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The best white T-shirts for men are like Moby Dick: you could spend an entire lifetime chasing ‘em—and plenty of folks do—and still wind up frustrated, exhausted, and not entirely convinced that they exist. We know this because we’ve been chasing them for as long as we can remember—and have tested more versions than there are copies of Melville in an Intro to Literature class.
What, pray tell, inspires this degree of obsession? Simple: Plain white tees are among the most foundational pieces of a wardrobe, whether they’re functioning as an undershirt, supporting the other star players in your outfit, or serving as the lead role with a pair of blue jeans. That’s a lot of positions to play and only makes it all the more important to get the right one.
But that’s easier said than done. The white whale that is the Perfect Plain White Tee has launched a million brands that claim they’ve got the real thing, and it’s nigh impossible to know who’s legit and who’s full of it. So we did the hard work and waded through a sea of ‘em in search of our Moby Dick lookalikes. We tested a gang of T-shirts ranging from the most popular to the ultra niche, the cheapest to the stupidly expensive, and came up with what we consider to be the best white T-shirts, period.
The Best White T-Shirts, According to GQ
- The Best White T-Shirt to Buy in Bulk: Kirkland Signature Crew Neck T-Shirt (6-pack), $35
- The Best Upgrade White T-Shirt: Lady White Co. Our T-Shirt (2-pack), $110
- The Silkiest White T-Shirt: CDLP Heavyweight Crewneck T-shirt, $108
- The Beefiest White T-Shirt: Buck Mason Field-Spec T-shirt, $55
- The Most Versatile White T-Shirt: Muji Washed Heavy Weight Crew Neck Short Sleeve T-shirt, $25
The Best White T-Shirt to Buy in Bulk: Kirkland Signature Crew Neck T-Shirt
Material: 100% combed cotton | Fit: Classic | Sizes: S-3XL, tall sizes available
Sadly, most well-made T-shirts are gonna cost you some coin. But the good news is that the best value T-shirts are really not that far behind in quality compared to even the most venerated options. Thanks to its sheer buying power, Costco is able to sell some surprisingly good products for a great price, from wildflower honey to French wines that would surprise a sommelier.
The mega-retailer’s Kirkland Signature line has recently gone viral for its logo hoodies and sweats, but fashion insiders have known for a long time that the plain white T-shirts are a true steal. They use a moderately heavy cotton (205 GSM, if you’re wondering), that’s been combed to weed out the shorter cotton fibers which results in a fabric that’s silkier, more uniform, and longer-lasting. The collar is a classic inset collar that lays flat and doesn’t stretch out over time. And each T-shirt is tube knit (hell yeah).
GQ Commerce Writer Gerald Ortiz says that Costco’s tees are by far the best you can get for the price; while they not be the boxy tee Fashion MFs are looking for, the classic silhouette will be the fit that most people are looking for. For reference, he’s 5’9” and about 160 lbs., and says that medium is great for a classic, yet tailored fit while a size large is satisfyingly relaxed. They make for great undershirts since they’re long enough to tuck into your pants and the armholes are high enough to avoid bunching. Some folks might prefer the Kirkland T-shirt to be a smidge shorter. But at around just $5 per T-shirt, that’s nearly half the price of the next cheapest T-shirt on this list. “You could be a freak like me and have a tailor shorten a whole six-pack," Ortiz says, and “and with the money you save and still come out spending less than many of the tees here.”
The Best Upgrade White T-Shirt: Lady White Co. Our T-Shirt
Material: 100% combed cotton | Fit: Classic | Sizes: S-XL
Lady White Co. got off the ground thanks to a monk-like dedication to one specific garment—the plain white T-shirt. Since its inception in 2015, the Los Angeles-based brand has attracted a cult-like following composed of menswear fiends and average fellas alike. Though the brand has raised the bar to another stratosphere , and though Lady White’s universe of products has since expanded, it still focuses solely on knitwear.
These days, starting your own T-shirt brand in search of the perfect white T-shirt is a meme in itself. But somehow Lady White Co. hit the bullseye with its very first product, called the ‘Our T-shirt’. It’s made with US-grown cotton that has a smoot and crisp hand. It’s heavy enough to notice that it’s something different, but light enough to wear year-round. It’s constructed within just 10 miles of LWC’s headquarters using tube-knit construction and vintage-style bound collars. The fit is a spot on with a straight body, slightly relaxed shoulders, and a ever-so truncated length that hits the elusive Goldilocks zone—the narrow band a few inches below the hips where T-shirts actually look good untucked but are still long enough to stay tucked in your pants.
Ortiz says it’s the only T-shirt he’s ever bought twice, and Associate Commerce Editor Tyler Chin believes him—the fit is that good. Both of them say it’s their favorite T-shirt. “Fifty-five bucks for a single T-shirt sounds crazy, but I’ve had mine for almost a decade before I had to buy another,” Ortiz says. Remember, when you’re about something that’s going to get as much wear as a plain white T-shirt, cost per wear is even more critical.
The Silkiest White T-Shirt: CDLP Heavyweight T-Shirt
Material: 67% Tencel lyocell, 33% pima cotton | Fit: Classic | Sizes: XS-XXL
Sometimes what we’re after is a buttery-feeling T-shirt. There’s no shortage of ultra-smooth cotton T-shirts out there, but what we ended up liking the most is this option from CDLP. The brand known for making some of our favorite underwear also makes a great T-shirt thanks to its spot-on straight fit, high-quality construction, and impossibly silky feel. That transcendental hand is the result of a balanced blend of lyocell, a wood pulp-derived fiber that’s an alternative to silk, and pima cotton.
In addition to its ultra-smooth hand, lyocell is naturally moisture-wicking and breathable which makes it great for warm weather or anyone who runs hot. The pitfall with many T-shirts that use lyocell is that they often end up looking like a flimsy polyester T-shirt that clings in weird ways or like a tech’d out tee that’s meant for the gym. Because of how beefy it is, CDLP’s tee manages to avoid that mistake with an elegant drape.
Tyler Chin, GQ's Associate Commerce Editor, grew to love the CDLP T-shirt and says that the lyocell feels super smooth, even for someone with sensitive skin. The silhouette looks great with the wider leg pants we’re into these days, but some of our testers felt like the fabric was perhaps a bit sheer in certain lighting. It’s expensive, for sure. Crazy expensive, even. But the density, next-level texture, and overall quality gave us more confidence in its longevity than many of the luxuriously soft, but super thin all-cotton options we tried.
The Beefiest White T-Shirt: Buck Mason Field-Spec T-Shirt
Material: 100% cotton | Fit: Boxy | Sizes: XS-XXL
Ultimately, the vast majority of our evaluations here are subjective, but when it comes to fabric weight, the numbers don’t lie. The all-cotton jersey on Buck Mason’s Field-Spec T-shirt weighs in at 310 GSM, which is basically double the weight of most average T-shirts and even heavier than some hoodies. Even then, it’s not all about weight, (for instance, CDLP’s Heavyweight tee is slightly heavier). Buck Mason’s tee isn’t suffocatingly heavy because it feels broken-in and soft. (It may be built like a tank, but it drives like a Porsche.) And the quality is just as good, with a bound ribbed collar and solid stitchwork, not to mention a boxy and slightly shorter fit that our testers adored.
GQ's Global Social Editor Alex Wedel says he was skeptical of expensive T-shirts, but Buck Mason's convinced him. “The thickness and heavy weight of the tee give it a sweatshirt like texture which makes for an incredibly comfy wear,” he says. Ortiz also loves the Field-Spec tee because of its boxy cut and length. It's “easily one of the top three T-shirts in my collection as far as fit,” he says. "If they made this same fit in a lighter fabric, I would be all about it.” Buck Mason’s T-shirt program is hard to ignore, and if you like your tees beefy, this is the one to get.
The Most Versatile White T-Shirt: Muji Washed Heavy Weight T-Shirt
Material: 100% cotton | Fit: Classic | Sizes: XS-XXL
When we consider a T-shirt’s versatility, we’re looking for a T-shirt that can work well in a variety of situations. It should be long enough to tuck into your pants, but short enough to wear untucked. It should fit somewhat classically so you can size up or down to play around with the proportions. And the fabric should be good enough to wear year-round. We found all of that with Muji.
The minimalist haven is often a place to stock up on Japanese stationary and home essentials, and they do really well when it comes to basics, too. We were surprised by their T-shirt in every respect, from the quality of the construction to the substantial fabric to the dialed-in relaxed silhouette. We were also surprised at the price point, not because it was the cheapest option out there, but because it’s actually somewhat pricey in comparison to their other clothes. Clearly, their investment paid off because we consider this to be one of our favorites. It hits the ideal midweight, the cut is versatile enough to wear tucked or untucked, and you have the leeway to size up or down for a slimmer or more relaxed fit without looking like you bought the wrong size.
Michael Nolledo, GQ's Associate Commerce Director, loves every aspect of the Muji tee, from the fit, fabric, and construction. “I primarily tuck my white tees in, and this feels really good tucked in, hitting all the right proportions for me,” he says. Martin Mulkeen, GQ's Global Commerce Category Director, was unsure about the T-shirt at first, but says that it wore in really nicely and eventually rated it as his favorite. At $25, it’s not exactly cheap—but it's not super pricey, either. For the sheer versatility, it’s almost like you’re getting multiple tees in one.
More Plain White Tees We Loved
We only had room in our winner’s circle for a handful of T-shirts, but there were even more tees we liked a lot. The T-shirts below may have garnered lower average scores than our superlative picks, but they clinched higher scores in certain categories for different testers. That’s a complicated way of saying that we each have different preferences and bodies, hence different preferences when it comes to T-shirts. The one through line? We’d gladly make space in our dressers for any of the tees below.
Not all Gildan tees are created equally. Though Frank Ocean never divulged which model he was passing down to the children, we’re betting it's the Hammer T-shirt. It’s noticeably thicker than the other models and the fit is tastefully tailored, almost like James Dean in every Pinterest board you’ve ever seen.
Hanes’ legendary BeefyT is something vintage hounds are always sniffing eBay for. The good news is that today’s versions are still pretty good. They’re tubeknit for comfort, feature a slightly peached all-cotton fabric, and fit well enough to show off your bicep gains and look great tucked in. But don’t worry—they’re not too long so you could easily wear them untucked for all to see.
If Buck Mason’s Field-Spec tee is too much beef for you to handle, we totally get it. Our team scored the brand’s Pima Classic Tees really high, as well. The fit is nearly identical but the fabric is a better weight for year-round wear and softer than its heavyweight counterpart.
Everybody.World's flagship tees are all made in Los Angeles using recycled cotton and tubeknit construction to cut down on waste. That resourcefulness has a great side effect, too, because the result is a pre-worn and supremely soft T-shirt straight out of the pack. On top of that, the relaxed silhouette, comfortably snug collar, and pitch-perfect sleeves make for one hell of a fit that gives you leeway to size up or down.
GQ Commerce Editor Avidan Grossman’s quest for a very specific T-shirt ended when he came across this T-shirt from 3sixteen. The collar fits close to the neck, the body is trim but not tight, and definitely not sloppy. Plus, it’s long enough to tuck into lower-waisted pants but looks impeccable with high-waisted trousers.
Sunspel’s penchant for high-quality goods extends to polos, sweaters, and outerwear but the heart of it all is in the basics. The English brand’s Riviera tee is so silky that it’s hard to believe it’s only made of cotton. And the fit is flatteringly trim enough to make you look like you get after it in the gym, even if you’ve never picked up a dumbbell.
What Makes a Good T-shirt?
It all comes down to materials and construction. Good T-shirts will use high-quality cottons like Pima and Supima cotton which are known for their long staples which translate to smoother and longer-lasting fabrics. Processes like combing and ring-spinning help to remove the lower-quality shorter fibers, and combining the two processes (ring-spun combed cotton) is considered to be the best. Not every T-shirt uses 100% cotton. Some T-shirts are cut with synthetic materials which lowers the cost and, generally, the overall quality. However, T-shirts that are blended with materials like lyocell or even merino wool are done to give the T-shirt different properties like breathability, silkiness, and temperature regulation.
As far as construction goes, well-built T-shirts should have even stitching and unobtrusive flat seams. Flatlock stitching reduces bulk at the seams, though many other good-quality T-shirts will use seam tape at the neck and shoulders instead for comfort. Often, the body of the T-shirt is cut with side seams. High-quality and vintage-leaning T-shirts will use tubular construction which results in a seamless body. The most sought-after T-shirts are ones made with loopwheel construction which uses rare machines that knit fabric very slowly and rely on gravity tension. The result is a dense yet surprisingly soft fabric. Loopwheel T-shirts tend to be made in Japan or Germany. That said, tubular and loopwheel T-shirts are limited in terms of silhouette.
How We Tested
Try as we might, we couldn't really test out every single T-shirt on the planet; these days, there's thousands of ‘em, and despite what your Instagram algorithm would have you believe, the vast majority are utterly unremarkable at best and bafflingly bad at worst. Thankfully, after years of covering the White Tee beat, we’ve long since narrowed down our favorites to, y'know, a hundred or so, tops. So we called all of those in (and asked a few of our colleagues to plunder their own closets, too), and then whittled that list down to just over a dozen different options—distributing them to our group of testers with strict instructions to treat 'em as their own.
Over a months-long trial period, we had our testers wear their tees to smithereens, making note of any changes—pit stains, shrinkage, piling—along the way. And then, finally, we got the whole lot of them together in a room and asked them to assign each tee a score, evaluating its comfort, breathability, fit, quality, value—and, perhaps most importantly, overall style. (Read more about GQ's testing process here.)
Based on those evaluations, we ran the numbers, collated the anecdotal evidence, and emerged with a list of what we believe to be the absolute best white T-shirts right now, from the tried-and-true stalwarts to the modern disruptors, the cheap 2-packs to the wildly expensive (but wildly worth-it) solo buys. Whatever your preferences, whatever your lifestyle, there's bound to be a superlative tee on this list for you.
- Alex Wedel, senior global audience development manager
- Avidan Grossman, GQ senior commerce editor
- Gabe Conte, GQ senior web producer
- Gerald Ortiz, GQ commerce writer,
- Martin Mulkeen, GQ global commerce category director
- Matthew Roberson, GQ Sports writer
- Michael Nolledo, GQ associate commerce director
- Mick Rouse, GQ global research director
- Tyler Chin, GQ associate commerce editor