VICE Picks: The Perfect White Tee

It’s the most fundamental thing in your closet aside from underwear. Worn right, it’s a style-defining symbol. It’s so iconic, people even write about it in songs.

Yes, we’re talking about the white t-shirt—a wardrobe staple that has never gone out of fashion. But as basic as a white t-shirt is, they come in all shapes and sizes, cuts and drapes. So we asked six VICE staffers for their best advice on how to wear a white tee, and where to get the perfect one.

“If your tees are in a pack of three, leave the factory crease in them. Do not iron it out. Let the public know that your tees were fresh out of the pack.”

Personal style: Collegiate/Drug dealer chic

How to wear it: Whenever it’s a nice, sunny day, or anywhere I feel the need to be godly, with a clean crispy new pair of white and green Stan Smith Adidas and khaki shorts, or heather grey sweatpants and all white AF1's…white Tees are a staple basic in my style.

What to look for in the perfect white tee: Price, Cut, Weight

Biggest white tee fail: Gildan white tees fit boxy, are rough on the skin, and turn dull after one wash

Holy grail: Prada 3 pack, but is very hard to find because they sell out of my size, or Ralph Lauren Purple Label, but they only sell it Solo. No pack life for Purple Label. Always keep a pack of 3 from Calvin Klein on deck if you can't afford the Prada joints.

Best tips: My recommendation for keeping white tees crispy is get a pack of white Rit Dye and boil your favorite white tees. I also recommend sizing up because after one wash it's usually a done deal and it’s shrunk.

“I almost always wear high-waisted pants, so a cropped and square fit works best for me. I also prefer different weights for different drape effects. I get the most mileage out of a like, 3 oz cotton tee in off-white.”

Personal style: My best friend says it's like Berghain crashing on a couch in an art gallery. So eclectic and ugly beautiful, rendered in softness.

How to wear it: For a long time, I did not wear white tees (and jeans!) because I thought they made me look 12. Now that I’ve discovered a cut that I feel comfortable in, I wear white tees when I need to tone it down.

What to look for in the perfect white tee: Cropped or squared. Proportionate sleeves. Crew or mock neck only. Medium density (for structure and opacity).

Biggest white tee fail: A disproportionately oversized, thin, white tee that makes Dobby the Elf look fabulous by comparison.

Holy grail: Everlane has close enough shapes for a good price.

Best tips: Figure out your go-to silhouette and get a white tee to go with it.

“I think the boxy white tee with baggy jeans trend in the 2000s was iconic but wow what an ill fitting moment. Everyone looked…not good. Myself included!”

Personal style: Experimental! I wear anything and everything that looks good - to me; from women's clothing that looks more 'masculine' (women's boxy blazers are tailored works of art) to men's clothing that look more 'feminine'. I don't limit myself as long as I am comfortable!

How to wear it: Anytime I wear a white tee, I usually cut it up and turn it into a crop to pair with ripped jeans and white sneakers.

What to look for in the perfect white tee: FIT FIT FIT

Biggest white tee fail: White Tees tend to all look the same, the difference is how they fit. For men, they tend to be too tight or too boxy, and you have to figure out what pants you wear with them so they don't tighten around your derriere, or just fall and make you look unproportioned.

Holy grail: I think the closest perfect white tee I've discovered was from Zara. They make it with this paper thin, see-through material where it almost falls with your body shape and flows nicely.

Best tips: I would suggest striking white tees from your closet, PERIOD. But if you are going to insist on wearing them, buy one with a softer, less rigid material so it fits you nicely

“I have truly spent years trying all types of white tees and have found a way to wear almost all of them. The winners I buy multiples of, and wear under sweaters or jackets with skirts or high waisted pants. The losers make good gym shirts.”

Personal style: Comfortable, classic, considered

How to wear it: There's truly a time and place for every type of white tee in my wardrobe. A very crispy, sort of fitted white tee tucked into jeans or black pants is such a good look. But a purposefully well-worn, paper-thin, sort of stained white tee also has a time and a place.

What to look for in the perfect white tee: Good collar (not too tight around the neck, definitely not a scoop); not too short—a good white tee has to tuck into your pants comfortably; good sleeve length (a perfect white tee has to hit the middle of your bicep); 100% cotton; no logo; affordable enough to replace annually.

Biggest white tee fail: Unless your shirt is dirty or smelly or actually more yellow or gray than white, I believe there's not really a way to fail in a white tee.

Holy grail: This one by Everlane I've bought again and again and again as a go to for a thin-ish white tee that's perfect for layering in the winter and great on its own in the summer. This one by Everlane is also good, but doesn't quite fit the “must tuck” criteria except for with the highest of waist-ed pants. Plus you can get it with a pocket, if that's your thing. Uniqlo tees are great in the heavier weight category. This one by Karla Welch for Hanes is good if you're gonna spend more than $20.

Best tips: Buy multiples when you find the one you like the most—you never know when brands will stop making even the most classic styles. I always buy smalls and mediums of the ones I like the best for different moods / looks. If you find a perfect white tee, buy it in black, too, because the only thing as good as a perfect white tee is a perfect black tee.

“As a queer person who's still figuring out their style, I consider white tees to be a classic, androgynous go-to for when I can’t figure out what I want to wear in the morning.”

Personal style: My style is a mashup of many because I’m too young to commit to a uniform! Recently, I’ve started experimenting with silhouettes that are more feminine so now I live at the intersection of Sean from Boy Meets World, workwear queer, and kink daddy.

How to wear it: I’m very particular about density, as a shorter, boxier human who doesn’t want everyone to know might be wearing a sports bra (or not wearing a bra at all). When I’m doing an untucked, laidback look, I prefer a heavyweight tee that fits loose and boxy so that it doesn’t hug my curves. If I’m going for a tucked moment, I like a thinner, medium density tee that has a slimmer fit so I can tuck it into black jeans. I am fundamentally against see-through shirts!

What to look for in the perfect white tee: Material (Medium Density), Fit (if it’s too skinny, it’s not meant for this queer body), Price

Biggest white tee fail: The first thing that comes to mind is at the middle school dance in the early 2000’s wearing a size 2XL white tee while being a whopping 5’0”. Otherwise, it’s kind of hard to mess up a white t-shirt.

Holy grail: I have many favorites, but I love Uniqlo’s U collection because the tee is boxy! Heavyweight! And affordable! Japanese silhouettes tend to be slouchy and I love it. For a thinner t-shirt, I’ll usually buy a 3-pack of Kirkland’s Signature from my friendly, neighborhood Costco.

Best tips: A message to you and me: spend a little more money and get a better fitting t-shirt! I spent a lot of my life buying men’s generic white t-shirts and they were always too long or too slim. Fit is everything! And so is material. Make sure that t-shirt is made out of something that can be recycled! They’ll have to be replaced soon enough.

“Think about it: how many times can you re-wear your white tee before having to toss it due to wear and tear? White tees are not sustainable.”

Personal style: All black. Skateboarding and working in a field where you get dusty/dirty all day has really narrowed down my choice of clothing.

How to wear it: I never wear white tees because they give me too much anxiety. Knowing that, at any given moment, your t-shirt and outfit can be completely ruined by accidentally spilling something, is not for me.

What to look for in the perfect white tee: I never look for white tees so I could not tell you, sorry!

Biggest white tee fail: Literally any white tee shirt is a fail.

Holy grail: There is no such thing as a perfect white tee, only perfect black tees.

Best tips: Buy a black tee :)

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