With spring around the corner, I thought it would be fun to go in search of the perfect basics — the perfect white tee, the perfect pair of jeans under $125, and the perfect striped tee!
I did allll the research to determine the best items in each category, ordered them, tried them on (which felt like way more work than I expected, LOL!), and then enlisted my littles and KCD to help me weigh them all against one another. I compared price, quality, and fit to find the sweet spot for the best buy.
For this assignment, I’m going to be honest when I think you really do need to pay up for the best fit, quality, etc., and I’ll be honest when I think it’s a waste of money. There are certain categories where you do need to pay up and then others where you don’t — finding that sweet spot is what I’m after!
So, to kick things off, I searched high and low for a white T-shirt that is both flattering and practical — and GOOD NEWS — I found one that checks all the boxes.
Enjoy! Xx Meg
Leset — Classic Margo Tee
$68
I’ve seen so many influencers recommend this as their favorite “basic” white tee, so I was curious to know if it was worth the hype. Honestly, it’s a great shirt — the fabric quality and fit are really good — it is perfectly cropped and boxy where you want it to be, but not oversized/frumpy. Overall, I can see why everyone recommends it. Still, my hot take is you’re overpaying at $68 a pop for this white tee. (For sizing reference, I took an XS)
Everlane — Organic Cotton Box-Cut Tee
$30
This shirt is both flattering and practical and hits that sweet spot of price, quality, and fit. It checks all the boxes! The quality of the cotton material is fantastic — it has the perfect thickness where you can wear it on its own, it’s a little boxy for easy movement and cropped just right. The fabrics and fit feel almost identical to the Leset shirt, but it’s less than half the price (actually, right now, you can buy 3 of these shirts [for $60] for less than one of the Leset tee ($68)!) This style comes with and without a pocket — so take whatever style you prefer.
(For sizing reference, I took a Small)
Madewell — Northside Vintage Tee
$18.50
This has been my go-to shirt for years, and I’ve gotten so many compliments and questions about where it’s from. The value of the fit and quality is unmatched. It fits almost identically to the LeSet and Everlane tee — maybe a touch longer at the waist. The fabric feels slightly thinner compared to the Everlane tee, but I wouldn’t know the difference if I weren’t trying them on back to back. Sizing-wise — I have this shirt in both XS and S, and like how both sizes fit. The XS gives me that more cropped look (like Leset), and the S gives me more easy movement and allows for a front tuck/full tuck that will stay in my denim. I (still) love this t-shirt and think it perfectly nails the price, quality, and fit equation.
(For sizing reference, I took a Small)
RE/DONE — The Classic Tee
$95.00
I wanted to see what a $95 basic white tee would get you, and honestly, this shirt didn’t do it for me at all. It’s designed to feel like your boyfriend’s perfectly worn in tee — and that’s what it looks and feels like, so they understood the assignment. Its soft fabric feels worn in, the color is more ecru vs. white, and it’s nice and slouchy, which I know a lot of people love, but that wasn’t the vibe I was after. So it’s an easy pass for me!
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