To paraphrase Casino Royale's Vesper Lynd - who quite rightly said, 'There are dinner jackets and dinner jackets. This is the latter,' - there are white tees and white tees. And if you haven't found yours - the crew-neck and cotton equivalent of a soulmate, you might say - then listen up.
Sometimes a piece of clothing comes along and suckerpunches the rest of your wardrobe between the eyes. That might be a knock-out pair of shoes or a new designer bag, but for me it was the perfect white T-shirt. The good news, I’m not one to gatekeep this unsung hero. Instead, everyone, meet theUniqlo U Airism tee – my ultimate wardrobe workhorse (and yours soon, too).
How can a fashion editor be this excited about a simple white tee, you ask? I could wax lyrical about the concept of a capsule wardrobe but the answer is simple: finding the perfect white T-shirt is as close as you get to fashion’s holy grail (that and vintage Prada, maybe). I’ve come to learn that the hard way when I’ve recently lost my favourite black cashmere jumper. An event which saw my dream of a forever wardrobe dwindling into a spiral of sartorial chaos. Thankfully, my vast selection of the ideal t-shirt has been the panacea when it came to getting dressed in the morning, working harder than ever before.
www.uniqlo.com
Uniqlo has a great selection of white T-shirts, but one particular range, Airism, is considered the best by those in the know. Not only do they wash really well, but the fit is on-point, not too big, not too small.
So, what boxes does a T-shirt have to tick? It needs to have a round-neck. Check. The next one is non-negotiable: it must wash well. Meaning, it can’t lose shape, thin, change colour or go wrinkly at the neckline. Check. It needs to look luxe enough to pass as a standalone top without looking like an undergarment. Check. Lastly, it’s a T-shirt, and as much as I am willing to spend, erm, ridiculous amounts on statement pieces, a T-shirt should never break the bank. This particular one is yours for £14.90. Check, check and check.
It does come in a tad oversized, so I’ll suggest going in a size below your usual size if you want it to fit like a regular tee. Admittedly, I’ve bought into a full size range, so I can wear it oversized with tailored pants and sandals – quite The Row (IYKYK) – and cropped under jumpers without having to tuck anything in.
Over the past couple of years, I have done my duty in the name of fashion and have trialled a variety of T-shirts but not a single one has come close to Uniqlo’s hero style. If you’re looking to buy a tee, definitely make it this one.
What's not to love? As already discussed, it goes with everything. Wear with your favourite jeans, tailored trousers, thigh-skimming mini skirts, seriously, the possibilities are endless. To ensure you find a style that will prove to be a long-lasting addition to your wardrobe, the main thing to look out for is fit. We love oversized and slouchy tees, as well as neat, fitted, crew necks, but only you will know what will work best.
To help you on your way to finding your plain white T-shirt, we've rounded up our pick of the best to browse now...
SHOP: The Best White T-Shirts
www.cos.com
The COS men's tees are legendary among fashion editors. Thanks to this one's fine gauge, it's perfect for slipping underneath a crew-neck jumper now.
www.gap.co.uk
I've always loved the tees from Gap. This ribbed style comes in regular (XXS-XXL) and petite (XS-L).
skims.com
The Grazia office swears by the lingerie and swimwear from SKIMS, but its clothing also has cult status. If you're looking for a sculpted tee that has 'out-out' written all over it, you've come to the right place.
'Basic with great detail' and 'long-lasting T-shirt' are two of the five-star reviews of this tee from Everlane.