Generated with AIA men’s T-shirt looks like the simplest thing in your wardrobe, yet it is where mistakes show most easily: sleeves that are too long, a stretched neckline, see-through fabric, or a cut that suggests a belly that isn’t there. A well-chosen T-shirt works as a base under a blazer, a sweater or a jacket, and on its own it looks clean and grown-up. Below we take the choice step by step: size, fit, fabric, neckline and sleeve, colour, and the mistakes that are easy to miss in the fitting room.
A T-shirt earns its place in an office without a strict dress code, on a business trip, on a weekend away and at a restaurant dinner where a shirt feels too formal. To look right in each of these roles, it has to pass a few simple checks: how it sits on the shoulders, how much room it leaves in the chest, which length suits your build and which neckline to choose. Then there is the fabric: composition, weight and finishing.
In brief
Generated with AIJudge the size by three points rather than the letter on the label: the shoulder line, the width across the chest and the length of the body. A T-shirt in the right size lies smoothly, with no bag of fabric across the back and no pulling over the stomach.
Start with the shoulders, because that is the quickest test. The seam joining the sleeve to the body should end exactly where your shoulder ends. If it drops lower, the T-shirt looks borrowed and the sleeve hangs, widening the upper body. If it sits clearly higher, the fabric pulls over the top of the arm and the T-shirt looks too tight, even with room at the waist.
The second point is the chest and stomach. Many men size up “just in case” because they worry about cling around the middle. The result is often the opposite: surplus fabric folds and adds visual bulk. The T-shirt should follow your body lightly without stretching. If the fabric pulls across the chest when you move your arms, it is too small. If loose fabric stands away at the sides when you are still, it is too big or the cut is too wide.
The third point is length. Worn untucked, a T-shirt should end around the middle of the fly, sometimes a little lower depending on your height. Try a simple test: raise your arms as if reaching for a high shelf. If the hem rides up and exposes your waistband, it will annoy you all day. Too long, on the other hand, and it shortens your legs and looks like an undershirt worn on the outside.
When buying online, lay a T-shirt you like flat and measure it: width under the arms, total length and shoulder width. Compare these with the size chart. If you are between two sizes, choose the one that fits better at the shoulders, because the shoulder line of a T-shirt is practically impossible to alter. Cotton can also shrink slightly in the first wash, so if the length is borderline, a little extra is safer.
Generated with AIThe safest choice is a lightly tailored fit: it does not cling to the stomach and does not leave excess fabric across the back. A T-shirt cut like this looks neat on its own and does not bunch under a blazer.
A typical case: a T-shirt for the office with chinos and a casual blazer. If the T-shirt is too wide at the waist, fabric bunches under the blazer and the fronts do not hang cleanly. If it is too tight, every crease shows, and when you sit down it rides up and, if tucked in, pulls out of your trousers. What works best is moderate room at the waist with a good fit through the shoulders and chest.
If you are tall and slim, avoid very short T-shirts, which visually cut the torso in two; a slightly longer body works better. With an athletic build, check that the sleeve is not too narrow, or it will roll up and grip the arm. Broad shoulders tempt you to size up for comfort, but then you are left with surplus fabric at the waist. The answer is often a different cut rather than a bigger size.
The hem matters too. A straight hem is the most versatile: it looks right worn out and partly tucked in at the front (the half-tuck). A strongly curved hem reads as sportswear and is harder to wear with a blazer. For a T-shirt that has to work in smart casual outfits, choose a straight hem.
A good place to start is a white T-shirt with a clean, smooth finish, because white shows quality and fit fastest. A useful reference point is the white Victor T-shirt in 100% cotton. When you try it on, check three things: that the white is opaque, that the neckline holds its shape and that the sleeve does not ripple. Then judge every other colour by the same standard.
The fabric decides whether a T-shirt still looks good after many washes or only after two. Look for a knit that feels pleasant but has some substance: a sensible weight (the mass of fabric per square metre) and some spring. A good T-shirt does not show through, does not twist at the side seams and does not lose shape at the neckline.
Cotton is the classic choice, but the word “cotton” on the label says little on its own. What matters is the yarn, the density of the knit and the finishing. A thin, loose knit may be airy, but it stretches sooner and, in light colours, reveals more than you would like. Too heavy, and the T-shirt feels stiff, like armour under a blazer. The sweet spot is a fabric that keeps its line and still breathes.
It also helps to know what blends bring. A little polyester usually helps a T-shirt keep its shape and crease less, viscose and modal add softness and drape, and a small share of silk gives a smooth hand and a subtle sheen.
In practice, two kinds of T-shirt are useful. The first is one for wearing under a blazer, with tailored trousers or chinos, when you want to look calm and tidy. For that role, try the white Luca T-shirt in viscose and cotton, a soft knit with a sweater-like texture that still feels light. The second is a T-shirt for warm days, when comfort comes first. Here the cream T-shirt in cotton, modal and silk works well: light and soft, with a fluid drape, to wear on its own or under a light blazer.
Colour and fabric go together. A white T-shirt is unforgiving: it shows through, reveals unevenness and exposes a poor knit. Navy or dark green forgive more, but dust and lint show more easily. If you will wear a T-shirt often, rub the fabric with your hand and see whether it picks up fluff. It is a small thing that can spoil the whole impression.
Generated with AIThe neckline and the sleeve length set the proportions and decide whether the T-shirt works under other layers. A crew neck is the most versatile and looks best under a blazer.
A crew neck should be neither too tight, which makes the neck look shorter, nor too wide, which slides towards the collarbones and starts to look like loungewear. The best one lies flat, has a stable neckband and does not ripple after washing. Under a blazer this matters most: a clean, symmetrical neckline makes the whole outfit look more considered.
A V-neck is easy to overdo. A deep V looks too casual in a city outfit with a blazer and smart trousers. A shallow V, however, works well under a V-neck sweater, because the T-shirt then stays hidden at the neck. If your work calls for a restrained look, a crew neck is the safer choice.
The sleeve shapes the proportions more than you might expect. It should end around mid-biceps and sit close enough not to stick out, without squeezing. A sleeve that is too long makes the silhouette look heavier and the arms shorter. One that is too short looks youthful and is harder to carry off with a blazer.
Choose colours for what you will actually wear the T-shirt with. White, off-white and navy are the most versatile bases because they go with most blazers and trousers. For a grown-up look, keep to calm colours without large prints or contrasting trims.
Can a T-shirt replace a shirt? It can, if the whole outfit is coherent. For a client meeting on a warm day, when a suit is not expected, try a navy blazer such as the lightweight Leon blazer in Super 100s wool, with tailored trousers or smart chinos, leather loafers and a plain, well-fitted T-shirt in white or ecru. It looks fresh and professional as long as the T-shirt has a stable neckline and does not show through. A leather belt that matches the shoes completes it.
On a business trip with meetings by day and dinner in the evening, a darker T-shirt is often more practical because small marks show less. Navy, graphite, bottle green or black all work. Add tailored or casual trousers and a light blazer, for example one in a light grey check. The T-shirt is then a quiet backdrop, not the centrepiece.
At the weekend you can go for lighter colours or a lighter summer T-shirt. A combination that works: light casual trousers, an off-white T-shirt and a light beige blazer in 100% linen. The style looks effortless, but it depends on good basics: a poor T-shirt drags the whole outfit down.
To build your wardrobe systematically, treat T-shirts as part of a capsule: two whites to wear in rotation, one off-white, one dark (navy, graphite or black) and one in a calm seasonal colour such as light green. You will find models in several colours in the Albione T-shirt collection. For the rest of the outfit, from the blazer to the shoes, see our guide to smart casual.
These four mistakes usually come from rushing a purchase, and under a blazer they show even more.
A well-chosen men’s T-shirt is the sum of a few decisions: a size set by the shoulders, a cut that suits your build, a fabric with some weight and a stable neckline. When they all come together, you can wear it for most of the year, from smart casual workdays to weekends, without rescuing the outfit with extra layers.
Start with one white and one dark T-shirt that genuinely fit. Try them with what you will wear them with most: your favourite trousers and blazer. If you are buying a blazer in one of the seven Albione stores, come to the fitting in the T-shirt you plan to wear under it. The alterations we make on site will then suit the outfit you will actually wear. Add more colours only after that. This order saves money and time, because you build your wardrobe on a proven base.
This article was prepared with the help of AI tools. Product details were checked against the Albione catalogue.
The seam joining the sleeve to the body should end at the edge of the shoulder, not on the upper arm or the biceps. If it drops lower, the T-shirt looks too big and loses its proportions. If it sits too high, the fabric pulls over the shoulder and restricts movement.
Yes, as long as it is plain, well fitted and has a stable neckline that does not ripple. The safest option is a crew neck in white, off-white or navy. The T-shirt should not be too thick, or it will bunch under the blazer.
Usually a crew neck, because it looks neutral and works with a blazer. A shallow V-neck suits a V-neck sweater when you do not want the T-shirt to show at the neck. A deep V is too casual for the office.
The usual culprit is a knit that is too thin and loose, so it lets light through. Look for a denser, more substantial knit and a carefully set neckline. One white T-shirt that holds its shape is better than several that soon lose their looks.
Five is a good start: two whites to wear in rotation, one off-white, one dark and one in a calm seasonal colour. This set works with blazers, sweaters and jackets, and rotating them extends the life of each T-shirt.
Ideally lightly fitted: it follows your body without clinging to the chest or stomach. Too loose, and it folds and looks less neat, especially under a blazer. Too tight, and it shows every crease and restricts movement.
