Every wardrobe needs its foundation pieces, and every foundation piece needs to tick a particular set of boxes to make the cut. Firstly, it must be seasonless. No stashing it away once summer rolls around; instead, it should be easily incorporated into your year-round wardrobe. It should also transcend the trends, and generally be immune to fluctuations in your style. Of course, this is difficult to predict, but you know the pieces I’m talking about. Blue jeans, black boots, a blazer… Oh, and the white t-shirt.
The perfect white tee is surprisingly difficult to find, though as clothing goes it’s about as simple as it gets. The fabric is crucial for longevity—we’re team cotton all the way—and you want to choose a cut that will work with all your most-loved pieces. If you wear high-rise jeans on the regular, you might opt for a boxy cropped tee to avoid awkward bunching around the waist area. If you plan on layering your white T-shirt under dresses and blazers, consider a slimline fit. There are hundreds (if not thousands) of iterations to pick from, and the good news is we’ve already narrowed it down for you.
Below, you’ll find our round-up of the 15 best white T-shirts for women, as well as some “wear with” options. But first, take a look at how some of our favourite influencers have been styling this staple lately.
Anna wears a Tôteme tee with blue jeans—and enduringly chic combination.
Tuck your slimline white T-shirt into a mini skirt and add a relaxed blazer, like Francesca.
Brittany makes a case for white-on-white, styling her Arket tee with wide jeans and platform flip-flops.
You can also wear this basic with trendy pieces; see Samantha’s cool cargo skirt and cropped white tee combo.
Monikh shows that sometimes simple is best with her black jeans and trainers pairing.
We’ll never stop raving about this affordable tee.
Between the longer sleeve length and fitted shape, this cut is so flattering.
Perfectly boxy.
A ribbed tee is a staple in its own right.
Can you believe how affordable this one is?
Reformation’s basics are seriously underrated.
This will last you for the long haul.
Made from organic cotton, which uses significantly less water than conventional cotton. Good on you, good on the planet.
Whistles’ T-shirts are irresistibly soft.
Another sustainable option that doesn’t cut corners. It’s worth every bit of the price.
The embroidery is subtle enough that this can still be considered a basic, IMO.
V-necks are great for showing off layered necklaces.
I love the sleeve length on this Toteme style.
Pair with leggings on downtime days.
Our editors rate James Perse tees so highly—you can also pick them up in other neutrals.
It might seem obvious, but blue denim is the ultimate companion to a white T-shirt.
This is how I’ll be styling mine for the summer months.
A warm weather take on the blue-denim-white-tee formula.
How to dress down your tailoring? Just add a white T-shirt.
Layer a tee under your slip dresses to make them feel more casual.
