From the Mailbag: What to wear other than a t-shirt, when I want to wear a t-shirt…
With summer upon us, I’d like to see a post about stylish t-shirt alternatives for the warm weather coming up. The default for many is a t-shirt, but what else can we wear if we so choose?
– Justin
.
The range in the T-shirt clothing genre is about as vast as the body types on any given football team. In the majority of cases, you’ll want a t-shirt that’d be the football player equivalent of a strong safety. You don’t want some bulky, massive OT type of tee, nor do you want a wispy kicker. You want something that absolutely leans trim, but also has some strength to it.
That said, as great as they are, T-shirts can get monotonous. And they’re as casual as it gets. Now, there aren’t a ton of options that land in that same uber casual ballpark. Ultra light blazer with a light cotton shirt underneath? Absolutely, but that’s real far away from tee territory. There are closer alternatives. Five of them follow . Go ahead and make any additions in the comments…
.
1. The Pocket T-Shirt: J. Crew – $19.00 ($24.50)
A plain t-shirt comes off as casual because it looks a lot like underwear. A pocket solves that, since pockets are pretty useless on underwear. They come in handy too. Good for storing a short pencil, a small notebook, or a few bucks in. The J. Crew pocket tees shown here are nice, but at almost twenty bucks (even on sale) they’re spendy. Wait for an extra 30% off sale items code. Other options include the surprisingly well fitting Old Navy Tri-Blend, if you can stand a small tonal logo… The American Eagle Legend Pocket Tee for $10, and check Target in store.
2. A Heathered or Slub Jersey Polo: GAP – $26.21* | Original Penguin – $48.30
*
If you’re feeling like a t-shirt, but want something just a notch up, a thicker, pique polo might be a little stiff looking. A solid jersey polo is of course just fine (and really, so is pique) but the more casual polos will have a flecked, heathered look to them, or, be made of slub cotton. “Slub” is a type of weaving process that creates a slightly irregular, almost bumpy looking fabric. Maybe a distant, distant cousin of seersucker. It looks well worn and awfully casual. But since polos have the collar, it’s still a step up from a plain t-shirt. Cheaper slub options include this $22 Haggar Slim and this $25 Marc Anthony, both from Kohl’s (haven’t seen either though). More polo options here. *Pictured polos are usually $35 and $69 respectively. Both are on sale. You’ll need the codes GAPLOVE and OPMEMORIAL30 to get these prices.
3. A dressed up polo over a contrasting tee with some color
Y’know how there are more casual, washed button downs, and then there’s your dress shirts? Right. The difference isn’t quite as vast in the polo world, but there’s a difference. The way to dress down a smoother office ready polo is to layer it over a lightweight t-shirt with some color. Just make sure the sleeves on your t-shirt are shorter than the polo’s. Think of it as the very poor man’s, very down to earth, very casual and subtle… ascot.
4. Long sleeve button down with rolled up sleeves
Short sleeve button ups are trying to mount a comeback (more on those in a second), but most well fitting long sleeve button up shirts can be turned into a short sleeve by simply rolling the sleeves up the “right” way. Here’s a full explanation. This method keeps the sleeves streamlined so you don’t have fabric bagels falling off your elbows, and also keeps them locked in their upright position. If you’re reasonably fit, you won’t look too frumpy with your shirt tucked in here. If you go untucked, it best be a shirt which has a tail that doesn’t dip too low. Skip the bright white dress shirts. Use one of those soft and well washed shirts you’ve got in your closet.
5. The simple, unmistakeably casual, extremely well fitting, short sleeve button down
Short sleeve button ups can go wrong in so many ways that it’s usually best just to stick to polos. Keep these in a very casual fabric, in a very simple pattern or solid, and keep the tail short since they’ll be untucked. Don’t be afraid to take these to your tailor either, but honestly, it might just be best to stick with a well fitting polo. Options include the hopefully slim fitting Mossimo shown above for $17, this ASOS chambray version for $50, and AE’s slim fit chambray for $30.
Agreements, disagreements, additions? Are you a believer in the short sleeve henley? It all goes in the comments.
What about short-sleeve henleys? They’re my absolute go-to when I need to look slightly more put together than a tee. The Mossimo and Converse ones from Target are amazing.
And speaking of which, no love for the Mossimo jersey polos you always used to mention? All the comfort of a tee, just with a collar.
I kinda disagree on only using a solid or simple patterns for short sleeved button ups. There are some great “scotch tape” patterned short sleeve well fitting button ups out there from Bonobos/J Crew which I think distinguish them more from your crossed out pick on the left than a plain shirt.
They don’t sell the Mossimo polos anymore. Also, do you have a link for the Mossimo henley or are they in store only?
I have a serious mental block on the short-sleeve button up. I just can’t get behind them.
Wait, they don’t. I could’ve sworn I saw a bunch a couple of months ago…I have some jersey knit J.Crew Factory polos as well as the Mossimos…Soo comfortable and perfectly light for ridiculously humid Mid-Atlantic summers.
I will thank you again for the helpful instructions on the proper sleeve roll-up. Not only is it a cleaner look, but it accentuates the positive. Much appreciated.
I’m beginning to think that the Mossimo shirts are seasonal. I, too, love their Henleys but they have been off the shelves for a few months being replaced by their t-shirts. If my theory is true, I think we should be seeing polos on the shelves come Fall.
The athletic fit t’s at Target are my go to. Love the way they fit and they always have a wide range of colors, usually for only $8-$10 each. Amazing how versatile a well fitting gray t-shirt can be.
Personally not a fan of polo’s. I feel too much like a frat guy when I wear them. Save them for the golf course. If I want to be casual and still wear a collar, it’s a long sleeve button down and I roll the sleeves up. A better look 100% of the time. But that is my opinion, everyone’s style is different.
Second that, I’ve never had luck pulling off a short sleeve button up.
Still a huge fan, but like Jimbo said, they don’t appear to be around, for now. The Merona slim fit polos appear to have replaced them for the time being?
https://dappered.com/2012/04/polo-palooza-spring-2012-affordable-polo-options/
That all said, my blue and brown Mossimo jersey polos certainly make this list under the heathered category.
I’m not a fan of polos either, and I never leave the house with just a t-shirt. To me it just seems like you’re not trying very hard. I usually go with a t-shirt underneath a casual long sleeve button up.
The best part about SSBU is that you can take down some buttons to cool off on those really hot days. I do it in my car all the time. I guess that applies to any button up, really.
Mmmmmm. Fabric bagels… [Homer Simpson drooling noise]
Agree on the Converse One-Star short-sleeved henleys. I bought a couple a while back and they’ve become my go-to weekend shirts (especially since they don’t irritate the scar from my recent neck surgery, unlike a normal crew-neck shirt). The version with one button and a pocket is the best, IMO.
“To me it just seems like you’re not trying very hard” – Surely better than the alternative, and also, by my reckoning, a t-shirt worn visibly under a button up is nay cool, both figuratively and literally.
I’m not saying polos aren’t trying very hard. That was in regard to leaving the house wearing just a t-shirt. For polos, it’s a matter of personal preference. To me, it reads frat (especially paired with cargo shorts and flip flops) or golf for the most part. That being the case, if I’m going casual, I go for a button up with the top one or two buttons undone, sometimes with a t-shirt, sometimes without.
I did not realize that SSBUs were teetering on the edge of “Do not wear.” Or that they had to be solid. I have several; nice solids from J.Crew to casual patterned Mossimos from Target (love the plaid ones) & they are all great. I wear them to work on casual Friday (untucked; they can look a little silly tucked, but not always). They are my weekend wear of choice if I have some place to be aside from my patio. I much prefer them to polos, but polos are better tucked in & thus, better for Summer office wear (not for me, I am in a long sleeve shirt & still chilled due to the A/C nazis). Call me silly but to me, a solid SSBU is more “formal” than a polo, due to my theory of “more buttons = increased formality.” Sometimes I even strap on a tie with one…nah, just fooling.
Also, in my eyes, a simple v-neck tee trumps both a crewneck and a pocket-t in terms of style.
I rarely wear crewnecks now that I started amassing v-necks.
So, I guess Joe isn’t a fan of madras.
I rarely am seen in public with a t-shirt. There are just too many other options. I can’t ever recall seeing a guy in a tee of any kind and thinking “That guy knows how to dress well”. (except maybe this guy):
http://blog.localnomad.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/17-feb-Picasso.jpg
I somewhat agree. Being in the Silicon Valley/SF Bay Area, I get more of a computer engineer vibe from wearing my short sleeve button-up and casual pants. But on the other hand, if I wear it with jeans and a skinny tie, I feel like Billy Armstrong from Green Day.
I only wear mine if I don’t shave for a day or two, and with working out the night before or morning of, I don’t look like a nerdy engineer or stupid hipster. A lot of contingencies? Definitely. Worth the effort? Sometimes.
I understand the frat stigma from polos, but I think if worn without frat attire, e.g. cargo shorts, ball caps, and if it doesn’t have a logo, especially a moose or an eagle, it’s okay in my book.
GAP in store has that polo marked down to $20.97 (the color shown, as well as a charcoal gray and a light blue…there are also striped variants with button down collars that I wasn’t a fan of). I asked the clerk how long they’d be on sale for, and he said until the close of business tomorrow (Wednesday). Picked the gray one up with a pair of denim washed khakis that are also marked down ($39.99). I might go back and pick up another combo while both are on sale.
I couldn’t put my finger on it until I read your post. SSBUs leave me with the appearance of a math professor. Now, just rolling out of bed, hand me a bloody mary, who is that girl next to me – maybe I could make that work.
Agreed. I think if I didn’t see them paired with the frat uniform so often, I wouldn’t have said that at all. But I’m guessing that most of the men who read this site in the first place aren’t walking out the door in a polo, cargo shorts, and flip flops to begin with.
I believe the SSBU can be pulled off rather easily. Fit is probably the most important as Joe mentioned (trim in the body and sleeves, sleeves hitting at mid-bicep), along with having a button down collar. Also a light casual fabric is a must.
I think the stigma about the SSBU comes from people seeing them being worn as a replacement for a long sleeve dress shirt. Ironed, starched, and baggy 90% of the time.
Treat it as a casual shirt and things will flow much easier.
Yeah, I almost went out in public in the frat uniform, saw myself in the mirror, said “Oh god, it looks like I go to Arizona State!” I immediately changed.
How did he paint with such fat fingers?
If the frat uniform are y’alls schools was cargo shorts, someone should let them know that they’re doing frat wrong.
I noticed that too. I think those are actually some type of vegetable on the table! Like ginger root or something.
Those shirts aren’t button-downs.
Obviously not an English major…
I also agree on the difficulty of pulling off a SSBU. I think that the sleeves are as important as the body in terms of fit. They need to hug the bicep, instead of being 2x wider than it. Being buff helps here, but I wonder if it would be possible to have just the sleeves slimmed at the tailor? Here’s an example of what I’m talking about:
http://thesuitsofjamesbond.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Grey-Linen-Suit-3.jpg
(Maybe not the best example, since he looks good in anything)
Correct. And just like not all dress shoes are oxfords, or all dress shirts are made from oxford cloth. It has become a catch all term in a way, but the difference between a button up and a button down is much closer. Even if there’s no buttons on the collar, I myself personally, do in fact button the shirt from the top down.
They were referred to as SSBU (with the “u” standing for “up”) under the caption. So, did you just decide to ignore that part?
I snagged one of the Converse short sleeve henleys, a week or so ago. It was on the clearance rack for $10 instead of the normal $15. For whatever reason, only the Myrtle Berry color was on the clearance rack. All other color choices were still regular priced. Hmmn… ? Anyway, the fit is perfect for me. I’d lie to get a few more, in other colors, but I wonder if/when they will be marked down some.
If I’m understanding this correctly, the first alternative to wearing a tee shirt is…a tee shirt?
Yes!! YOU’VE GOT IT!