The hunt for the Holy Grail has nothing on my seek for a very nice white T-shirt. Through the years, I’ve spent a whole lot (*cough* hundreds) of {dollars} on dozens of tees in an effort to search out one which’s not too tight, too cropped, or too sheer; one which stays white and continues to look crisp by sweaty summer season days and months of washing; one which’s tender and drapey, however doesn’t appear to be pajamas. Does such a garment exist solely in my creativeness? I don’t—gained’t—imagine it.
I enlisted the SELF group to assist me put shirts from standard manufacturers like Athleta, Madewell, Aritzia, Abercrombie & Fitch, and extra to the take a look at—and I’m thrilled to report that we discovered some absolute bangers. Your good white T-shirt is on this listing, assured.
High picks
Finest General: Aritzia Babaton Perform T-Shirt
Runner Up: Athleta Important Tee
Finest Funds: Uniqlo Mini T-Shirt
Finest Child Tee: Aritzia Sunday Finest BestHug Little Ribbed T-Shirt
Finest for Layering: Lululemon Natural Cotton Straight-Hem Crewneck T-Shirt
Finest Outsized T-Shirt: Abercrombie & Fitch Important Premium Polished Relaxed Tee
Finest for Exercises: Underneath Armour Meridian Brief Sleeve
On this article
What to contemplate when searching for a white T-shirt
Listed here are some standards to bear in mind whereas sifting by the gazillions of white tees out there.
Do you want a slim match? A basic tee? A cropped, boxy prime? Would you like to have the ability to tuck it in or have it graze the highest of high-waisted bottoms? We advocate doing recon past the merchandise’s product description to verify the type will fit your preferences: Learn the consumer opinions, scrutinize the pictures, and take a look at any user-uploaded pics. I’ve discovered it’s tremendous useful when the retailer reveals what dimension the mannequin is carrying or when prospects share their heights and weights; that method, I do know if I have to dimension up for the unfastened silhouette I’m after.
Selecting between “short-sleeve” and “long-sleeve” tees is just the start. Would you like the sleeve to hit at your wrist, elbow, mid-bicep, or simply cap your shoulder? If sleeve size isn’t supplied by the model, look carefully on the product pictures and be aware of how the shirt is styled, so you possibly can determine if it’ll have the identical look if you put on it. (Has the mannequin rolled the sleeves up? Are they carrying it off the shoulder?)
You’ll see cotton loads on this listing (and on T-shirt labels usually), however the fiber is available in a bunch of sorts and might really feel totally different from shirt to shirt. Throughout our testing, we weighed in on how tender the material feels to the contact, how a lot stretch it has, its thickness, and its sweat-wicking skills (which is essential in case you’re seeking to put on the shirt to a HIIT class or in NYC on a swampy August day).
Do you need to spend $80 on a T-shirt? As a result of it’s attainable! But it surely’s additionally attainable to pay lower than $20 for a rattling good prime. In our product testing, we discovered that dearer doesn’t essentially imply higher, so we made positive to spotlight great-value buys in our recs.
How we chosen these T-shirts
We learn by buyer opinions, message boards, and on-line product advice lists to search out top-rated manufacturers and types for testing. Then, every SELF tester wore—and washed—their tees for no less than a month earlier than rendering their verdict. They tried the shirts in a number of situations (understanding, carrying to work, bopping round city) and with totally different undergarments to verify their degree of see-through-ness (unofficially often called the “black bra take a look at”).
Store the most effective white T-shirts
With out additional ado, right here’s the cream of the crop (prime).
Finest General: Aritzia Babaton Perform T-Shirt
Professionals
- Pima cotton feels {smooth} and substantial
- Drapes properly
- Hip-grazing size
Cons
- Some reviewers report that the shirt shrunk once they adopted the label’s wash directions; I like to recommend machine-washing in chilly water and hanging to dry
- Restricted dimension vary
That is it, buddies: the white tee that goals are manufactured from. Barely boxy match—verify. Medium-thick cloth that has a fairly drape (good for that French tuck I can’t let go of), however isn’t see-through—verify. A just-right quantity of roominess round my biceps—verify once more. This Babaton prime from Aritzia now has a spot of honor in my T-shirt drawer; it’s simply too good to be relegated to undershirt obligation, so I attain for it to put on beneath an open blazer or with a pair of denims.
After three months of dwelling in (and washing) this tee, it’s displaying minimal indicators of wear and tear. The Pima cotton continues to be silky-smooth, and I’m solely seeing the slightest grey tinge within the armpits. To be able to keep away from any shrinkage within the wash (a standard grievance of Aritzia reviewers), I solely wash this shirt in chilly water and by no means put it within the dryer.
Abbey is carrying a dimension L T-shirt (pictured above)
Materials: 100% Peruvian Pima cotton | Sizes: 2XS to XL
Runner Up: Athleta Important Tee
Professionals
- Shiny white colour
- Elastane offers it extra stretch
- Material feels light-weight and breathable; you possibly can work out on this
Cons
- Slender collar band and cropped match won’t be everybody’s choice
Instantly out of the bag, I seen how white this tee is—it’s a crisp, printer-paper white that appears clear and polished, even after months of being in heavy outfit rotation. In comparison with the Aritzia Babaton tee’s thick Pima cotton, the material used for this Athleta type is lighter, thinner, and has extra stretch—however a nude bra continues to be invisible beneath it. (Black, nevertheless, isn’t, so put on at your personal threat.)
I favor a T-shirt that skims my silhouette quite than a form-fitting prime, so I like this tee’s boxy form. The size is ideal for me too; it hits at my hip bone, which means it’s simply lengthy sufficient to tuck into the entrance into my denims. One other good element: the middle seam down the shirt’s again.
Abbey is carrying a dimension M T-shirt (pictured above)
Materials: 90% Supima cotton, 10% elastane | Sizes: XXS to 3X
Finest Funds: Uniqlo Mini T-Shirt
Professionals
- Underneath $20
- Thick cotton feels high-quality, regardless of the low worth
Cons
- Sweat reveals by the underarms (however goes away if you wash)
It’s exhausting to go improper if you’re stocking up on fundamentals from Uniqlo; the Japanese model is thought for its timeless designs, high quality materials, and wallet-friendly costs, so it’s probably not a shock that the worldwide powerhouse makes a strong white tee. This decide—a favorite of SELF’s senior commerce editor’s—has a fitted, ’90s silhouette with a hem that grazes the highest of your high-waisted pants.
“I’m tremendous impressed by how thick and good the material feels, for the value,” our senior commerce editor says. “I additionally love that it has a wider, ribbed collar—it seems to be put-together peeking out of sweaters and hoodies.”
Sarah is carrying a dimension S T-shirt (pictured above)
Materials: 96% cotton, 4% elastane | Sizes: XXS to XXL
Finest Child Tee: Aritzia Sunday Finest BestHug Little Ribbed T-Shirt
Professionals
- Cosy match with loads of stretch
- An extended-sleeve model is accessible
Cons
- Too quick to tuck in to most bottoms
- Reviewers say you may need to dimension up
“That is, to not be dramatic, my favourite white tee I’ve ever owned. It is such nice high quality: buttery tender and good and thick with out being cumbersome in any respect,” says SELF’s editorial assistant. “Fitted T-shirts can get uncomfortable, particularly beneath the arms and across the neck, however this one has an awesome stretch and is so, so tender.”
She says the slim, baby-tee type makes this shirt nice for layering and notes that the cotton-blend cloth is opaque sufficient to maintain most bras invisible. If you would like somewhat one thing additional, take a look at the cutie embroidered variations of this prime—you may get a white tee jazzed up with a candy bunny, fawn, or bear element.
Grace is carrying a dimension M T-shirt (pictured above)
Materials: 57% cotton, 38% polyester, 5% elastane | Sizes: 2XS to XL
Finest for Layering: Lululemon Natural Cotton Straight-Hem Crewneck T-Shirt
Professionals
- Constituted of natural cotton with four-way stretch
- Traditional t-shirt minimize and size
- Breathable cloth makes this decide for exercises
Cons
- Measurement up if you’d like a looser match
- Some reviewers say the sleeves are tight
This shirt has grow to be my go-to for carrying with sweaters as a result of its slimmer minimize means it gained’t bunch or bulk up beneath my layers. Its hip-length can be good for tucking into trousers (and staying put).
To the contact, this tee feels extra like activewear than a standard cotton jersey—it’s stretchy (because of Lycra) and on the thinner facet—and to place it to the take a look at, I wore it whereas exercising. Throughout a super-sweaty scorching yoga class, it did a strong job of pulling moisture away from my pores and skin in a determined try to hold me cool. However you ought to be warned that, as soon as soaked, the material turned nearly clear.
Abbey is carrying a dimension L T-shirt (pictured above)
Materials: 93% natural cotton, 7% Lycra elastane | Sizes: XXXS to XL
Finest Outsized T-Shirt: Abercrombie & Fitch Important Premium Polished Relaxed Tee
Professionals
- Low worth ($25 however presently on sale for $15)
- Holds its form after a number of washes
Cons
- Whereas the model claims this shirt has a relaxed match, Abercrombie reviewers advocate sizing up for an outsized look
- Some bras are seen by the shirt
SELF’s commerce author says this shirt turned an immediate fave (she calls it “T-shirt targets”) as a result of it’s manufactured from a heavier-weight cloth that gives some construction, however nonetheless feels pajama-soft. “I’d fortunately put on it to mattress however I like the feel and appear of it a lot that I need to put on—and recognize—it throughout my waking hours,” she says.