5 Strategist Staffers Tested the Leset Margo Tee
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As the Strategist’s reporter on wardrobe staples, I know a white T-shirt can often look like … well, just a white T-shirt. That’s why I was intrigued when I heard one white T-shirt in particular — Leset’s Margo Tee — was gaining traction among fashion people, from Leandra Medine andMagasinnewsletter writer Laura Reilly to celebrities such as Jennifer Lawrence and Natalie Portman. It even appeared on Ella Emhoff’sT-shirt Master List. To determine if the Margo is a truly exceptional tee — and if the $78 price tag (which recently went down to $58 for Prime Day) is actually worth it — five of our writers (including myself) put it to the test, each wearing the Margo T-shirt for a few weeks of summer. One writer took it on a trip to Spain, where she found out how the shirt stood up to a paella stain. Another packed it to visit her midwestern hometown. And of course, it made an appearance at theNew YorkMagazine office. Here, you’ll find all of our reviews.
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Liza Corsillo, senior writer
Size tested: M
As I get older, I have less and less tolerance for synthetic fabrics; they make me sweat and feel claustrophobic. So I was already excited about the 100 percent cotton makeup of the Margo tee, and once I put it on, I was very happy with the way the fabric looked and felt. The surface is smooth (but not too soft or fuzzy) and reminds me of hot-pressed watercolor paper — matte but very fine-grained. It’s a texture I would normally expect from fabrics that don’t breathe well, yet I wore it on some of the hottest days of the year and still felt comfortable. Plus, it’s on the heavy side, so it holds its shape (and hides my insecurities) and looks dressy. I also love the boxy shape of the tee and the shape and size of the sleeves — they’re slightly flared — which give my arms ample space to move without the shirt looking sloppy. The medium runs true to my normal size and fits my shape well; I have narrow shoulders and average to wide hips.
I wore it to the office with a black mid-length linen skirt, Camper fisherman sandals, and a red and white bandanna tied around my neck. I also plan to try it with denim shorts, jeans, and under a slip dress. Whether it’s worth the $78 price is such a difficult question for me because I am still fighting to buy less cheap stuff on a whim (in lieu of buying fewer items that are more expensive). In fact, I am about to move and I’m using that as an excuse to purge all my stretched-out, unflattering T-shirts (among all the other items in my closet I don’t wear) in favor of things I reach for over and over. This tee does fit that description, but in general, I would definitely prefer spending $50 or less on any T-shirt, no matter how good it looks. That’s pretty close to what it cost when it was on sale for Prime Day, so I’d say at that price it would definitely be worth it.If I were to buy another, I’d get it in black or another dark color since white T-shirts stain more easily and therefore don’t last as long.
Tembe Denton-Hurst, writer
Size tested: XL
I’m way outside the size range listed on the site, which explains why this fits me like a baby tee. I have a 39-inch waist, which is six inches wider than Leset’s range. I was surprised by how much I liked the Margo once I put it on. It feels sturdy, and the neck isn’t gappy but it isn’t choking me out, either. The XL worked fine, but I’m definitely not the size Leset had in mind. For anyone in the size 18/20 range, I’d buy it with the caveat that you’re likely not going to get that slouchy, casual look like the model has unless you’re narrower in the shoulders and have a smaller chest. I don’t mind the fit, though, because I love a baby tee and it’s perfect for my purposes, which are showing a little belly or tucking it into a high-waisted bottom. I styled it with a slouchy pair of sweats and found it incredibly versatile.
As for the price, I would pay maybe $35 for this, max. The fit is great, and the fabric feels premium but in the way a thick Uniqlo tee feels very nice. I don’t think $78 T-shirts should exist! I also think there’s something already in that $35 price rangethat will essentially do the same thing. Even the lower $58 price during Prime Day still feels pricey and something I’d be willing to pay only if I were desperate for a nice white T-shirt.
Dominique Pariso, writer
Size tested: XL
I tested out the tee while traveling around Spain, where I immediately spilled paella on it, so after that, I styled it more casually with denim cutoffs and fisherman sandals or my Keens. On first wear, I immediately noticed the Margo tee had the lived-in softness that usually comes only from dozens of washes. It struck the right balance between comfortable but not overly casual. I do need to give it a slight demerit on plus-size fit, however. I am a size 18, and the brand’s largest T-shirt size did not provide the “relaxed” silhouette the Margo is known for. Personally, I’m not after the boxy look, so I didn’t mind that the tee was more fitted, but if you are, it’s something to keep in mind. Also, while I really like the sleeve length, I didn’t have a lot of room around my arms. While the 100 percent cotton is light enough that I didn’t feel super-sweaty, the potential for pit stains is high just because of how much it clings. It feels like it will hold up over time, though, and I can already see myself wearing it weekly for the rest of the summer.
I agree with Liza: It may be worth it depending on your tolerance for expensive basics, but I would never spend this much on a white tee. I prefer to spend less on white T-shirts so I don’t feel bad about replacing them when they get yellowed under the arms or inevitably start to turn gray. But in a darker color, I would consider it worthwhile, and I regret not stocking up on a few when they were on sale for $58 during Prime Day. (I was out of office and promised myself I wouldn’t check Slack on the beach. Big mistake.) Because I wore mine on vacation, I didn’t get a chance to wash it. However, I did use an emergency Tide pen after the aforementioned paella incident, and the stain came right out.
Ambar Pardilla, writer
Size tested: M and L
To me, the right T-shirt hangs on me as it does on a hanger — just suggesting a corporeal form — so I’ll often size up to the next size, meaning at least a large. But against my better judgment, I went with a medium for this (because the Margo is supposed to be “boxy,” I didn’t want it to betooboxy). And while the medium fit me, the large fit better. Maybe there were high expectations for this T-shirt because it’s on every “perfect white T-shirt” list. When I put it on for the first time, I couldn’t stop thinking,It’s fine. Not a bad T-shirt by any means but not one I could come up with a superlative for. That said, it has the right sleeve length (not too short, not too long), and it’s sewn well(including the interiorstitching, where you normally find loose threads).It’s more of a medium-weight, almost crossing into heavyweight territory, so it’s not necessarily the kind of T-shirt I might reach for when it’s 88 degrees. It’s not offered in the biggest size range, either, just XS to XL.
There’s something to be said for having a 100 percent cotton T-shirt that’s made in Los Angeles. But would I pay $78 for a T-shirt I only think I like? I wouldn’t. It’s someone’s perfect white T-shirt; it’s not my perfect white T-shirt. (That would beEverlane’s Box-Cut Tee, which is $38.) For the Prime Day price of $58, though, I think it’s worth trying out.
Brenley Goertzen, writer
Size tested: M
I found this boxier (and, in turn, roomier) than I typically like for a white T-shirt. During my initial testing, I immediately noticed the thickness of the Margo tee, which felt heavier than others I’ve tried, though I wouldn’t consider it rigid or overly structured. It certainly has shape, and the polished neckline and slightly shrunken sleeves are an unexpected combination with the boxier torso. I wore the tee during some of the hottest days of summer so far and packed it on a trip to Mexico. Here’s what I found: It’s less breathable than ourbest overallBuck Mason Slub Easy Crew, but it does a pretty good job of hiding sweat, whether that’s boob sweat or pit sweat. I wore a variety of bras, ranging from a lacy bralette to a padded underwire bra, and I never had to worry about them showing through the Margo tee’s completely opaque 100 percent cotton material. It also doesn’t wrinkle easily, which is a plus in my eyes since there’s nothing worse than opening your suitcase after traveling and finding a crumpled top.
The more I wore it, the more I appreciated the fit. The medium size has solid tucking capabilities and some nice draping on my five-foot-five frame, but if I were to purchase this T-shirt again, I would size down to a small so it’s a tad more fitted and not as wide through the body and would be easier to layer.(For reference, I have a 35-inch bust.) That all brings me to the question of whether I can actually commit to rebuying the Margo tee, and the answer is probably not. I was definitely tempted by the discount on Prime Day when the price dropped $20 bucks down to $58, but I knew it was going against my better judgment for a single white T-shirt that could be better fitwise. I am curious about its sister style, theMargo Slim-Fit Tee, which may get at what I was missing from the original. It features a longer and slimmer silhouette, though it still rings up at $78.
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