Fashion 🌀 Spiral: White T-Shirt

Simple and beloved, let's explore the history, trends and styling content for our favorite White T-Shirt.

Jun 18, 2024

Perhaps the most seemingly simple item in your closet or drawer, the White T-Shirt is incredibly complex. Anyone who has been on the hunt for the “perfect white t-shirt” would agree. I am not great at keeping mine bright white (more on that, including expert tips, below) so when I was ready to refresh my stack I did what any merchandiser would do - planned a Style Out!

What’s a Style Out? Only the best thing ever. You do your research, gather sales history and trends, bring in all the samples and play with the merchandise until you reach the optimal assortment to sell in your store. What will showcase the trend, cover all the bases and be successful for driving revenue and margin.

Instead of pulling sales trends, I looked at brands I’ve been interested in trying, pulled out my favorites I already owned and figured out what I needed to add to refresh my White T-Shirt stack. I wanted different silhouettes, varying lengths and a couple of different use cases. During the summer I refresh so they are crisp and clean and when they start to get dingy I’m fine to use layered under sweaters in winter (I love that white collar peeking out of my black sweater) or as a workout t-shirt or just loungewear. A few years ago I would have tie-dyed my older looking t-shirts.

Fashion History

The Origins: From Undergarment to Style Statement

The white t-shirt has its roots in the late 19th century, when companies like Cooper's (later renamed Jockey), Hanes, and Fruit of the Loom reconstructed “the union suit”, a mid-nineteenth-century underwear invention, creating long johns on the bottom and an undershirt on top. These undershirts were initially issued by the US Navy during the Spanish-American war in 1898, with Hanes beginning to produce cotton t-shirts for the US Marine Corps shortly after, in 1901.

The companies marketed these undergarments for the general public using messaging that played up the garment's comfort, construction, and ease of maintenance (who wouldn’t want that?!)

Originally designed to be worn beneath a shirt or jacket, the t-shirt was a practical and comfortable solution for workers and soldiers alike. It wasn't until the mid-20th century that the white t-shirt shed its utilitarian status and emerged as a fashion statement. Designers, like Coco Chanel introducing jersey fabric for women’s dressing, brought easy pieces like this to the fashion scene.

Cultural Moments in the White Tee Shirt

From Hollywood to Broader Culture

In the 1950s, Hollywood heartthrobs like Marlon Brando and James Dean popularized the white t-shirt as a symbol of youthful rebellion. Their on-screen portrayals of brooding, anti-establishment characters in films like "A Streetcar Named Desire" and "Rebel Without a Cause" cemented the white t-shirt as a quintessential piece of cool, effortless style. The t-shirt became a sign of rebellion because wearing what was meant to be only an undergarment as outerwear…well, that’s where the rebellious side makes a statement.

In the decades that followed, the white t-shirt continued to evolve, transcending subcultures and fashion trends. It became a staple in the wardrobes of artists, musicians and fashion icons, each adding their unique spin to this versatile garment.

The Rise of the White T-Shirt in Black Fashion

The white t-shirt's rise in fashion is inextricably linked to Black culture and labor, which cannot be overlooked. Cotton, the primary fabric used in t-shirt production, has a dark history rooted in slavery. To bring this history to the conversation, the late Founder of the brand Off-White, Virgil Abloh, launched his fashion career with a line called Pyrex Vision. The Pyrex Vision t-shirts were made of deadstock Hanes and Champion t-shirts and screenprinted with the words "Pyrex" and "23" (for Michael Jordan) and ticketed to sell for $200 retail. In a commentary on the commodification of "cool," Abloh gave the same t-shirts away for free in lower-class neighborhoods. Abloh wanted to further showcase slave labor and the connection to t-shirts in his Chicago Museum of Contemporary Art exhibit in 2019.

Let's explore some notable moments and styles:

1950s the white t-shirt had more visibility thanks to movies, stars and athletes like: Think Marlon Brando in The Wild One, Sugar Ray Robinson preparing to box in his Everlast and James Dean in A Rebel Without A Cause.
In the 1960s and 1970s the style became more fitted and feminine, with the still tomboy touch, on Brigette Bardot in A Very Private Affair and Jane Birkin in the 1970s wearing with jeans and her straw baskets/bags.
1980s the iconic Bruce Springsteen made it his uniform and it is hard to picture Springsteen without his white t-shirt, jeans and guitar.
The oversized, boxy t-shirts of the 1990s grunge era, championed by bands like Nirvana.
The cropped and midriff-baring t-shirts of the late 90s and early 2000s, a trend that continues to resurface and often referred to as the “baby tee.” For this summer, it feels more modern in the pointelle fabric. Check out the cast of the original 90210, it’s hard to imagine other outfits as iconic as this.
The humble white t-shirt elevated to high fashion by designers like Karl Lagerfeld at Chanel, Phoebe Philo for Celine and Raf Simons for Calvin Klein.

How to wear a White T-Shirt?

Many great options in necklines and there is a strong case for finding a few different options you like. A great tip that has worked for me, for a more luxe look, size up.

I also believe that accessories help create a t-shirt and jeans into a real styled option. I love the Instagram Reels and TikToks of the same base side by side but showing how to style the look to zhuzsh it up. Emily Schuman’s content around this (example here) is well done.

Belts - this also creates a great frame for where to tuck your t-shirt.
Blazers - nothing feels easier and fresher than a blazer, t-shirt and jeans. (Love this one from Blaze Milano.)
Tennis Necklace - the luxe but laid back look of a bit of sparkle peeking out of the neckline. I wear this one.
Classic jewelry for an everyday look with your t-shirt. Take the t-shirt in a refined or edgy direction depending on what style of pearls you pick. For a bold statement I’ve been wearing this great Chan Luu necklace* that goes for a bit of the edgy pearl and a bit of the homemade “summer camp” jewelry look with a few charms.
Ballet flats (like these in the woven leather) or classic cap toe. Loafers too for a styled but easy look.

🛍️ This post is long (too much good stuff to share!) so you may need to hit “expand” or read it in your browser - I promise it will be worth it! 🛍️

White T-Shirts Edit

I’ve tried on many and have notes to share if you are looking to restock your pile too. These are the t-shirts that get the Retail Diary stamp of approval.

COS - love the bright white color, the thicker material. Neckline feels very high-end.
LeSet - Margo and Laura Margo feels super fancy and cool girl. New favorites.
Soldout.nyc I love the Iconically Soft* and this is my favorite Linen tee, it feels and looks so high-end.
Perfectwhitetee - the name says it all, but I’m also super into the names being of iconic musicians and their white tee looks. Springsteen and Hendrix are both great fits.
Buck Mason - For a long sleeve option, I kept this one in black, but it is great in white too. The sleeves are fantastic and I love the hand feel of the material. Buck Mason also has a great fitted tee.
Donni - pointelle option is perfect for loungewear or an easy summer day (pair with jeans, jean shorts or even under spaghetti strapped dresses for a ‘90s look. I like the long sleeve jersey option too.
The Great - I like the slim u-neck here but currently the white is an off-white. There are a lot of great options (this silhouette for a muscle tee!) With The Great I’m obsessed with their grey, it is the coolest vintage-y marled color.
Veronica Beard - Pruitt white ribbed t-shirt for the fitted option. Great under blazers (like this one.)
AYR - The Sno Cone was my favorite, but it seems to be retired. Next favorite fit would be The Practice Tee.
La Ligne - two great options. I love a slouchy boyfriend with slouchy pants or jeans and the Molly is fitted with the right amount of slouch and I love the feel of this fabric too.
Everlane - great fit and great price. Easy to stock up on.
Uniqlo - go to tee.
Skims - Boyfriend white t-shirt has a higher neckline.
ATM - I have this one and have worn for years - it holds up great. This one is a good option for a fitted elongated short sleeve (I like for under sweaters.)
Flore Flore - love this material with a slight v-neck and a baby tee shrunken fit.
Concerned about getting that easy cuff on the sleeve, this one has it pre-cuffed and ready to go.
Tibi - mock neck is a solid fit for a higher neckline.
Not so basic - love this shape from By Malene Birger.

Inspired by the incredible creator .@anniecollage (Love this one!)

Tips for keeping white t-shirts clean

I went to an expert, Gwen Whiting from the newly launched The Fill, for tips since keeping my white t-shirts bright and clean is a frustration of mine. Whiting previously launched (and sold to Unilever) The Laundress. Her newest venture, The Fill, is a private members cleaning community offering sustainable, luxury solutions with aromatherapy benefits.

Since Gwen holds a Bachelor of Science in Textile Science from Cornell, I figured she'd be the perfect person to ask about caring for our favorite white t-shirts. She even went back to her professor and the science lab to help test this method and ingredients.

From Gwen Whiting: “I returned to the laundry room after five years with The Fill because I knew I could further perfect and make products work even harder for you…and your beloved white t-shirts.

Here’s how to keep your white t-shirts fresh all summer long with The Fill The Stains supported with The Fill The Bleach. (Note: this method is for cotton, linen, and some synthetics. Not safe for silk or wool and non-launderable synthetics.)":

The best approach to reduce ‘stain creep’ is to diligently pre-treat the susceptible areas along the way (underarms, collars, cuffs, etc).

However, you can usually rehab items and successfully remove all the stains by pre-treating the areas with The Fill The Stains, apply The Fill The Bleach granules to the area, mix together and soak in hot water for about 30 minutes (until the water cools.) You may need to repeat a few times depending how old, deep and stubborn the stains are. Launder as normal after soaking.

To keep whites white:

For normal upkeep: Add 1 oz of The Fill The Bleach to every wash load of whites

For rehab: soak item in hot water for about 30 minutes (until the water cools) with 1 oz. The Fill The Bleach”

Looking for more content?

“From Marlon Brando to Kendall Jenner, 27 of the Best Classic White T-Shirts Ever” from Vogue
“The Surprising History of the White T-Shirt” from Google Arts & Culture (this is a cool interactive feature created for “Items: Is Fashion Modern?” at MoMA from October 2017 to January 2018.
“The White Cotton Tee’s Complicated Relationship With Race In America”
I love
The Found Journal
by Angie on styling a white t-shirt.
The WSJ answers plenty of questions for men and how to style. (gift link to read behind paywall.)
The Coveteur article will likely get taken down with the site, but for now enjoy this from the expert Karla Welch (she has designed some great t-shirts for Hanes after she couldn’t find the right fit) “Hollywood’s Most Powerful Stylist Shows Us How To Wear A White Tee”

Any requests for future fashion 🌀 spirals? What is your go to white t-shirt? Leave a comment so we can all check it out.