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The 30 Best T-Shirts for Men in 2023, Tested by Style Experts

From pocket tees to athletic tees, there's an option for every guy's budget.

By Maverick Li
Tested by Ted Stafford
Reviewed by Christian GollayanDeputy Editor, Commerce
tees
Courtesy of Retailer

NO DOUBT, a t-shirt is the Alpha and Omega of a man’s wardrobe. The right tee can be a killer fit in and of itself or the foundation of a killer fit. But the best T-shirts for men should be just like our bed—making us feel at home whenever we’re in them. Whether a white-tee-and-jeans combo is your standard uniform or you’re just lacking in the versatili-tee game, there’s, we believe, a perfect t-shirt for every style, occasion, and budget.

Read More: How to Choose the Perfect T-Shirt

Hence, out of the millions of t-shirts for men, we combed through the good ones and hands-on tested the better ones to find the 30 best ones below, including everyday garment-dyed tees, moisture-wicking shirts, undershirts, as well as those style-meets-performance beau idéals.

  • Silver Crew Neck T-Shirt

    Best overall t-shirt

    Mack Weldon Silver Crew Neck T-Shirt

    $42 at Mack Weldon
    Read more
  • The Fundamental T-Shirt

    Best fitting T-Shirt

    Lululemon The Fundamental T-Shirt

    Read more
  • Crew T-Shirts, Multipack

    Best budget t-shirt pack

    Gildan Crew T-Shirts, Multipack

    Read more
  • Slub Classic Pocket Tee

    Best pocket t-shirt

    Buck Mason Slub Classic Pocket Tee

    Read more
  • 72-Hour Merino Tee

    Most durable t-shirt

    Proof 72-Hour Merino Tee

    Read more

To help goldilocks your tee rotation, make sure your t-shirts are well-fitted and made with high-quality fabric. The 30 best T-shirts for men we've tested all come in fits that aren't too tight or baggy to show off your build, have just-below-the-waist lengths that can be left tucked or untucked, and are made in soft materials that can last wear after wear.

Best Black T-Shirts | Best V-Neck T-Shirts | Best Polo Shirts | Best Short-Sleeve Shirts | Best Graphic T-Shirts

Best overall t-shirt

Mack Weldon Silver Crew Neck T-Shirt

Silver Crew Neck T-Shirt
Best overall t-shirt

Mack Weldon Silver Crew Neck T-Shirt

$42 at Mack Weldon

A versatile t-shirt that you can lounge and exercise in.

If you are a one-and-done type of shopper, this tee from Mack Weldon is available in every color you need, from standard white to a cool navy.

In my experience of wearing this tee to run everyday errands or layering it under another garment, I found that it's managed to retain its softness and shape wear after wear—courtesy of its recovery collar and strong stitching. Made with anti-odor, stretchy fabric, I've also used it as a reliable workout shirt.

Material85% Supima Cotton, 10% Ionic+™️ Polyester, 5% Lycra
FitSlim
SizesS to XXL
Best fitting T-Shirt

Lululemon The Fundamental T-Shirt

The Fundamental T-Shirt
Best fitting T-Shirt

Lululemon The Fundamental T-Shirt

Just like Lululemon's famed ABC pants, this essential tee is as flattering as it is comfortable.

Lululemon takes the cake for making the best-fitting and flattering T-shirts. This basic tee especially has just the right weight to make it feel like real shirt and not something sloppy.

Better yet, our Fashion Director Ted Stafford has even put this tee to the test on our Spring denim style guide. We're not only impressed by how soft and durable the fabric is, but we're also floored by its superb quick-drying and shape retention, no matter how you move.

Material40% Pima cotton, 37% Nylon, 13% Lyocell, 10% Lycra® elastane
FitClassic
SizesXS to XXXL
Best budget t-shirt pack

Gildan Crew T-Shirts, Multipack

Crew T-Shirts, Multipack
Best budget t-shirt pack

Gildan Crew T-Shirts, Multipack

An affordable, reliable set of tees to wear under your dress shirts and sweaters.

Need to stock up on T-shirts? Gildan has you covered with this bestselling multipack, which has received plenty of five-star reviews on Amazon for its mositure-wicking, breathable fabric, as well as an easy-to-move-in fit.

In my personal testing, not only do these tees work wonder as undershirts layered beneath zip-up hoodies or sweaters, but when I wear them as standalone tees, their versatility as either a workout shirt or my everyday basic tee has fitted me like a glove. I also like how soft and thin they are.

Read more: Best Cheap Clothing Brands for Men

Material100% Cotton
FitClassic
SizesS to XXL
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Best pocket t-shirt

Buck Mason Slub Classic Pocket Tee

Slub Classic Pocket Tee
Best pocket t-shirt

Buck Mason Slub Classic Pocket Tee

A ruggedly handsome basic that you can wear on its own.

Buck Mason's T-shirts are the kind of shirts that will make even the biggest T-shirt skeptic say, "I didn't know T-shirts could be like this." It is expertly constructed and it actually lasts—a quality not easily attributed to tees.

My favorite part about wearing this tee is that no matter tucked or untucked, it'll look great on me thanks to the lived-in look. And Buck Mason has got softness in spades, alright—I've once worn the black one for two days straight at home with no complaint.

Material100% cotton
FitSlim
SizesXS-XXL
Most durable t-shirt

Proof 72-Hour Merino Tee

72-Hour Merino Tee
Most durable t-shirt

Proof 72-Hour Merino Tee

Credit: Courtesy of Retailer

A moisture-wicking shirt that stays fresh even when you're hiking for hours in it.

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 polo 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 did remain as fresh as when I first put it on, after all those hours of traveling in it.

Material87% 16.5-micron merino wool, 13% nylon
FitClassic
SizesXS to 3XL
Best V-Neck T-Shirt

Travis Mathew Cloud Tee

Cloud Tee
Best V-Neck T-Shirt

Travis Mathew Cloud Tee

Like the rest of Travis Mathew's golf clothes, this basic is made for performance, comfort, and style.

The Cloud Tees are buttery soft. The fabric is excellent at wicking away sweat, and the tapered cut provides a nice flattering fit. We like the subtle v-neck stitch on this tee, as opposed to other v-necks where the hem is at a sharper point.

In my experience, this is a tee that looks great on its own or layered under another piece. The neckline truly looks sharp no matter how I style, and its softness and breathability always make me want to wear it 24/7 if I don't have to wash it after each wear.

Read more: Best V-Neck T-Shirts for Men

Material48% cotton, 48% modal, 4% spandex
FitSlim
SizesS to 3XL
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Best crewneck t-shirt

Bugatchi Performance Crew Neck T-shirt

Performance Crew Neck T-shirt
Best crewneck t-shirt

Bugatchi Performance Crew Neck T-shirt

Credit: Christian Gollayan

A performance T-shirt that you can truly wear to any informal occasion.

Handpicked by our Fashion Director Ted Stafford to be tested on one of the fitfluencers in our Spring style guide, this is the crewneck tee for work, workouts, and everything in between. When we tried it out on a light jog, its stretch and sweat-wicking came in clutch. And when we wore it as a layering and solo piece, its casual flair and fit looked swell no matter how we styled.

Material88% polyester 12% spandex
FitSlim
SizingS to 2XL
Best budget t-shirt

Line of Trade The Sturdy Tee

The Sturdy Tee
Best budget t-shirt

Line of Trade The Sturdy Tee

A value-packed Tee that's purpose built to take a beating.

For under $30, you get everything you can possibly ask for in an everyday, versatile tee. It’s garment-dyed for extra softness, preshrunk to fit you like a glove, and comes with a pocket for the extra design detail.

While I’ve dealt with cheap tee before, but this certain doesn’t feel or wear cheap. In fact, I’ve sported its nice heft all summer long, and its rugged fabric has managed to stay soft, comfy, and intact wear after wear.

Material100% Ringspun Cotton Heavyweight Jersey (225 GSM)
FitClassic
SizesS to 3XL
Best everyday t-shirt

Patagonia Capilene® Cool Daily Graphic Shirt

Capilene® Cool Daily Graphic Shirt
Best everyday t-shirt

Patagonia Capilene® Cool Daily Graphic Shirt

Credit: Christian Gollayan

Patagonia's outdoor shirt feels just as great on the couch.

For when you’re going out and dressing all the way down, this under-$50 tee has everything you need: a cool casual graphic style, versatility for on the trail or the water, quick-drying, stretch, odor control, and a thermal regulation tech that’ll keep you in the zone all day long. Personally, I like to wear this tee to the outdoors such as on the trail or in the backcountry, since it always keeps me cool and dry and cozy.

Material100% recycled polyester jersey
FitRegular
SizesXS to 3XL
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Best striped-t-shirt

Todd Snyder Issued By: Japanese Nautical Striped Short Sleeve Tee

Issued By: Japanese Nautical Striped Short Sleeve Tee
Best striped-t-shirt

Todd Snyder Issued By: Japanese Nautical Striped Short Sleeve Tee

Similar to Todd Snyder's polos, its patterned T-shirts will make any guy look even more handsome.

As seen on the leading man of Bros, Luke Macfarlane, this striped tee looks as awesome on its now as when it’s layered under a jacket. Our Fashion Director picked it because its stripes look sophisticated instead of quirky—i.e., you’ll actually want to show the stripes off. After testing, we also concluded that it’s a great travel tee thanks to its softness and side vents for mobility.

Material100% Japanese Jersey Knit Cotton
FitSlim
SizesXS to 2XL
Best heavyweight t-shirt

CDLP Heavyweight T-Shirt

Heavyweight T-Shirt
Best heavyweight t-shirt

CDLP Heavyweight T-Shirt

Credit: Christian Gollayan

CDLP's Instagram-famous T-shirts (just like its undies) are as comfortable as they are stylish.

A t-shirt with a little heft is guaranteed to look good flying solo. CDLP’s smooth tee is additionally made with a lyocell and pima cotton blend to feel as soft as silk and fade nicely with age.

Having worn this tee for a few months, I noticed that after each wear, it somehow looks better on me without losing the schtick that made me love it in the first place. And the fit is superb on a buff physique too, letting me show off my guns while giving me room to breathe.

Material67% TENCEL™ Lyocell, 33% pima cotton
FitRegular
SizesXS to 2XL
best garment-dyed t-shirt

Outerknown Groovy Pocket Tee

Groovy Pocket Tee
best garment-dyed t-shirt

Outerknown Groovy Pocket Tee

Outerknown's broken-in top feels like your favorite vintage T-shirt.

Garment-dyed to a sort of perfection that no other brand’s tees have, Outerknown’s pocket tee has the most perfect sun-drenched, imperfect coloring a lived-in fabric could have.

In my experience, the garment-dyed fabric feels incredibly soft too for my all day casual fits. No matter how I style it, I can look casual and comfortable.

Material100% organic cotton
FitSlightly relaxed
SizesS to XXL
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best lightweight t-shirt

Billy Reid Washed tee

Washed tee
best lightweight t-shirt

Billy Reid Washed tee

A t-shirt that's as comfortable as cashmere, but is more breathable and easier to wash.

Lightweight T-shirts are hard to make well, and Billy Reid absolutely nailed it. This tee is airy but far from too thin. Buy it and treasure it, as I do whenever the day is warm but I'd like to still be in the outdoors—this tee's softness and breathability keep me cool and always at ease.

Material100% Organic Pima Cotton
FitStandard
SizesXS-XXL
Best merino wool t-shirt

Taylor Stitch The Merino Tee

The Merino Tee
Best merino wool t-shirt

Taylor Stitch The Merino Tee

Now 20% Off

A polished T-shirt that you can wear to Casual Fridays at the office.

Taylor Stitch’s tee is elevated casual personified. When I tried it on for the first time, its tailored fit really announced itself, and now sometimes wear it as my office fits too. But my favorite part is its tested merino wool performance—breathable, moisture-wicking, anti-odor, and temperature-regulating no matter the weather. It’s the tee I default to wear whenever I don’t know what top to wear.

Material5-oz. 95% superfine 18.5 micron mercerized Merino, 5% Lycra.
FitTailored
SizesXS to 2XL
Best Athleisure T-Shirt

Vuori Strato Tech Tee

Strato Tech Tee
Best Athleisure T-Shirt

Vuori Strato Tech Tee

Vuori's T-shirts are so lightweight and comfortable, they feel like a second skin.

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 or just running errands.

Unlike with other standard athletic shirt 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.

Material96% Polyester, 4% Elastane
FitAthletic
SizesS to XXL
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best anti-shrinking t-shirt

L.L.Bean Carefree Unshrinkable Tee with Pocket

Carefree Unshrinkable Tee with Pocket
best anti-shrinking t-shirt

L.L.Bean Carefree Unshrinkable Tee with Pocket

Now 43% Off
Credit: Courtesy of Retailer

L.L. Bean's reliable shirt looks great at the campsite, and keeps it shape no matter how many washes you put it through.

A cozy pocket tee in a faded color is perfect for those lake and beach trips. For just $20, this is a durable tee that's going to only look better as it wears down over time.

Aside from its softness and great fit, its shape retention is truly on a league of its own. I've washed it after each wear, and so far it's not shrunken, wrinkled, faded, or piled once—not even the pocket.

Material90% cotton, 10% Lycra® elastane
FitClassic
SizesS to 3XL
best lounging t-shirt

Tommy John Second Skin Moroccan Tee

Second Skin Moroccan Tee
best lounging t-shirt

Tommy John Second Skin Moroccan Tee

Credit: Christian Gollayan

This Henley delivers pajama-level comfort.

Tommy John makes the silkiest loungewear, aptly naming this line "second skin." Personally, I've even worn it as my pajama shirt to sleep for a few weeks straight. Each time I put it on I'm amazed by how soft and caressing the fabric is. And after each wash, it's turned out looking fresh thanks to its unshrinkable, wrinkle-resistant Memory Fabric. The notch in the neckline makes it feel a little different—and sexier—than all your other tees.

Material57% Pima Cotton, 38% Modal, 5% Spandex
FitSlim
SizesS to XXL
Best oversized t-shirt

Everlane The Premium-Weight Relaxed Crew

The Premium-Weight Relaxed Crew
Best oversized t-shirt

Everlane The Premium-Weight Relaxed Crew

Relaxed t-shirts are on trend, but a lot of them look sloppy. This one is anything but that.

This hefty tee is a staple among fashion-forward folk. Its relaxed, oversized fit makes them a wonder to be worn solo and paired with equally relaxed, oversized pants.

As someone who always gives bombastic side eyes to oversized tees, this is one of the few that I actually approve and love wearing. Firstly, its nice heft just feels dependable. Secondly, its relaxed fit ain’t too baggy or sloppy—and when styled right, has managed to look elevated on me instead of too streetwear-y.

Material100% cotton
Fitoversized, relaxed
SizesXS to 2XL
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Most comfortable T-Shirt

Outdoor Voices All Day Shortsleeve

All Day Shortsleeve
Most comfortable T-Shirt

Outdoor Voices All Day Shortsleeve

Credit: Courtesy of Retailer

It's hard to find lightweight T-shirt that will keep its shape. Outdoor Voices is here to help.

Outdoor Voices is a savior when it comes to tees that need to take on sweating, lounging, and running errands. This tee looks good doing all of them—and won't let on that you haven't showered yet.

While it is lightweight like feather, I’ve found that it is by no means flimsy. The stretchy, breathable fabric has so far held out well wash after wash for me after a year of using it.

Material94% polyester, 6% spandex
FitClassic
Sizes2XS to 3XL
Best t-shirt for layering

J.Crew Broken-In Short-Sleeve T-shirt

Broken-In Short-Sleeve T-shirt
Best t-shirt for layering

J.Crew Broken-In Short-Sleeve T-shirt

Just like J.Crew's wardrobe staples, we've used this T-shirt under just about every layering piece.

This is the tee that proves that t-shirt is the perfect foundational piece of your wardrobe. Having been picked by our Fashion Director Ted Stafford and tested on all sorts of fall layering ideas—under a sweater, hoodie, rain jacket, or vest—we love that it’s almost twice as soft as those generic tees.

Material100% cotton
FitClassic, slim, tall
SizesXS to 2XL
Headshot of Maverick Li
Maverick Li
Style and Commerce Editor

Maverick Li is the Style & Commerce Editor of Men’s Health, where he covers clothing, footwear, watches, and grooming. He was previously the Assistant Commerce Editor at Esquire.

Headshot of Ted Stafford
Tested byTed Stafford

Ted Stafford is the Fashion Director of Men’s Health. He oversees all style and fashion content for the brand, and also styles their fashion stories. His active lifestyle informs his passion for translating great designs into real-life style, a favorite part of his job. Prior to joining Men’s Health he worked at GQ magazine and Calvin Klein

Headshot of Christian Gollayan
Deputy Editor, Commerce

As Men's Health's Deputy Editor, Commerce, Christian Gollayan oversees all shopping content on menshealth.com. He relocated back to New York by way of Portland, where he was the Associate Managing Editor at TheManual.com. Christian's work has also been featured in InStyle, Food & Wine, the New York Post, and Tatler Asia. 

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