By Nicole Ng - published
A good white t-shirt unites all fashion enthusiasts, and any stylish individual worth their salt knows that not all of them are made equal. Depending on your proportions, what you’re pairing them with—whether it’s a trusty pair of jeans for your daily uniform or a low-slung skirt— and various other factors, you might opt for a cropped option or an oversized shirt with dropped shoulders. Or, perhaps a slim-fitting one to go under a blazer or a crew neck sweater.
But in a market where white t-shirts come in all fits, lengths, materials and quality levels, knowing which to buy to best suit your needs can be confusing. As someone who lives on a capsule wardrobe of denim and white tees (which I now have 11 of) and has been through years of trial and error, I pride myself on hunting down t-shirts that check all of the right boxes. In the process, I’ve become my friends’ go-to shopping buddy when looking for the white t-shirt that’s a perfect match for the rest of their closet—so I thought, why not actually test and review a couple for the internet too?
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How I Reviewed The T-shirts
I find four features particularly important in determining a great, staple-worthy white t-shirt.
Breathability: Whether it allows air through or not.
Softness: How soft and comfortable the fabric feels.
Opacity: How well the white t-shirt hides dark undergarments under regular lighting.
Value-for-money: The benefits you get for the price you pay.
With affordability and accessibility in mind, I put eight white t-shirts from brands popular with Singaporeans to the test. Keep scrolling to find the one that best suits your needs.
Best For: A Classic And Versatile Option
1. Crew Neck Short Sleeve T-shirt, $14.90, Uniqlo
Rating: Breathability: 2.5/5 | Softness: 3.5/5 | Opacity: 4/5 | Value-for-money: 5/5
If one could have a holy grail for a white t-shirt, this would be it for me. I’ve cycled through two of them over two years and this still remains a top pick. It’s everything you would want in a stereotypical perfect white tee: just long enough to tuck in or leave untucked without it looking awkward and it sits close to the body without clinging to it. My favourite thing about it, though, is that it has a wider, ribbed collar, and I find that this helps the collar stay in shape much better than others that go out of shape after a few tugs and washes.
Texture-wise, it is on the heavier and thicker side, with a smooth feel to the cotton and little stretch. This gives it that neat look that helps the shirt look five times more expensive than it actually is. You will definitely need to iron or steam this for that crisp look, though.
Note that this runs a bit smaller, but otherwise, unless you’re looking for something slouchy and relaxed, this would be a safe buy.
2. Cotton Crew-Neck T-shirt, $39, Cos
Rating: Breathability: 3/5 | Softness: 4.5/5 | Opacity: 2.5/5 | Value-for-money: 4.5/5
This tee has been in my constant rotation since it joined my lineup. COS makes beautiful, well-made basics, and its crew neck t-shirt, promised by the womenswear team to be an “everyday icon, perfected”, is no different. Whether you’re looking for a slim-fit layering option that doesn’t add bulk under your favourite sweater or something that will tuck seamlessly into a pair of tight jeans without creating an awkward pool of fabric above the waistline, this is the one you’ve been looking for.
COS’ white T-shirt is particularly thin, lightweight and made of tightly-woven cotton, making it perfect for a refined look in Singapore’s weather, or as a travel-friendly pick. Despite its thinness, I find that the fabric holds up well even after several wears and washes, with no pilling.
Note that this shirt has almost no stretch and runs longer than your usual tee, hugging the top of the leg.
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Best For: A Relaxed Look
3. Slub Jersey V-neck T, $14.90, Uniqlo
Rating: Breathability: 4.5/5 | Softness: 4.5/5 | Opacity: 2/5 | Value-for-money: 4/5
On the other hand, if it’s something relaxed you’re looking for, I really like this newer style from Uniqlo, which was released sometime last year. As your resident white t-shirt connoisseur, cop-worthy V-neck t-shirts have become more difficult to find offline these past few years, and this has been my favourite find so far.
It’s smart enough to wear to work under a blazer, but it’s more so a casual option to wear on weekends given its flowy fit and sheerness from the cotton slub fabric, which gives it an irregular, textured look. That being said, it’s surprisingly opaque for the material it’s made out of. I also like that, unlike a lot of V-neck t-shirts out there, the neckline doesn’t plunge too much, sitting only about three inches below the collarbone.
The material makes it much softer and slouchier than the rest on this list, so you’ll get a different, more casual look when pairing this option with the same pair of bottoms.
4. Oversized Cotton T-shirt, $14.90, H&M
Rating: Breathability: 2/5 | Softness: 3/5 | Opacity: 5/5 | Value-for-money: 4.5/5
This is really the dream oversized t-shirt—boxy and relaxed with dropped shoulders, yet it’s not too long and doesn’t drape too much, which can look sloppy. It’s very slightly cropped, so the hem sits loosely right above the hip, giving you definition without having to tuck it in. The sleeves are the longest on this option too, and folding the sleeves a little as seen on the model gives it a more casual look.
The shirt is on the thicker side, but this is what gives it enough structure to be versatile enough to style for the office.
Best For: Those Looking For A Cropped Option
5. Mini Short Sleeve T-shirt, $14.90, Uniqlo
Rating: Breathability: 4/5 | Softness: 4/5 | Opacity: 2.5/5 | Value-for-money: 4/5
We know and love this one. If you’re a cropped-top-and-jeans type of person, chances are that you already have this in your closet, and for good reason: it’s affordable, comfortable and is really the basic that pairs well with any bottom and outerwear.
The crowd-favourite is made from a blend of 96 percent cotton and 4 percent spandex, so you get the breathability and comfort of cotton and the stretchiness from the spandex. It fits snugly around the shoulders and torso for sure, but is not restrictive. This is great for layering, but if you prefer a looser fit to wear alone, I would go a size larger.
The length sits somewhere between a regular cropped top and a baby tee, and, as mentioned in the description, the white variation of this T-shirt is slightly sheer.
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6. Mini T, $19.90, Uniqlo
Rating: Breathability: 4/5 | Softness: 5/5 | Opacity: 3.5/5 | Value-for-money: 5/5
In JW Anderson we trust. The designer is the mastermind behind one of my favourites so far, scoring high in factors such as breathability, softness and value-for-money. While it is slightly pricier than the other cropped version above, it’s money well spent for the increased softness and opacity. It is also noticeably longer, sitting at a baby tee length, perfect to be paired with a low-rise pair of trousers or denim for a ’90s vibe.
There’s also a V-insert sewn below the neckline for a “casual look”, according to the website.
Best For: Those Looking For A Sculpting Effect
7. Sculpting T-shirt, $39.90, H&M
Rating: Breathability: 3/5 | Softness: 5/5 | Opacity: 3.5/5 | Value-for-money: 3/5
This sculpting T-shirt will give you the subtle snatch you’re looking for. Featuring double layers of the softest material on this list so far, it does hug the body and smooth contours to define the shape if that’s what you’re looking for, but don’t expect a drastic compressing effect. This is actually what gives it bonus comfort points because it fits more like a tight-fitting T-shirt and doesn’t restrict your movement (or even breathing) in any way, unlike what I’ve experienced with other similar options.
I also like that it doesnt pinch or squeeze the underarms, thanks to the soft fabric.
Due to the snug fit, note that the imprint from undergarments do show up, especially at the back.
Best For: Those Who Love Athleisure
8. Cooling Regular Fit T-Shirt, $19.90, H&M
Rating: Breathability: 4.5/5 | Softness: 4/5 | Opacity: 3/5 | Value-for-money: 4.5/5
H&M really said: athleisure or basic, why not both? You’ll love this if you’re firmly in camp dry-fit, a polyester material commonly featured in sportswear to wick away sweat from the skin to keep the wearer cool and dry.
This tee was particularly intriguing because it isn’t double layered but rather features a singular layer of double-sided fabric—cotton on the outside and polyester on the inside—so not only does it not trap heat, anyone else but the wearer also wouldn’t be able to tell that it’s made of a different material underneath. The inner surface is smooth and almost silk-like against the skin, unlike some options which feature a rougher, more plasticky material, making this quite the comfortable wear.
Design-wise, it certainly looks exactly like any other white T-shirt out there, which makes it office-safe. It sits somewhere between regular fit and oversized, with the body and the sleeves being a bit looser than some on this list. Again, I appreciate the thicker collar, which I feel does subtly elevate the design here.
Because of the thin material, however, this T-shirt does crease and will require steaming or ironing.
This article contains products independently selected by our team of editors and writers. If you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission. All prices listed are accurate at the time of publishing.