D2F asks: Do you have any suggestions for good, long lasting plain white t’s?
Most white tees simply won’t last too long. White will yellow with laundering, sweat and soil no matter what you do. Good laundry habits will certainly help (wash your shirts soon after wearing), but the white t-shirt is essentially a disposable item.
With that in mind, I have three recommendations.
For everyday wear, I really like Alternative Apparel, which is why we’re selling them this week. They’re very, very soft, a little bit fine with nice stretch, have a reasonably slim fit and are a nice medium between long enough to tuck in and too long to wear untucked.
If you prefer a stouter cloth, I really like the Kirkland brand tees sold at Costco. They’re a little boxier and a lot heavier. They’re not really soft, but they’re very sturdy and very cheap. They’ve been replaced in my wardrobe by Alternative, but are still a very solid choice.
For undershirts, I’ve been really happy with the shirts that our long-time advertiser Ribbed Tee have sent me. They’re about ten bucks apiece, and they’re designed as undershirts, not as undershirt-outershirt hybrids. That means they’re pretty long and they’re ribbed to fit close. As I wrote before, I love the softness of the modal-blend shirts, but they also pill a bit and feel a little clammy. The original ribbed all-cotton model feels soft for a ribbed tee, but not as soft as a non-ribbed tee. They just sent me their Retro model, which is a poly-cotton blend, and they’ve done a nice job of recreating that favorite 80s t-shirt feeling there, if that’s your preference. If you’re looking for an undershirt, though, I haven’t seen any better.
Otherwise, just get your white tees from Bubble’s Depot.