The Plain T-Shirt: Fit and Fabric

FASHION · UNITED KINGDOM

The Plain T-Shirt: Fit and Fabric

Where the fit points are, fabric weight and cotton type, shrinkage and care

A plain t-shirt is the most worn garment most people own and the one bought with the least thought, which is why so many are wrong.

The fit points

The shoulder seam at the edge of the shoulder. The sleeve ending around mid-bicep rather than at the elbow. The body skimming rather than clinging or draping loose.

Length should cover the waistband with a little to spare, so it stays covered when you raise your arms. Too long reads as sloppy and too short untucks constantly.

Fabric weight

Grams per square metre tells you what you are getting. Around 140gsm is thin and drapes and goes transparent. 180gsm is a standard t-shirt. 200gsm and above is heavyweight, holds its shape and does not show what is underneath.

Hold it to a light before removing the tags.

Cotton type

Ring-spun cotton is smoother and softer than open-end at the same weight, and combed cotton smoother still. Pima and Supima are long-staple cottons that pill less and last longer.

A little elastane helps a fitted shape recover and shortens the life of the garment.

Shrinkage

Untreated cotton can lose a size on a hot wash, mostly in length. Check whether it is pre-shrunk, and if it is not, buy accordingly.

Care

Wash cool and inside out, and air dry rather than tumble drying, which is what shrinks and distorts them. A fabric shaver removes pills and makes an old shirt look new.

Colours and wardrobes

White, navy, grey and black cover almost everything and work with what you already own. A white tee shows through less under a shirt than a black one, which surprises people.

Buy in multiples of the colours you actually wear rather than one of each.

Keeping them white

Wash whites together, treat underarm and collar marks before washing since deodorant residue sets with heat, and use an oxygen whitener rather than chlorine bleach, which yellows cotton over time.

Layering

A plain tee works under a shirt, a jumper or a jacket, which is why fit through the shoulders and the body matters more than anything decorative. Thin fabric shows every layer underneath.

A slightly longer body stays tucked and stays covered when you reach.

Cost per wear

A shirt worn weekly for three years costs almost nothing per wear, which is why spending a little more on fabric weight pays for itself.

When to replace

Stretched necklines, thinning fabric at the shoulders and permanent underarm marks. A tee that has gone soft and shapeless is finished, whatever its condition looks like on a hanger.

Old t-shirts make excellent cleaning cloths.

Buying

Buy several of anything that fits, since makers revise patterns quietly.

WHERE TO BUY

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