After 4 years of searching, I found the perfect white T-shirt — and it's currently on sale for $13
- Everlane's Box Cut Tee is made with super-soft, lightweight cotton that won't thin out much over time.
- These are my go-to white T-shirts for every occasion, whether I'm tucking them into jeans and layering with a blazer or just lounging around at home.
Finding the perfect white T-shirt was, for me, a four-year-long effort. For many, the white T-shirt is just an afterthought — a basic that sits in their drawer most of the time, making casual appearances here and there. But for me, a good white T-shirt is a fundamental building block of my wardrobe, and I've been on a hunt to find the perfect one for a good chunk of my adult life.
I had quite a few criteria. It couldn't be too clingy, nor could it be too sheer. It had to be reasonably priced, with just the right balance between fitted and relaxed. And I needed to know it would always be available (meaning it couldn't be a seasonal style), so I could easily replace it if need be.
Enter Everlane, the direct-to-consumer brand best known for its affordable cashmere and timeless basics. As it turns out, they make quite a few white tee styles for both men and women, nearly all priced at just $18 (currently $13). Their classic Cotton Crew is a fan favorite among those who prefer a more fitted silhouette, but I found my own holy grail in their roomier Cotton Box-Cut Tee.
After trying about 20 different T-shirts, I finally settled on this as the perfect one. As you might expect, the Box-Cut Tee (which is only available as a women's style) features a slightly boxier fit than the basic Cotton Crew. Overall, it's just a little more relaxed, with a very slight crop that gives it a more updated look. It has an effortlessly casual feel to it, and a versatile silhouette that can be worn with anything from leggings to jeans to leather skirts, and everything in between. Plus, it can be purchased with or without a chest pocket at no change in price.
Made from a lightweight combed cotton, it only gets softer with each wash, but the thread never seems to wear out. Everlane even launched organic cotton versions of the Box-Cut Tee with or without a chest pocket that's the same price as the regular cotton.
In a traditional retail setting that accounts for various forms of markup, this tee would cost $35. But at $18 (currently $13), it's a total bargain. What's even better is that Everlane has figured out how to craft these tees in ethical factories that pay their workers fairly.
The pocket version of the tee is available in six colors total, including a bright white, rose, and muted black, while the plain tee is available in four different colors.
The bottom line:
There is simply no better white T-shirt than this one if a slightly cropped fit is what you're after. I should note that I'm about 5-feet-2-inches, so what's "slightly" cropped for me may be more so for you, depending on your size.
After four years of searching and nearly two years since I first wrote this review, I haven't bought any other T-shirts besides this one, and I've finally cleared my closet of all the other not-quite-perfect styles I had amassed over the years. If you're on the hunt for the perfect white tee, look no further.