mixtape #6: the search for the elusive perfect white tee

taking outfit inspo from the greats and how to find the perfect white tee on your next thrift day

I went thrifting again for the first time in months, and although I wasn’t looking for myself, I found the ultimate thrift holy grail: the perfect white t-shirt in my size for only $1.99. And even luckier, it was 50% off for all women’s clothing that day. Jackpot!

What exactly is the perfect white tee? You know it when you see it—thick fabric, a flattering silhouette, a classic look without need for accessories, a Jennifer Aniston vibe that has “it girl” written all over it, a Jane Birkin vibe that makes you feel almost as fashionable as her. (A girl can dream, right?) When it comes to effortlessly cool, this is the closest it gets sometimes.

When my friends decided to do a shopping day in Melrose, store after store of clothes I dream of affording, I felt self-conscious as I got dressed that morning. Still, paired the white tee with my favorite baggy blue jeans, debated throwing a necklace on top but decided against it. I slipped on my $2.99 ballet sneakers that probably used to belong to someone’s grandma, and headed out the door. 

If you follow me and watch my story, you already know that this day was the first time I tried on a jacket that cost more than my rent—$901, to be exact. Although I’ll be wearing that jacket in my dreams for the rest of my life, I was surprised by how I didn’t feel out of place in it as I thought I would. It paired perfectly with the rest of my outfit, if only my jeans were just a shade lighter. 

We hopped to another store, this one a curated secondhand shop of high-end clothing, which is where one of my friends brought up the topic of my t-shirt and asked me where it was from. I didn’t expect the question, but then I thought about all the TikTok searches and listicles I’ve saved in the past. I’ve been on the hunt for the perfect white tee for years, ever since I outgrew the fast fashion basics I bought in high school. Every time I flipped through the racks of mall brands, every white t-shirt would be completely transparent, too boxy, too tight, or overall look wrong. “I just got lucky,” I told my friend when I told him where I’d found it. And yes, there’s definitely an aspect of luck, but I don’t think that’s all there is to it anymore.

What makes the perfect white tee?

First, this depends on what you’re looking for and can vary from person to person. But I’m going to list what I personally look for in a good white tee, starting with the initial impression, to the material, to the fit.

Neckline

Once I spot a t-shirt on a rack, this is the first thing I look at. If it’s a v-neck, I immediately pass it by—the perfect tee would never be a v-neck, nor a scoop neck, or anything at all besides a crew neck. I’m a sucker for a good crew neck, always have been, and rarely wear something with a different neckline.

Transparency

I always do a transparency check. For my fellow bra-haters who aren’t comfortable enough to fully free the nip, this is the most important step to me. I hate wearing shirts that are even semi-transparent, sorry! And when it comes to a white tee, which is, as previously mentioned, the epitome of effortlessly cool, the last thing I want to think about is how I’m going to wear it. A transparent shirt requires more thought—I want to throw this t-shirt on and head out the door!

Size

I’m a lover of oversized clothing. T-shirts, jeans, button-downs, everything. But when it comes to this classic, you’re going to want as close to your size as possible. This is something you’ll figure out for sure after trying it on, but you can guesstimate on a first glance.

Material

If a shirt is semi-transparent, it’s probably polyester, which is why I personally always go for cotton above all. It’ll give you the most coverage thanks to its thick material, it’s higher quality, and it’ll last you much longer than a cheaper material. If you’re getting a fabric blend, I’d recommend looking for something that’s mostly made of cotton than anything else.

Length

Unless you know your measurements (which I highly recommend), this would be the part where you try on. Depending on how short you want it, the perfect length will be just below your belly button or right above your hips. An in-between is acceptable, too. Not too cropped, and definitely not too long.

The “je ne sais quoi”

This is where the luck comes in. All of these tees have that certain something that makes it fit just right and look the way you want it to. Either it has the “it factor”, or it just doesn’t. Although this aspect is out of our control, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s impossible, or even hard, to find. It’s likely that this perfect tee is sitting on a rack in your thrift store, waiting for you to find it. And now, hopefully you know how to look for it, too.

Why does it matter?

It’s just a white t-shirt, it’s not that deep, I know that. But to me, fashion has always been about feeling more confident and comfortable in my skin; that’s a feeling I want to have every day, not just on special occasions when I dress up more. When you think about it, confidence is a careful curation. It’s something you work towards, and your wardrobe is no exception. We can’t always look like Jane Birkin, but when we put this much thought into building the basics in our closets, we can carry ourselves the same way.

Forgive my writing rut, I promise I’m battling her out right now. In the meantime, my fashion writings have still been around on my friend Mia’s Coffee Corner and Fashion On The Beat. Still! I’ll be tuning in here more often.

While you’re searching for your own perfect white tee, make sure you check out my Instagram for regular writings and daily musings, or my event page, Pluto’s, for poetry and music events in Southern California. If you enjoy my work, I hope you’ll consider sharing or commenting on this post, tipping through this link, buying my book, or subscribing if you haven’t already.

Hope you don’t stain your white tee with your morning coffee (hot girls get it). Love ya!

✮ Paula ✮