The Plain White Tee: A love letter to a wardrobe icon.

Every wardrobe has one. The plain white tee.

It’s that seemingly simple piece that lives quietly on a hanger or folded in a drawer, waiting to be the unsung hero of your outfit. But let’s not underestimate it, because finding the perfect white tee? That’s a quest!

I'll admit it - I'm a bit of a t-shirt snob. But with good reason. As a freelance jersey designer, I’ve spent years obsessing over the kind of details that many overlook. I know good quality fabric when I see it — and more importantly, when I feel it. The weight, the structure, the smoothness, the stitch count, and how it washes. These are the things that make or break a t-shirt.

And then we have the proportions. Oh, the proportions! Where the sleeve falls on the arm, the length of the hem, the neckline, the silhouette — slim, relaxed, boxy? Rib or no rib? Each of these decisions affects how the tee fits and feels, and ultimately, how it works with the rest of your wardrobe.

Which brings me to this: there is no one perfect white tee.

It all depends.
Are you pairing it with jeans or tucking it into a satin skirt? Is it the base layer under a blazer or the standalone star on a hot day? Are you going for structure or slouch? Tucked in or worn loose and easy?

These questions are exactly why I started sketching my own versions of the perfect plain white tee. Not just one — but a capsule of essentials. Some might call them basics. I call them wardrobe foundations. The kind of pieces that quietly pull an outfit together without stealing the show. Understated, versatile, and endlessly wearable.

As a freelance fashion designer with a background in womenswear, I’ve always believed that it’s the everyday essentials — like the white tee — that truly test your eye for proportion, detail, and quality. They might be quiet, but they’re fundamental to great style.

So now I’m curious — what’s your perfect white tee? Slim and sculpted? Oversized and borrowed-from-him? Cropped and boxy?

Because one thing’s for sure: the white tee might be simple, but it’s never boring.

As you can see - I can talk a lot about a ‘basic’ t-shirt - so if you want to create a line of tees. Id love to know what style or shape you want. Book in for a free 20 min consultation by getting in touch to chat to a freelance fashion designer.