For years, I was recklessly immune to the power of the pocket tee. It’s a tee…with a pocket, I scoffed to less skeptical colleagues. Big whoop. Well, I guess my immunity wasn’t nearly as strong as I thought, because J.Crew’s perfectly lived-in riff was just the shock my system needed. Few tees I’ve tried look as righteous with the hallmarks of the brand’s glorious catalog heyday—rumpled poplin button-ups, roomy cotton chinos, weathered crewneck knits—and even fewer boast the ability to store, like, half a pack of gum or a cooked Elf Bar while they do it. There are far worse pockets to be in.
Louis Cheslaw, Contributing Commerce Editor: CDLP Heavyweight T-Shirt
Material: 67% Tencel lyocell, 33% pima cotton | Fit: Classic | Sizes: XS-XXL
I’ve had my same CDLP T-shirt for what must be four years now, and continue to be mystified at how soft and silky it feels. Not that the mystery is that tough to solve: CDLP fuses a positively sporty Tencel Lyocell fabric into this piece, along with soft Pima cotton, for a result that just feels lux as hell. I’m also happy to report—especially given the price—that there are no armpit stains at all, an essential consideration with any white tee especially.
Tyler Austin, Assistant Fashion Editor: Calvin Klein Cotton Stretch Tee
Material: 95% Cotton, 5% Spandex | Fit: Classic | Sizes: S-XXL
I hate that undershirts and regular T-shirts are often separated, so I love when a tee can do both. They need to be light enough to layer under other tops but fit well enough to work on its own. The best tee I’ve found comes from none other than Calvin Klein. The brand’s Cotton Stretch tee is super thin and truly breathable. It’s the perfect shirt to layer under a nice sweater or even as a stand alone on a warm summer day. Definitely my go to T-shirt these days.
Tyler Chin, Associate Commerce Editor: Sunspel Classic T-Shirt
Material: 100% Supima cotton | Fit: Classic | Sizes: XXS-3XL
Sunspel’s tees are a thing of wonder—mostly because people wonder why anyone would spend $90 on a goddamn T-shirt. Well friends, I’d gladly spend nearly a Benjamin on a tee that I feel might genuinely be perfect. For one, Sunspel’s tees are made from extra-long staple Supima cotton, which is about as premium as you can get from the fabric of our lives. It’s super soft, which makes it feel like a dream to wear all day. It sort of fits like the white tees of yore, where James Dean’s or Marlon Brando’s biceps would be hulking through the sleeves—fitted but not snug. And its dainty little collar just adds to the tee’s overall preciousness, which is why I’ve finally started separating my lights from my darks in the laundry.
More White T-Shirts We Love
What to Look for in a Great White T-Shirt
- Fabric: Good quality T-shirts will use high-quality cottons like Pima and Supima cotton, which are known for their long staples and translate to smoother and longer-lasting fabrics. Processes like combing and ring-spinning help to remove the lower-quality shorter fibers, and combining the two processes (ring-spun combed cotton) is considered to be the best. But some tees are cut with synthetic materials, which lowers the cost and, generally, the overall quality. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. T-shirts blended with materials like lyocell or even merino wool give the garment different properties like breathability, silkiness, and temperature regulation.
- Quality and construction: Quality tees feature even stitching and unobtrusive flat seams. Flatlock stitching reduces bulk at the seams, though many other good-quality T-shirts will use seam tape at the neck and shoulders instead for comfort. Often, the body of the T-shirt is cut with side seams. High-quality and vintage-leaning T-shirts use tubular construction, which results in a seamless body. The most sought-after T-shirts are ones made with loopwheel construction, which uses rare machines that knit fabric very slowly and rely on gravity tension. The result is a dense yet surprisingly soft fabric. Loopwheel T-shirts are only made in Japan or Germany. That said, tubular and loopwheel T-shirts are limited in terms of their silhouette.
- Style and cut: This is where things get really subjective and it comes down to your personal preferences. Consider whether or not you like your T-shirts with a pocket, how high up you like the collar to sit, whether or not you need a longer tee to tuck into your pants, or shorter tees to wear untucked. Take a beat to really think about how you’ll wear your plain white tee and that will help guide your search.
- Shade of white: We’re talking about white tees, but there are a million shades of white to consider. Some lean more warm and others pure white. While it might not matter much, the more consequential thing to consider is how sheer the T-shirt is.
How We Test and Review Products
Style is subjective, we know—that’s the fun of it. But we’re serious about helping our audience get dressed. Whether it’s the best white sneakers, the flyest affordable suits, or the need-to-know menswear drops of the week, GQ Recommends’ perspective is built on years of hands-on experience, an insider awareness of what’s in and what’s next, and a mission to find the best version of everything out there, at every price point.