from work made for older audiences, so we keep the character off our kids pages even where children's sizes are manufactured.
Who has played Bart Simpson?
Bart Simpson has been voiced by Nancy Cartwright (The Simpsons, 1989).
How much does a Bart Simpson T-shirt cost?
Bart Simpson shirts we currently track start from around $15.91 on amazon.com. Every price on this page is dated, because they move.
This profile was compiled from published reference material about Bart Simpson — first appearance, creator credits and production history — and is a secondary source rather than a substitute for the original publication. Where a detail could not be corroborated it has been left out. We do not physically test garments; see how we work for what that means and what it does not.
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