Determining the best white T-shirts is a near-impossible task. Every brand on Earth makes their own white tee, and every person on Earth has their own go-to version. (For proof, just look at all the stellar options that GQ staffers swear by here.) A great white T-shirt isn’t just wardrobe staple—it’s part of the foundation of an all-time wardrobe. Without it, your fits are prone to collapsing. Well, okay, it ain’t that serious, but the perfect white tee can do a lot more than most other garments. It can hold down an entire look with just a pair of jeans or temper a gaudy-good silk camp shirt. It can round out the edges of your sharpest suit or keep your torso clean when all you want to do is kick it at home in your boxers with a bag of chips.
The Best White T-Shirts Shopping Guide
- The Best Budget White T-shirt: Kirkland Signature crew neck T-shirts (6-pack), $33
- The Best Luxury White T-shirt: Sunspel Riviera T-shirt, $90
- The Best Heavyweight White T-shirt: Hanes Beefy T T-shirt, $10
- The Best Lightweight White T-shirt: Uniqlo Airism short-sleeve crewneck T-shirt, $15
- The Best White Pocket T-shirt: Lady White Co. Balta pocket T-shirt, $66
- The Best White Boxy T-shirt: Uniqlo U crew neck T-shirt, $20
- The Best Classic White T-shirt: Velva Sheen 2 pack short sleeve pocket tee, $119
- The Best Vintage-Inspired White T-Shirt: Mister Freedom “Stanley” T-shirt, $70
- The Best Sustainable White T-shirt: Everybody.World tubular Trash tee, $35
- The Best Curved Hem White T-shirt: Buck Mason slub curved hem tee, $35
But finding the right white tee for you really depends on, well, you: Do you want the fabric to be thick and beefy or airy and soft? A trim, tailored cut, or a loose, boxy one? Are you willing to drop some serious dough on a truly perfect tee, or does that seem outrageous for something so basic? We did our darnedest to cover all the possible bases with the 23 stellar options—the very best white T-shirts here in 2022—below. Feel free to let us know how we did, and which ones we missed, so we can come back and try this all again next year.
The Best Budget White T-Shirt
Stop sleeping on Kirkland: the Costco house brand’s signature T-shirts are beefy enough to wear for days without stretching out, and will endure dozens of washes without ever losing their shape. Kirkland has long been fashion secret of the very stylish set, gatekept for years by frugal-minded style gods and Costco members alike. But the good news is you no longer need a Costco membership to get in on the action; right now, you can score a six pack on Amazon. They’re made with 100% heavyweight ring-spun combed cotton—a considerable step up from the cheaper tees that use poor quality short staple cotton. They’ve got surprisingly good construction, too. If you’re not only looking for the best budget tee, but the best bang for your buck, Kirkland’s is it.
The Best Pocket White T-shirt
Don’t ask us why, but there’s something about a pocket on a T-shirt that just looks and feels right. And L.A.’s Lady White Co.—founded in 2015 with the express mission of developing the perfect white jersey tee—crafts the finest pocket T-shirts you’ll find anywhere. The tees themselves are tailored using old-school tubular knitting techniques, which eliminates any side seams to make their soft, weighty jersey feel all the more comfortable. They’re finished with a classic ’60s fit, a set-in collar to sidestep any bacon neck, and the pièce de résistance: the pocket, set slightly askew and the shape of a squared-off teardrop. The thick stitching around its circumference ensures it’s the first thing your eye is drawn to, and it throws off the immaculateness of the rest of the tee in a way that’s artful and interesting. The way we see it: you probably won’t ever actually need the extra storage space, so your pocket might as well be as weird and fun to look at possible.
The Best Luxury T-Shirt
What could make a T-shirt worth dropping almost a hundred bucks? What if we told you it was originally designed for James Bond? Because Sunspel’s Riviera tee was made with Daniel Craig in Casino Royale in mind. How’s that for some goddamned pedigree? The storied British label makes this shirt with 100% long-staple cotton that’s finished in Italy, and if you’re asking yourself what that even means, they even have diagrams on their website to help show you. The quick and easy is that it’s a bit heavier thread that makes the shirt sturdier and better suited to be worn on its own (not just as an undershirt). When it comes to luxed-up basics that come with every detail thought through, this is the pick for you. Just know it’ll cost ‘ya.
The Best Boxy White T-Shirt
If you read this website even semi-regularly, you’re probably well aware of our ongoing love affair with Uniqlo U, the Japanese giant’s Christophe Lemaire-designed sub-label. As our own Cam Wolf put it in his recent ode to the line: “…when Lemaire makes a $20 T-shirt, he knows which knobs to turn and buttons to press to make sure it belies the price tag. He’s not focused on hype, only fine-tuning each piece until it’s perfect.” And that’s exactly what he did: Uniqlo U’s signature tees have the heavy feel and flatteringly boxy fit of a tee you’d find hanging at an upscale boutique for quintuple the price. They come in a staggering number of colors and look great in practically all of them, but there’s something extra special about the white: it’s a little creamy, a little eggshell-y, a little too sophisticated and nuanced for something that costs less than you normally spend on a salad at Sweetgreen. In other words, it’s perfect.
The Best Classic White T-Shirt
A little history: Velva Sheen was founded in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1932 and is most famous for providing T-shirts and sweatshirts to colleges and the US Armed Forces. In short, they know what they’re doing. The label’s signature, however, is tubular knitting, meaning that due to the way it’s woven, there are no side seams on these shirts, which allow for maximum comfort and movement. Keeping with the brand’s founding principal, everything is still made in the USA.
The Best Vintage-Inspired White T-Shirt
There isn’t a white tee on the planet that’s been put through more shit than Stanley Kowalski’s in A Streetcar Named Desire. Even before Marlon Brando and his glowering leading-man looks made cinematic history, the T-shirt he wore in his big-screen breakout role was destined to become the stuff of menswear legend. The slim fit and ultra-short sleeves proved to the American masses that a white tee can be more than an undershirt—it can be the cornerstone of an everyday look all on its own. Mister Freedom’s made-in-the-USA version emulates Brando’s to a, um, tee—down to the soft, slubby cotton and retro-indebted fit. The lightweight tubular design (no side seams here!) means it’s perfect for layering beneath a dress shirt, though the most Kowalski-approved way to rock it would be with some heavyweight denim and hulking engineer boots.
The Best Heavyweight T-shirt
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The original Hanes Beefy T is as good today as it was when it was first introduced in the ‘80s. It’s made from 100% ring-spun cotton that’s got a soft, peachy hand and will only get softer and better with age. Weighing in at six ounces, it’s certainly not the meatiest tee out there, but it’s substantial enough to deserve its self-proclaimed beefiness. The fit is a classic cut that’s perfect for layering underneath a cardigan or on its own with a pair of jeans.
The Best Lightweight White T-shirt
If you’re looking for a lightweight T-shirt, you’re probably look for maximum breathability. And while Uniqlo is well-known for its cozy Heattech fabrics, the brand’s AIRism material deserves a crown of its own. (In fact, they do have a crown—as one of the best undershirts to buy in bulk). Uniqlo’s Airism tee is feather light, moisture-wicking, odor-blocking, and uber-breathable thanks to a clever blend of cotton, polyester, and spandex. Where it as a workout tee, or a breezy standalone when the summer is just too hot to handle.
The Best Sustainable T-shirt
Truthfully, you probably have enough clothing as it is. And, yes, talking about sustainability while also dishing out knowledge on where to buy more clothing presents an irony not lost on us. That said, if you are gonna buy a brand new T-shirt, it may as well be as eco-friendly as it can be. Everybody.World’s pushed sustainable manufacturing further than most brands with their Trash tees. Each T-shirt is made from completely recycled cotton, cutting down the need for new materials. They also consume less water since they come unwashed (just be sure to factor in shrinkage!). Everybody.World even took into account the fact that a tubular construction, which produces no side seams, also reduces the amount of materials and water needed. And each T-shirt is biodegradable and made in the US for an even smaller footprint.
The Best Curved Hem White T-Shirt
There’s only so much you can do to a T-shirt to take it from normal to exemplary, mainly fit and fabric. And Buck Mason is dedicated to both. Not only is their tee made from cotton woven in small batches on low-tension looms to give it a nubby finish and made entirely in the USA (including sewn in Los Angeles). But the fit here really shines, slim in the torso, snug at the sleeve, and outfitted with a wider set on collar and a curved hem.
Plus 13 More White Tees We Love
The Editors of GQ
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