Building a Wardrobe on a Budget

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.

Taylor Stitch's 10 oz. seed stitch waffle crew runs $78, holds its neck shape after repeat washing better than most, and is worth knowing about if you're building around overshirts this season, with a minor caveat on garment-dye sizing consistency.

Buck Mason's 310 GSM boxy tee hits a specific weight and silhouette at $62, with bound collar and cover-stitch construction that holds up on paper, though it runs large and the imported origin leaves some questions given the brand's domestic mill acquisition.

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.

Taylor Stitch's Davis Shirt in Indigo Raindrop Sashiko is a $128 organic cotton camp collar with double-needle felled seams and a sashiko weave that earns a second look without announcing itself.

Portuguese Flannel's Theme shirt in Clay is a $120 cotton-linen short-sleeve made in Guimarães with mother-of-pearl buttons and a spread collar, and it's quieter and better-constructed than most things at twice the price.

Taylor Stitch's Short Sleeve California in a 7.5-oz. cotton-hemp-wool double knit: true to size, $128, and one of the few short-sleeve shirts at this price where the collar still lies flat after a dozen washes.

Portuguese Flannel's Atlantico Stripe is a $130 cotton seersucker shirt made in Guimarães, with mother-of-pearl buttons and a regular cut that runs true to size.

The Taylor Stitch Arlo Sweater Polo is a $148 cotton-alpaca knit that lands solidly in the space between a polo shirt and a crewneck, with construction that's honest for the price if not exceptional.

Madewell's Tipped Knit Button-Up is a $118 slub cotton shirt that layers well, runs large, and asks nothing of you, including admiration for how it's made.

Taylor Stitch's Valencia Sweater Polo is a 7-gauge cotton-linen knit with a Milano rib placket that holds its shape, made in China, $148, and worth a look if you can catch it through the Workshop pre-order at $120.

Taylor Stitch's 6 oz. garment-dyed hemp Après Short in Coal runs true to size, uses double-needle felled construction throughout, and costs $108 before any Workshop discount.

Reigning Champ's $98 Solotex Mesh RC33 Short is a solid technical short with good construction and a 9/10 travel score, held back slightly by a co-brand graphic that undermines its otherwise clean design.

Portuguese Flannel's Dogtown Shorts swap their usual dense cotton for 100% TENCEL Lyocell, made in Portugal for $133, and the result is a simple, travel-ready warm-weather short that holds its shape better than most linen alternatives will.

Wax London's Sam shorts in bottle green waffle cotton are a £130 pair that earns the price through fabric choice and considered fit, not construction fireworks.