The 13 Best T-Shirts for Men, According to Style Experts

Lululemon churns out tees as flattering as its famed ABC pants, and this one has earned a permanent spot in our rotation. It’s got the kind of perfect middleweight feel that lands between lounging and everyday fits. The cotton-elastane blend is structured enough to wear outside, soft enough to crash in, and polished enough to layer under button-down shirts and jackets.

Let’s start with the fit: the sleeves drop to about mid-bicep, offering a little more coverage than your average muscle tee. So no, you’re not exactly showing off the full pump, but that’s kind of the point. It has a clean, athletic drape that hugs the chest and shoulders but leaves room through the midsection. That comfy-yet-clean silhouette owes a lot to the cotton-elastane fabric, which moves with you whether you’re racing to catch a train or hauling your backpack through TSA.

The material is a soft jersey knit made from organic cotton, and you can tell the difference compared to cheaper tees. It’s got that smooth, buttery finish that’s cool to the touch and resists the dreaded scratchy feel even after multiple washes. Its also incredibly breathable. I wore it during a rush-hour subway commute in peak humidity. I’m talking sweaty backpack, wall-to-wall body heat, the whole thing, and it still felt airy enough to keep me cool and comfortable, like it was letting the steam out instead of trapping it in. It dries fast too, so you’re not stuck with damp pit zones the rest of the day.

One of our favorite touches is the raised collar construction, which subtly sets this tee apart from others we tested. Unlike flimsier tees that end up with stretched-out necklines or that dreaded bacon curl, this one’s collar sits up just slightly higher and has kept its shape since I wore it for the first time three months ago. It’s a minor detail that matters, especially if you’re layering it or wearing it solo.

Read More: Vuori vs. Lululemon

Vuori, one of our favorite athleisure brands, uses moisture-wicking tech fabric in its signature crewneck tee, providing unparalleled comfort while you're running a 5K marathon or just running errands.

Unlike with other standard athletic shirts that always fit too tight, I didn't have to go through that trouble myself with this slim fit take, making it a tee I'd actually wear out on its own, because outside is where it shines: To me, its stretch and moisture wicking have made it look and smell fresh time after time. More importantly, I couldn’t believe how soft it felt when I put it on the first time. It was like being clothed in a cloud, and the breathable fabric was able to keep me cool instead of suffocating me.

Read More: Vuori Strato Tech Tee Review

Anyone that's owned Merino wool knows the entry price is worth the investment. The fabric is famously breathable, and its natural anti-odor properties and moisture-wicking ability make it so you can wear the garment for longer than you'd expect before it gets, well, gross.

To test out its Merino wool performance, I’ve in fact packed this tee for a recent trip and worn it to trail, walk, and commute for a few days. At the end of the day, when I did take it off, I was delighted to find out that it remained as fresh as when I first put it on, after all those hours of traveling in it.

In our opinion, Abercrombie nailed the fit that guys are looking for in T-shirts right now. It strikes that sweet spot between laidback and put-together. The shoulders are just a touch boxy, with a slight drop that gives it that modern, relaxed silhouette. You get a little extra room through the body and sleeves—without swimming in it—which makes it great for layering or just wearing solo on a casual day out.

The sleeves fall right above the elbow, which means yes, you’re showing off a good chunk of bicep. It’s not a muscle tee, but the sleeve length works in your favor if you’ve been doing your dumbbell and harmer curls. And because the sleeves are a little wider than your standard tee, the fabric doesn’t hug too tightly or restrict lifting groceries. The shirt itself runs standard in length, so it drops just past the waist for most of our testers, making it easy to wear untucked without looking sloppy. It also features a straight hem that falls in a clean, horizontal line, adding to that boxy feel.

Now the fabric: this tee is cut from a substantial midweight cotton that feels more premium than the price tag suggests. It’s soft with a bit of heft to it, so it holds its shape throughout the day and doesn’t cling to your body like lightweight blends sometimes do. That said, the thickness does come with a caveat: in 90-degree, high-humidity weather, it might feel a bit dense. You’ll stay dry thanks to the breathable cotton weave, but if you’re standing in direct sun with no breeze, you’ll probably want something lighter.

Still, that extra weight is what makes it so versatile in more temperate settings. It layers like a champ under flannels or light jackets and doesn’t lose its shape after a full day of wear. Plus, it has that slightly vintage, sun-faded dye Abercrombie’s gotten really good at lately.

Read More: Best White T-Shirts for Men

Winner of our Fitness Awards best short sleeve tee, Rhone’s Reign is perhaps the most comfortable workout t-shirt the athletic guys at Men's Health have ever tested and worn to a gym session. "This breathable top moves with you when you reach overhead for pull-ups and chin-ups thanks to its seamless construction," says our Fitness Director Ebenezer Samuel, C.S.C.S..

In addition, its breathable, moisture-wicking fabric has always come in a pinch for me whenever the gym gets a bit too heated. No matter how intense our sessions can be, we still feel and smell fresh after sweating bullets, thanks to the anti-odor technology.

A couple of years ago, the Los Angeles-based Buck Mason purchased two century-old knitting mills in Eastern Pennsylvania that were on the verge of closure. Now all of the brand’s t-shirts are produced there, from the raw cotton to the finished products.

Vertically integrated production like that provides a level of quality control that is evident in the Slub Classic Tee. There were no loose threads or out of place stitching, the cut was perfectly balanced, and tremendously sturdy for a relatively lightweight tee.

Our editors love this t-shirt because the weight hits a sweet spot that is surprisingly hard to find. For a while now, most t-shirts have been a little flimsy. Heavyweight cotton tees have made a big comeback recently, but many of these are just a little too bulky. Buck Mason’s slub cotton has a soft feel and loose drape while still feeling sturdy and reliable. The white tee is slightly transparent, but with a speckled texture indicative of slub cotton. It is truly a do-it-all t-shirt that looks good with everything and fits well on most body types.

Everlane's slim-fit t-shirt nails the perfect balance between tailored and relaxed. It's slim but not clingy, with enough room to let a little breeze pass through the chest and arm area. In other words, you get a shirt that is tailored and polished, but still caps on comfort. The fabric is really where it shines, though.

It’s a premium-weight tee, meaning the material is dense and built to last. It drapes perfectly over the chest, holds shape through countless washes, and gives you that solid substantial feel. We found it's become softer and softer, the more you wear it. Over time, this shirt doesn't get dingy or pill like the ones you get from fast-fashion brands. I found that it has held its shape well after using it for the past year. Plus, it comes in a number of neutral colors that make it easy to wear on repeat with any jeans or chinos.

Sunspel is one of those English brands that just gets premium basics. It's been perfecting the art of the simple, high-quality clothing since 1860, and its Riviera Midweight T-shirt is proof the makers know exactly what they're doing. Originally created for James Bond (yep, Daniel Craig wore it in Casino Royale), this tee is elevated but effortless, crafted from a Supima cotton.

We're big fans of this material because it's extra-long staple meaning its fibers are naturally longer than regular cotton, increasing its durability and, ultimately, its lifespan. It's buttery soft yet structured with a tailored-but-not-too-tight fit, making it one of the tees you can dress up or down without a second thought.

During our testing, we found it doesn't pill or wrinkle easily. The slightly shorter length looks better untucked and drapes neatly over your jeans. Plus, it arrives in a whopping 22 colors, so you have every hue to choose from.

Reigning Champ is one of the few clothing brands out there that mills its own fabrics. While the fabric is called mid-weight, it felt sturdier to us than most tees we tried out. The boxy fit was extremely comfortable, with '90s inspired sleeves that are on the longer and wider side. This is especially beneficial for guys with broader shoulders and bigger biceps.

The flatlock seam construction along the sleeves, shoulders, and sides is more commonly seen in sweatshirts, with this being the only t-shirt on the list to feature it. It was a nice touch because flatlock seams reduce friction points, which is especially helpful with a heavier fabric like this one. We noticed the benefit after wearing this tee all day, especially along the shoulder.

Simply put, this is a quintessential pocket tee available for a very affordable price. It feels like it was pulled from Gap’s '90s archive, when the brand was known for great looking basics. The fit was a little boxy, but by no means baggy, and looked flattering on a whole range of body types. Even though the construction details are simple, especially compared to some of the premium tees we tested, it still felt sturdy and reliable.

The weight of this tee came as a surprise, given the look and price. It felt more like a mid-weight cotton that held its shape better than most "basic" t-shirts we’ve tried in the past.

Everlane has a talent for making high-quality, affordable basics that can fit seamlessly into pretty much any wardrobe. The Essential Organic Crew is a perfect example of the brand’s mastery of fit, fabric, and colors that have mass appeal while still looking cool. Boxy shoulders, wider sleeves, and a collar that sat just right provided a relaxed feel in our testing, which was perfect for lounging around and casual everyday wear.We wanted to highlight the fabric, not only because it's a sturdy pure cotton jersey, but it comes with a unique washed finish. The t-shirt had a cozy lived-in feel that usually requires quite a few washes and wears to achieve. According to Everlane, this also helps prevent shrinkage, which was not a problem for us after a couple of cold water washes.