Men's T-Shirts

Two things separate one T-shirt from another before any print does: how heavy the cotton is and where the neckline sits. A crew neck closes flat at the base of the neck and takes ribbing well, a V-neck opens the chest and lengthens the neck, and a scoop drops the neckline lower still. Around that, the body can be cut close through the chest and waist, straight and boxy with a dropped shoulder, or long with a curved hem.

Weight is measured in grams per square metre: 120 to 150 gsm is light and, at the lower end, semi-sheer; 180 to 200 gsm is the everyday middle; and anything past 220 gsm holds its own shape and hangs away from the body. Combed and ring-spun cotton runs smoother and pills less than open-end yarn, long-staple Pima gives finer, stronger fibres still, and slub knits add texture. Ribbed collars with taped shoulder seams resist stretching.