Who Does The Best T-Shirt?

In Search of Terrific Tees

alt Sounds crazy, but a good t-shirt is truly hard to come by.

It's got to have the right fit, the right feel, and, for many of us, the right price.

Searching for that perfect shirt is anything but easy, and mostly because there are so many options to choose from. Baggy, fitted, sheer, structured, crew necked, boat necked, v-necked, cotton, silk, polyblend... and the list? Oh. It goes on.

So WOMAN.ca has taken some of the hard work out of the hunt for you. We've touched, tried, and, in some cases, teared up at the cost, all so that we may present to you, our loyal readers, a list of the best five T-shirts a woman can have.

1. Alexander Wang
Let’s start things off with the obvious – T by Alexander Wang (pictured at left). The soft, sheer, loose-fitting shirts have been hugely successful since their debut in 2009. They are extremely comfortable and easy to throw on. T by Alexander Wang will quickly become a favorite because the moment you put one on it already appears to have been worn for days on end. A sexier version of your favorite oversized bedtime T-shirt. A trendy T like this one can easily become tired, but Wang keeps it fresh with new variations on his signature piece each season.

2. Philip Sparks
A Sparks T shirt is something special. Exquisitely soft and light with a little bit of stretch. I bought an oatmeal coloured one for my dad at a sample sale last year. He isn’t really your loose fitting T-shirt kind of guy so it was a bit of a risk. Needless to say, he put it on immediately after opening and never takes it off. Sparks debuted his Women’s Wear collection at his Spring/Summer 2011 show this past October. I can’t wait to get my hands on one of those shirts. Or anything at all, really.

3. Pink Cobra
Ever since sitting down with Tania Martins of Pink Cobra I’ve wanted one of her T’s. She looked so cool and effortless in her Static Print T-shirt throughout our interview. It was around Christmastime when I met with her so I promised myself I wouldn’t go crazy but Carte Blanche is full of gorgeous clothes and I hadn’t been in awhile. I had always wanted one of Pink Cobra’s bodysuits so bought one for 70% off. The lightweight bodysuit feels like a dream. If the T’s are made with anything close to the same fabric, count me in.

4. J Crew
J Crew T-shirts (at right) are effortless in a different way. They are the opposite of the trendy loose and androgynous fit. They hug your body pretty tight. That being said, they’re extremely soft and sort of feel like a second skin. Totally comfortable. J Crew T’s also manage to maintain that new shirt fit after every wash.

5. Rick Owens
Oh Rick Owens, you heartbreaker. You make the absolute perfect Italian knit T’s and tanks, but the price tags just hurt. The first time I felt one in my hands, I never wanted anything quite as badly. They’re a favourite of pretty much every celebrity, for obvious reasons. They are as cool as they are luxurious. I know this sounds a little bit ridiculous, but after putting one on I understood the price point. I mean, I once saw a plain old cotton tank top by Proenza Schouler for $900. Now that’s ridiculous.

Hayley Brehl
		About the author:
		Hayley Brehl obtained her BA in English and Creative Writing at Concordia University in Montreal. Living there she met designer, Andy The-Anh and assisted him on her days off from poetry class. That’s when everything changed. She moved back to Toronto and began pursuing a career in fashion. Her favorite things are wedge heels, Indian take-out and her Persian kitten, Moe.
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