The Best Everyday Basics
This guide is about the pieces you actually wear, not the ones you save for the right occasion. Every pick was chosen on a single principle: does it hold up when you reach for it every day? That means construction that survives the wash, fits that don't require a second thought, and prices you can justify without lying to yourself. No filler, no padding out the shortlist with names that belong on a different list.
The Tees, Polos & Rugbys
The why behind each pick, how to choose between them, and what to look for is free with an account.
Classic Linen Tee
The rag & bone Classic Linen Tee is 100% mercerized linen jersey at $178: a fabric upgrade over standard linen tees, middling construction, and genuinely useful for summer layering and travel.
Taylor Stitch's Short Sleeve Rugby in Port Stripe is a 12-oz organic cotton knit with rubber buttons and reinforced underarms at $98, which is either a fair price for a shirt built to survive real use or a lot for a rugby shirt, depending on how hard you wear your clothes.
Taylor Stitch's Pacific Polo arrives pre-washed in rinsed indigo, cuts regular and true to size, and at $98 for GOTS-certified organic cotton pique it asks almost nothing of you while giving most of what you want from a warm-weather polo.
Reigning Champ's $75 Solotex Mesh Tiebreak tee is made in Vietnam rather than Vancouver, scores a 2/10 on the loud-to-subtle scale, and travels better than most things in your bag.
Reigning Champ's $48 lightweight jersey tee is made in Vietnam with flatlock seams and a regular cut, scores a 9 for layering, and is probably the most useful thing the brand makes at its lowest price point.
Why each piece made the shortlist, how to choose between them, and what to look for. Create a free account to read it all and tune the picks to your taste.
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