It’s difficult to imagine a garment more basic than a plain T-shirt. A menswear essential in every sense of the term, this humble base layer has long enjoyed a reign as one of the universal staples of every man’s wardrobe. Yet despite its popularity, it can still prove exceedingly difficult to find a good one.

The search for the perfect plain T-shirt is an eternal struggle that has, at one point or another, plagued all of us. The reason being: while a T-shirt may seem like a simple thing to get right, there’s actually a lot that can go wrong. Poor fit, shrinkage, subpar stitching and cheap fabric being some of the most common issues.

It’s all too easy to settle for less and let your style fall flat, but the perfect tee is out there. Allow us to break down everything you need to know about selecting a quality T-shirt, along with a selection of brands that, in our experience, are making the finest options around.

What Makes The Perfect T-Shirt?

First and foremost, fit is crucial when selecting a T-shirt. It doesn’t matter if it’s woven out of fabric spun from the hair of angels, if it doesn’t sit right, it’s never going to look good.

The most important aspects of fit to consider are length and shoulder width. The seams that connect the body to the arms of the shirt should sit right on the corners of your shoulders. Any less and you’ll look as though you’re about to burst out of it. Any more and you risk looking like it was handed down by an elder sibling. The one exception to this rule is if you’re deliberately going for an oversized look. In which case, be careful not to take it too far. Remember, it’s a T-shirt, not a muumuu.

In terms of length, the hem should hover just above the hips. Don’t go any lower. Yes, longline T-shirts do exist. No, grown men shouldn’t wear them.

Quality fabrication and construction are two more areas in which many T-shirts fall short. The material should be 100% cotton and soft to the touch. How thick or thin it is depends on personal preference. However thicker fabric tends be more durable and hang better, for those of us harbouring a bit of a paunch.

The Best Brands For T-Shirts

From high-street heroes to basics specialists, these are the only labels you need to consider when it comes to bolstering your T-shirt rotation.

L’Estrange London

In a world dominated by overconsumption and fast fashion, L’Estrange are on a mission to change the way men buy clothes. The label’s modular system comprises the building blocks of any successful capsule wardrobe, giving you versatile pieces that can be mixed and matched for any occasion while eliminating waste.

The London-based brand only offers two T-shirts, but both are exceptional. Its Tailored Tee is crafted from weighty 100% organic cotton and features elevated details such as a back pleat for increased movement as well as a side split and subtle curved hem that makes it ideal for layering. The second is the limited edition Kapok Tee, which offers a silky-soft blend of kapok and organic cotton for all-day comfort. You can’t go wrong with either.

Buy now at L’Estrange London

Vilebrequin

Vilebrequin has been producing luxury resortwear since 1971 and – as you would expect – the T-shirt plays a core part in each of its collections.

Cut from high quality cotton, the French brand’s tees come a wealth of summer-ready colourways and vibrant graphic prints that can’t fail to turn heads whether you’re lounging by the pool or sitting in a beer garden.

Team one with a pair of the label’s acclaimed tailored swim shorts for the perfect Riviera vibe on your next vacation.

Buy now at Vilebrequin

&Sons

Heritage menswear has few bigger champions than the team at &Sons. The British label lovingly reproduces styles from bygone decades, creating classic garments that still look great today. Its tees are a good example of the approach. You’ll find classic crew necks in 1950s cuts, their heavyweight cotton fabric washed to get that lived-in softness from the first wear.

Other timeless styles include Breton tops, Henley shirts, the odd polo, plus a selection of striped and numbered tees inspired by screen legends like Steve McQueen and James Dean.

Shop now at &Sons

Billy Reid

Southern preppy is the aesthetic at cult label Billy Reid. Think classic Americana where the campus vibe is replaced by a cowboy one. For its T-shirts, think washed crew necks and polo shirts that look and feel worn in but are also fashioned to an incredible standard.

One of the brand’s signatures is the Pensacola polo shirt. Butter-soft organic cotton and a generous (but not baggy) fit make it extremely easy to wear, while details like a stiffened collar and placket elevate the style so you can comfortably wear it under a blazer.

Shop now at Billy Reid

CDLP

What started as an underwear label has grown into a hub of cool Scandi essentials. CDLP is a detail-oriented brand. It sells its tees by weight category, from chunky and heavy to light and airy. Most of its styles are eco-conscious, fashioned from recycled organic cotton and lyocell.

Style-wise, it’s minimal. Simple, luxury crew necks in flattering colours and boxy fits that work with basically everything in the modern man’s wardrobe.

Shop now at CDLP

The Resort Co

The clue is in the name with The Resort Co. The label exists to make well-travelled men more comfortable and stylish as they’re soaking up some much-deserved down-time. A curated T-shirt collection is made up of styles you can wear with swim shorts and unstructured tailoring alike.

Think sustainable lyocell crew necks and knitted tees with ribbed hems and cuffs, all in a palette of neutrals that look great in the sun.

Shop now at The Resort Co

Asket

Asket believe in “the pursuit of less”. The Stockholm-based brand shuns fast fashion and instead creates high-quality, essential pieces that are destined to become the building blocks of your everyday wardrobe.

Asket’s tees are the epitome of this ethos: cut and sewn in Portugal and Tunisia from custom developed long- and extra-long staple Egyptian cotton fabrics, they look, feel and fit perfectly.

Buy now at Asket

Wax London

Independent label Wax London is quickly becoming one of our go-to names for contemporary twists on wardrobe staples. And its excellent collection of T-shirts is a case in point.

The line up is decidely contemporary – running the gamut from short, boxy-fitting pocket tees to drop-shouldered, heavyweight organic cotton designs to classic mid-weight jersey options in neutral colours – bringing something unique and fresh to what can be a bit of a stale market.

Buy now at Wax London

Veslaca

Direct-to-consumer label Velasca offers luxury Italian craftsmanship at surprisingly accessible prices. Its made-in-Italy T-shirts all carry a touch of class, whether they’re cotton-jersey crew necks, ribbed knitted tops or luxe polo shirts.

The fits are tailored but comfortable, and most of the tees come in a laid-back summer palette that adds warm pastels and natural colours alongside more traditional neutrals.

Pair one with a smart pair of chinos and deck shoes, and it’s a look you can live in all summer long.

Buy now at Velasca

Percival

Few items of clothing are as easy to throw on as the T-shirt. The long-time wardrobe essential can be worn year round either as an undershirt in winter, a mid layer in fall or as the finishing piece during the warmer months.

For the latter, a subtle logoed tee is the ideal way of injecting some colour and interest into an otherwise simple outfit, which is where Percival comes in. The London brand’s vast collection of embroidered designs – from movie scenes to house plants – keep us returning season after season.

Buy now at Percival

Uniqlo

In this game of menswear, you tend to get what you pay for. However, there are those rare occasions on which real bargains can be found. Quite often, these instances come courtesy of Japanese brand Uniqlo, which offers up stripped-back wardrobe basics that deliver some serious value for money.

No exception to this rule is its T-shirts. The ultra-soft 100% Supima cotton tee has become something of a calling card for the high-street retailer. For something a little weightier, check out the Uniqlo U collection, created by industry-acclaimed designer Christophe Lemaire.

Buy now at Uniqlo

Everlane

Wouldn’t it be great if you knew exactly how much it cost to make the garment you were considering buying? Well, with Everlane you do. The brand lists every cost – from marketing to shipping to raw materials – on their product pages, so you can weigh up whether their garments are worth it. Let us save you the effort: they are. Available in multiple colourways and a variety of high-quality fabrics – including organic, heavyweight 6oz and lightweight slub cotton – Everlane’s T-shirts offer superb value for money.

Buy now at Everlane

A.P.C.

Most wardrobes could stand to benefit from a little Parisian cool, and there are few label’s better equipped to supply it than Jean Touitou’s ultra-clean A.P.C.

The French ready-to-wear brand is known the world over for its trademark simple styling and premium essentials. Naturally, plain T-shirts are a big part of this, with an ever-evolving roster of tasteful options present season after season.

Buy now at FarFetch

Pelota Sporting Clothiers

Bridging the gap between sport and leisure, Pelota Sporting Clothiers are purported to be purveyors of stylish comfort. And we couldn’t agree more. Constructed from organic cotton, recycled materials and vegan friendly sources, the brands fit is athletic yet forgiving.

Pelota’s famed #AprésSport hashtag is a nod to that period of time when a sportsman’s (or whoever’s) endeavour ends and social life begins. Put it simply, the is smart-casual or let’s call it ath-leisure at it’s finest.

Buy now at Pelota

A Day’s March

You’ll only ever find A Day’s March T-shirts in their own stores or on their website. By skipping wholesale, it allows the brand to own the entire supply chain and provide consumers with a higher quality product for less.

Their tees are particularly great value: coming in weighty 160g or 250g cotton as well as garment-dyed Tencel, the fit and feel screams luxury, even if the price tag says different.

Buy now at A Day’s March

Arket

Swedish minimalist essentials brand Arket is a relative newcomer to the high street. Yet what it lacks in history, it more than compensates for aesthetically.

Part of the H&M family, Arket’s selection of wares is far more tightly curated than that of its parent company, with a selection of clean, pared-back staples forming the foundation of its seasonal collections. T-shirts here are categorised according to weight, so if you’re a bit like Goldilocks with that sort of thing, this is the right shop for you.

Buy now at Arket

James Perse

When it comes to simple, stylish staples James Perse is one of the best in the business. The L.A.-based brand creates luxurious casualwear that is designed to be lived in, with washed-out colours and combed cotton construction adding to the relaxed, West Coast feel. The label’s eponymous founder started out with a line of T-shirts back in 1994 and has spent the past 20+ years perfecting his range.

Buy now at James Perse

Sunspel

A good mantra to live by when stocking a wardrobe is, “simple things done well”. Luckily enough, that’s British brand Sunspel’s USP and has been for many years.

Any style-savvy individual will tell you that Sunspel’s unassuming T-shirts are the best around. These are garments crafted from the finest materials with acute attention to detail and a level of quality that speaks for itself. No need for brash branding or tacky logos.

Buy now at SSENSE

Armor Lux

With a history spanning the best part of the last 100 years, Armor Lux has had more time than most to master the perfect T-shirt.

The French label is primarily known for its striped Breton tops, but well-cut, plain tees also feature heavily on the menu. Expect low-key branding, masterful attention to detail and plenty of je ne sais quoi.

Buy now at Huckberry

Hanro

Good dressing begins with the bottom layer. This is the ethos which forms the very foundation of everything Swiss label Hanro does.

Hanro has been crafting high-end undergarments for almost 150 years. As luck would have it, that includes T-shirts, too. Expect premium materials, flawless construction and a glove-like fit you’ll struggle to find anywhere else. Arguably the ultimate base layer for all your day-to-day looks.

Buy now at MR PORTER