The simple things are often the hardest to get right. When a piece of clothing is distilled to its most basic form, there are no bells and whistles to hide behind. Consider the t-shirt, that humble wardrobe workhorse. It may seem rather unimpressive compared to an intricately built bespoke suit, but in reality, a t-shirt is the sum of a few, elemental factors that are central to any quality garment: fabric, fit, finish. In many ways, a great tee is design at its purest.
When it comes to choosing t-shirts, those small details are what separate the proverbial wheat from the plastic-wrapped six-pack at your local drugstore. While often dismissed as a sartorial throwaway, t-shirts are essential in any modern man’s closet. Sure, they’re always great with jeans, but pair them with a suit and it’s a foolproof recipe for business casual. Better yet, lose the jacket in favor of a lightweight over-shirt. Or perhaps a cardigan? A chore coat? The t-shirt’s possibilities are near-infinite, which is why investing in a few superlative tees will yield especially high returns. There’s a plethora of options to choose from but we’ve done the legwork and rounded up ten of the best, below.
