Hamnett’s oversized t-shirts with large block letter slogans, launched in 1983, were adopted by pop bands, including Wham!. George Michael wore her white “CHOOSE LIFE” shirt in the music video for “Wake Me Up Before You Go Go.” The t-shirt also appeared in Queen’s video for “Hammer To Fall” (worn by Roger Taylor). Taylor wore Hamnett’s “WORLDWIDE NUCLEAR BAN NOW” shirt during Queen’s historic appearance at the first edition of the Rock in Rio festival in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Hamnett viewed her t-shirts as a way of getting her message across: “If you want to get the message out there, you should print it in giant letters on a t-shirt.” Her first shirt featured the “CHOOSE LIFE” slogan. Inspired by a Buddhist exhibit, it was a comment against war, death and destruction.