It’s high time you went full Matisse with your T-shirt colors. Remember that movie Pleasantville, where Reese Witherspoon and Tobey Maguire get zapped into a black-and-white sitcom and turn the whole place Technicolor? That’s what we’re about to do to your T-shirt collection. You’ve got enough basic white and black tees to last you several lifetimes—let’s brighten the place up already. To get your torso set for a sunnier spring, we curated a diverse shortlist of the finest crewneck tees available in the widest range of brilliant hues. And we’re not just talking your standard maroons and royal blues: these tees give you serious color options, from fresh lilacs to bright teals to deep mauves and forest greens. Pick the one that’s right for you, then stock up on it in a half-dozen colors to really set your fits off right.
The Midcentury Modern Tee
You know those old photos where fellas like Brando or James Dean gaze broodingly into the camera looking sharp as all hell in nothing but a white undershirt? Ever wonder why your tees never look so flattering, hugging your torso and popping your biceps? Few years back, Lady White & Co set out to craft the perfect vintage-y white T-shirt, employing early-last-century methods like tubular knitting—meaning there’re no side seams—to get there. Now they sling that same ringspun tee in a slew of fresh seasonal tones like this one.
The Benchmark Tee
If you’re a serious GQ Best Stuff stan who reads every story—love you, mean it—then you’re well acquainted with Sunspel. For those who aren’t: the British brand’s been churning out high quality basics since the 19th century, and their luxe knitwear is beloved by the likes of John Mayer and Daniel Craig-era James Bond. There’s a reason they’re a Best Stuff regular, because virtually everything they make fits great, feels great, and lasts forever. Their selection of colorful tees is no exception, ranging from a regal deep egglant to this rich forest green (a.k.a., the thinking man’s navy blue).
The Right-Now Tee
We’ve all been there: you’re hanging at a skatepark, either actually skating yourself or just chaperoning your nephew, when some kid half your age rolls by looking impossibly, effortlessly fly. It’s 20 percent the DGAF attitude, 80 percent the T-shirt he’s wearing: big and boxy, but not in a knee-length Dem Franchise Boyz way; weightier-than-normal cotton, but still washed and comfy and soft. It all looks very 2021, and you have no clue where he got it. Now you do. This is that tee. And it’s easier to pull off than you’d think—you’ll look and feel just as cool wearing it as that kid, and not at all like you’re going through an early-onset midlife crisis. Scout’s honor.
The OG Tee
The infamously meaty Beefy-T has been a prime cut ever since Hanes introduced it in 1975. Well over a billion of these tees have been sold since then, and it earned its spot here for its consistent heft, soft hand, and classic silhouette. It’s the tee of choice (or, at least, of contract) for His Airness, served as the blanks for Supreme at one point, and still only costs about as much as an oat milk latte.
The Vintage-Inspired Tee
It’s hard to beat a worn-to-hell vintage T-shirt, but Mooji Mooji gets pretty damn close. Unlike some of the prisitinely poly-wrapped options on this list, these primo unisex tees lean into a tastefully faded, well-aged look straight off the rack. They’ve got a heavyweight feel, old-school tubular construction, and are made in Los Angeles.
The Grail-Level Tee
For the absolute best of the best, look no further than Japan’s Warehouse, who have been crafting top-tier denim and heavy-duty workwear with an artisan’s eye for close to three decades. Using rare loopwheel machines, these beauties undergo a tediously slow knitting process that results in a fabric that’s both incredibly dense and suspiciously soft. We’re especially big fans of this next-level slubby version, which reveals a little more texture with every wash.
The Plant-Based Tee
Industry of All Nations takes a holistic, seed-to-sew approach to crafting its clothes, using only the finest natural fibers and organic materials. Their excellent tees, for instance, are all dyed using hues found in nature: we’re talking real-deal indigo for blues, acacia tree bark for brown, Indian madder for orange, iron scraps for black. That might mean a more limited palette than some of its big-box competitors, but the colors here are about as deep and rich and full of life as you’re ever likely to find.
The “Put Our Money Where Our Mouth Is” Tee
When we set out to design our first-ever merch drop, there was one item in particular we knew we had to nail: the perfect garment-dyed tee. Not to toot our own horns, but man, did we ever deliver. Our OG logo tees come in a trio of washed-but-rich colors, cut from soft-but-heavy cotton in a flatteringly boxy cut. And to top ’em off just right, we printed our ever-iconic logo on the chest in a tonal hue for an extra subtle flex.
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