The best white T-shirts in the world right now, ranked
Rated by joy of wear, value for money and washability - these are the finest white T-shirts you’ll ever find
I’ll level with you - I’ve been resisting writing a piece about white T-shirts ever since I started this newsletter, but then I thought - it’s summer! Finally! Why the white hot hell not!
So here, to help you buy the perfect white T-shirt this sunny season, is my ranking of the best white T-shirts known to man. I’ve tried each T-shirt on the list for size, so you can rest assured the recommendations I’m giving are honest.
We’re running things from the lowest score up to the highest, FYI.
10 | H&M Regular Fit
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I bought several of these tees in Greece one year after my suitcase was lost by British Airways. They were perfect for a holiday, being affordable enough not to worry about ruining with salt water and sunlight, but the moment they were washed they turned crispy and stiff - like old beach towels left for too long in the airing cupboard. I wear mine now if I’ve got no other white Tees in my wardrobe. Also - there’s no way that sustainably sourced cotton can cost so little, so approach mindfully.
Joy of Wear: 3/10
Value for Money: 8/10
Washability: 2/10
Total: 13/30
9 | Arket Heavyweight Cotton
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Another high street hitter here. Considerably more expensive than the H&M style, the weight of cotton is of a higher quality and slightly softer against the skin, but there’s still a papery quality to the experience which decreases the joy of wear considerably. It might be my washing to blame, but the sparkling whiteness of the Tee has also muddied considerably in a relatively short amount of time.
Joy of Wear: 5/10
Value for Money: 6/10
Washability: 4/10
Total: 15/30
8 | Bottega Veneta Jersey
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Ridiculously expensive, but beautiful to drape across one’s shoulders like a delicious shroud hand crafted from the hair of angels. I’m sure it’d be fine in a cold wash but I haven’t been brave enough to try yet, dry cleaning the thing religiously instead.
Joy of Wear: 8/10
Value for Money: 2/10
Washability: 7/10
Total: 17/10
7 | A Day’s March Mid-Weight Cotton
![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F87413d30-8768-4cec-a86c-a4b9ad1419f7_952x846.png)
I really like the ethos of A Day’s March - providing high quality, affordable basics designed to last the test of time. I was wearing my ADM white tee at least twice a week until I dropped coffee down the front of it. Prior to that, it was excellent; light enough to wear in summer and drapey enough not to cling (too much) to my occasional curves. The thing has definitely diminished in weight with washes, which is not ideal, but for the reasonable price it’s an easy fault to overlook
Joy of Wear: 7/10
Value for Money: 7/10
Washability: 4/10
Total: 18/30
6 | Uniqlo U Crew Neck
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This Uniqlo T-shirt is part of Christophe Lemaire’s U collection for the Japanese brand. Beautifully oversized, easy to wear, pleasantly heavyweight and surprisingly soft, it was near perfect until I washed it, when it became a touch crispy, but not so much that it put me off wearing it altogether.
Joy of wear: 6/10
Value for money: 8/10
Washability: 5/10
Total: 19/30
5 | Sunspel Classic Cotton
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I’ve been wearing Sunspel’s classic cotton Tees for well over a decade. My favourites are the navy blue ones, but I’ve got lots of time for the brand’s white styles, too. They’re incredibly soft, they wash very well, and my only criticism would be that they’re slightly see-through and they tend to cling to the body, which isn’t ideal when you’re feeling a touch dysmorphic. Otherwise, perfect.
Joy of Wear: 6/10
Value for Money: 6/10
Washability: 8/10
Total: 20/30
4 | Frame Logo Tee
![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb6f6e470-1741-4c61-8d93-d36236b98844_1156x986.png)
I’ve worn my Frame tee for several years and I absolutely love the boxy weightiness of the thing. It washes well and it has a proper vintage feel. The best thing about it is that I really, really enjoy wearing it. In fact, I get excited when I see that it’s hanging dry on the airer and I can WEAR IT.
Joy of Wear: 7/10
Value for money: 6/10
Washability: 7.5/10
Total: 20/30
3 | Studio Nicholson Oversized
![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fddb28f3f-7cb7-40e7-af21-3c000f328054_1026x1016.png)
I might have mentioned it already but I recently went to the Studio Nicholson sample sale and was lucky enough to pick up a selection of these tees for a tenner a piece. They’re beautifully drapey, wonderfully soft, easy to wear as layers but also alone. This is my ultimate off duty tee. And I’d almost go as far as to say that they’re worth the full price tag. Almost.
Joy of Wear: 7/10
Value for Money: 6/10
Washability: 8/10
Total: 21/30
2 | Asket Cotton
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At first I was slightly unsure about buying a brand which seemed determined to make its fortune by pinching the name of a high street label and replacing a single letter. Then I tried Asket’s T-shirts.
Affordable, long in the body, crafted from hardwearing cotton and soft even after multiple washes, the brand’s simple white tees are my forever layering go-tos. The only down side is the bulkiness of the seam around the collar which could do with being streamlined slightly. Oh and Asket, if you could make your white T-shirts stain proof too, that’d be great.
Joy of Wear: 7/10
Value for Money: 8/10
Washability: 9/10
Total: 24/30
1 | Sunspel Silk Cotton
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As you’ll have already gathered, I’m a fan of British brand Sunspel’s basics. This ultra-expensive yet beautifully made cotton and mulberry silk mix T-shirt is exemplary of the brand’s attention to detail and focus on craft. Thick without being stiff, drapey without being clingy, just off-white enough to still look clean, it’s truly the ultimate white tee and totally worth the investment (so long as you’re willing to eat white foods and imbibe clear drinks only).
Joy of Wear: 10/10
Value for Money: 5/10
Washability: 7/10
Total: 22/30
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