One Year Later, Mya Gelber Found an Even Better Perfect White Tee

I found the material of this Cuts tee (it’s made from a blend of polyester, cotton, and spandex) to be extremely soft but too stretchy. The poly blend, though, means it is wrinkle resistant (a positive), but overall it felt more like workout material and therefore wasn’t what I was looking for.

The Everlane Organic Cotton Box-Cut Tee comes in a nice bright white and is perhaps the most “classic” fit of the shirts I tried. It is made of 100 percent organic cotton, which means it’s breathable and soft. It also comes with or without a pocket, which is a nice touch. But ultimately it was just too long for what I was looking for.

I hadn’t realized when ordering it that this tee has a raw hem, inside-out detailing, and pre-cuffed short sleeves. Although this shirt was a nice bright white, I don’t think those details make it a great everyday tee for me.

Made from 100 percent organic cotton, this one was on the thicker end. I tested one of my black bras underneath, and there were no transparency issues. But ultimately it was a no-go given that it wasn’t cropped and was more cream than white.

[Editor’s note: This tee is currently sold out in white but available in other colors.]

I had to give Uniqlo another shot even though I am not completely over its recent transgression. I tried the Uniqlo mini short-sleeve T-shirt but found it to be too fitted for what I wanted. This shirt is made from 96 percent cotton and 4 percent spandex and is very stretchy. The sleeves were cap style and therefore too short on my arms.

The Madewell soft-fade boxy-crop tee was one of the lightest and softest tees I tried. In terms of fit, the length was perfect for me, falling to right below the waistband of my high-rise jeans. It’s made from tissue-light “Softfade Cotton,” and true to Madewell’s description, it does already feel broken in and prewashed. My only nitpicky complaints were that the collar was a little wider than I would have liked and the color more cream than white. I decided to keep this T-shirt because I have been wearing itslong-sleeved counterpartall winter long, and it has held up incredibly well in the wash and hardly wrinkles.

[Editor’s note: This tee is currently only available in khaki, not white.]

This Cos shirt belongs in its own category; it’s one of the few white T-shirts you could get away with wearing in a corporate setting. This T-shirt is by far the thickest that I tried and is crafted from a premium heavyweight organic cotton jersey. I really appreciate how it wasn’t see-through at all. I’ll definitely be holding on to this one. I plan to throw a cashmere cardigan over my shoulders and wear it to the office. My only caveat is that due to its thickness, it may not be the right choice for an everyday T-shirt to throw on with jeans or shorts. I’ve been wearing it on some warmer days, and it is not very breathable.

This shirt ranks No. 1 for texture and feel. It’s made from 100 percent cotton and has a relaxed, easy fit. It is extremely comfortable and only slightly transparent. The sleeves, though, were just a little longer than I was hoping for. I ended up keeping this one because that texture was just so fresh and crisp. I also always like having a longer white T-shirt in my arsenal for styling with chunky knit sweaters.

I have such a soft spot for Supima-cotton shirts, which is why the Buck Mason Pima Cotton Crew came in second place during the first round of this hunt. This T-shirt really has everything I was looking for: It is meticulously constructed and is by far the softest shirt I tried. It has already become one of my go-to white T-shirts and has maintained its original shape after a few spills and washes. The shirt is perfectly boxy, and I love how roomy the sleeves are and find the length perfect for my high-waisted jeans. At $48, this shirt felt more like an investment, and I don’t think I would be comfortable purchasing more than one. That’s why this shirt ultimately wasn’t the winner. I did end up keeping it, though I have been considerably more precious when wearing it and nervous about spillage. (Buck Mason’s Slub Easy-Crewis actuallythe Strategist’s Best in Class white tee.)

Now we’ve reached the newest additions to my list. The Jungmaven Isola Tee is one of the softest, coziest T’s I have put on my body. The fit and structure are perfect, not too cropped, a straight hem that ends at the waist. The sleeves are technically a slight cap sleeve, but I sized up to get a looser fit. It’s made from a blend of hemp and cotton and is more of a mid-weight style, so the white is still slightly sheer but a very easy-to-wear T-shirt nonetheless. It also comes in 14 colors.

Madewell has been turning out some of my favorite basics lately, especially thelow-slung baggy crop jeansthat have quickly become my everyday pair. They’re an effortless match with the brand’s crewneck cotton tee, a true classic made from 100 percent jersey cotton. The shirt has a structured, mid-weight feel and falls just below the hips, slightly longer than a standard cut. Available in a range of vibrant colors, it’s the kind of staple that works just as well with low-rise jeans as it does with tailored pants.

My T-shirt journey really began when Banana Republic discontinued my favorite cotton tee. For years I searched for a replacement, never finding anything that quite lived up to it. Then, on a recent visit to Banana to pick up a pair of pants, I spotted what looked like a revival of that very tee. The new version is made from a soft mid-weight cotton with a boxy, slightly cropped cut that feels modern while still timeless. It has the same ease of wear that made the original so great, though this one is softer and a touch less structured than what I have since been looking for.

​​This was the winner of my first hunt. In terms of construction, it is very, very similar to some of the more expensive options. This shirt met all of my qualifications: boxy, wide sleeves that weren’t too short, comfortable, 100 percent cotton, and not too cropped. It’s extremely soft and comes in a perfect bright white. I have been wearing this T-shirt with all of my favorite midi skirts and cardigans. It is just the right width to fit comfortably under a cardigan, but it’s not too fitted. My only caveat is that it is semi-sheer, as are most white T-shirts. I’ve solved this issue by primarily wearing a nude Skims bra.

[Editor’s note: This shirt is currently only available in very limited sizing.]

Le Bon Shoppe is an L.A.-based brand best known for its incredibly comfortable and stylish socks, but in recent years it’s been expanding into apparel with standout pieces like the Little Boy Tee. I first bought it in navy after retiring my beloved college-era tee that no longer fit, and from the moment I put it on, I knew it was exactly what I had been searching for. Made from heavyweight cotton, the tee is slightly cropped with sleeves that fit just right and a boxy silhouette that feels both structured and soft. It comes in a beautiful range of colors, and I now own three. It has become my go-to whenever I want to feel comfortable but still look polished.