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The Best Men's White Tees that GQ Staffers Swear By

21 clean, crisp tees for every body type, style, and budget.
The Best Men's White Tee in 2021 That GQ Editors Swear By
Photograph courtesy of Getty Images / Photo illustration by Gabe Conte

You could spend hours—hell, days—just searching for the best men's white tee. Or you could take a shortcut and follow the advice of the experts. Not to be cocky, but…that's us. When it comes to style basics like crisp white tees and jeans, our staff have tried ‘em all like it’s our job. (It is.) And because GQ isn't staffed by robots with carbon-copy bodies—we've got all sorts: tall to short, thick to lanky—we all have different preferences and definitions for what makes the best men's white tee. Here, now, are those battled-tested, hard-won expert opinions on the go-to white T-shirts that 21 GQers swear by—and live in. 

All products featured on GQ are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

  • 1/21

    Velva Sheen Cotton Jersey T-shirts (2-pack)

    Velva Sheen's signature tubular-knit style is cut from a soft cotton (with single-stitch hems) that fits trim and hits high on the bicep, making for a flattering silhouette that looks A-1 on everyone. —Avidan Grossman, Style Commerce Writer

    $105 at END.
  • 2/21

    Gildan heavy cotton t-shirt (2-Pack)

    Gildan's heavy cotton tees have ample room in the shoulders and that perfect in-between length that can be tucked in or tucked out (without looking like a nightgown). Invest in a 10-pack and you're looking at three bucks a shirt. —Martin Mulkeen, Commerce Director

    $11 $10 at Amazon
  • 3/21

    Warehouse slub cotton t-shirt

    If you prefer even the most basic of your wardrobe basics to be recherché, Warehouse's tee is for you. It's knit on rare loopwheel machines that give the fabric an unmatched density and softness, without all the fuss of annoying side seams. —Gerald Ortiz, Style Commerce Writer

    $80 at Self Edge
  • 4/21

    Gap Pocket T-Shirt

    The Gap pocket tee, baby! Don't mess with an American classic! —Sam Schube, Senior Editor

    $20 $17 at Gap
  • 5/21

    Gildan Hammer t-shirt (2-Pack)

    The preferred t-shirt of bands and bootleggers around the world. —Gabe Conte, Web Producer

    $14 at Amazon
  • 6/21

    Fruit of the Loom Dual Defense UPF Pocket T-Shirt

    Years ago I got caught in a downpour on a hike outside Taos, had to pop into a Walmart for dry clothes on the way to dinner, and found the tee that works for me. Has a pocket! —Chris Cohen, Wellness Editor

    $5 at Walmart
  • 7/21

    Everybody.World Trash tee

    You'd think there would be a bunch of 100-percent recycled T-shirts on the market. But there's basically only one: the Everybody World Trash Tee. Which is one reason why it has become the blank of choice for eco-minded fashion upstarts like Online Ceramics and Eden Power Corp. The other reason is the Trash Tee has a perfectly boxy fit and feels as soft as any T-shirt made out of virgin cotton. —Samuel Hine, Associate Editor

    $39 at Everybody.World
  • 8/21

    Reformation Perfect Vintage tee

    I would live in this shirt if I could. It's that cozy. —Melissa Yang, Associate Manager, Social Media

    $28 at Reformation
  • 9/21

    Dickies 2-Pack Short-Sleeve Pocket T-Shirts

    The plain ol' white Dickies tees are big, boxy, and kind of make you look like you've been lifting. Plus, the fabric is soft but feels workwear tough, in a good way—like a baseball glove you've had for years. —Joel Pavelski, Director of Audience Development

    $25 at Amazon
  • 10/21

    Tom Ford Cotton-Jersey T-Shirt

    I don't have any non-graphic tees but I'll tell you this: Recently I sat next to someone at a fashion show who told me that last year he threw out all his white tees and underwear and has been buying a new Tom Ford T-shirt and a pair of the designer's silk underwear every week since then. Sounds beyond opulent, but he was the most relaxed person I've met in months, and I feel like the Tom Ford habit had something to do with it! —Rachel Tashjian, Style Writer

    $255 at Mr Porter
  • 11/21

    Basic Rights Heavy Weight T-shirt

    I tripped across this British brand maybe 3 years back, and I've steadily been accumulating more and more of their hefty white tees ever since. The cut's just right: not skate-rat boxy, too long or too short. The real hero, though, is the thick cotton—unlike thinner, clingier tees, it does very kind things to barrel-shaped torso. Added bonus: a couple years on and they look just as crisp as the day they arrived. Just make sure you scale up one size for a trim fit, and two for a loose fit, because these tees shrink on the first wash. —Jon Wilde, Digital Director

    $50 at Basic Rights
  • 12/21

    Kirkland Signature men's crew neck tee (6-pack)

    Do not sleep on Kirkland Signature. Heavy weight and a little long. Good for activities. —Noah Johnson, Style Editor

    $24 at Amazon
  • 13/21

    Levi's Vintage Clothing 1950s Sportswear T‑Shirt

    Hands-down, best fit and style. Best worn with a pair of Dickies. [Editor's note: it looks like Levi's discontinued this tee, so scoop them up where you can.] —Jon Tietz, Fashion Editor

    $80 $56 at Slam Jam
  • 14/21

    Banana Republic Supima cotton crew neck T-Shirt

    Banana Republic's white t-shirt does double duty as a crisp undershirt or standalone tee, because it's lim enough to make a wavy button-down pop yet boxy enough for a tuck into your favorite pleated pants. Truly, the Goldilocks of white tees. —Alex Wedel, Senior Analyst

    $27 at Banana Republic
  • 15/21

    Uniqlo U Crew Neck Short-Sleeve T-Shirt

    You don't need $100+ to stunt on ya homies in a comfortable, flexible white T. Put this under a suit jacket or wear it by itself with ya gold chains, rings, and some grillz and watch people gawk just the same as if you had Buck Mason or Tom Ford. —Tyler Tines, Sports Writer

    $20 at Uniqlo
  • 16/21

    3sixteen heavyweight pocket T-shirts (2-pack)

    I’ve had a couple of these thick, perfect-fitting tees since 2014. In that time, they’ve survived a scooter trip through rural Vietnam, touch football games with my nephews in the backyard, getting tossed in an industrial dryer from the ‘70s, being hand washed in a lake in northern Ontario, dozens of mosh pits I was too old to be in, and my buddy’s slobbery dog sitting on my chest for an entire NBA playoff game. They still look more or less exactly the way they did when I first bought them—not a hole or stain or stretched collar in sight. —Yang-Yi Goh, Style Commerce Writer

    $95 at Self Edge
  • 17/21

    Marni Navy Blue, White, & Burgundy Cotton T-shirt (3-pack)

    The only white shirt in the world. [Editor's note: it's only available in a 3-pack.] —Willa Bennett, Senior Manager, Social Media

    $390 at Marni
  • 18/21

    Reigning Champ T-shirt (2-pack)

    I like these because they’re basically the same as new after washing. —Noah Johnson, Style Editor

    $100 at Reigning Champ
  • 19/21

    Harvest & Mill Men's Organic Crew Tee

    This is the real color of white cotton. —Tori Leung, Fashion Assistant

    $46 at Harvest & Mill
  • 20/21

    Mott & Bow "Carlton" heavyweight pocket tee

    Getting the weight right on white tees is a tricky balance, but I appreciate the slightly heavier ones so that they don't feel too undershirt-y. Plus: these are soft as hell. —Ben Pardee, Lead Web Producer

    $35 at Mott & Bow
  • 21/21

    Kotn Essential Crew

    These (affordable!) Egyptian tees from a company called Kotn are super-soft, slim-cut, and juuuuust long enough. —Chris Gayomali, Articles Editor

    $30 at Kotn
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