The Great White Shirt

Dear Rissa,

I recently saw a fashion spread of you in Mega Magazine entitled "The New White Shirt." It was beautifully shot in black and white and the styling brought out the interesting details of the blouses quite well. I’d love to buy those tops, but right now, I’d like to build a good wardrobe by investing in classic and quality staples before I splurge on fashionable pieces. And now I’m looking for the perfect white shirt. I’d like to find a nice basic white T-shirt that I can mix and match with other pieces like jeans and slacks. I’m having some trouble finding one with a good fit. What should I look for when buying that perfect white shirt? Your advice will be appreciated. – TESS

Dear Tess,

It is certainly hard to find that perfect white shirt. I have around half a dozen white tees yet none of them is perfect! According to the T-shirt Book by John Gordon and Alice Hiller, "The US Army’s 1995 military specification for cotton quarter-sleeve undershirts … ran to eight pages of detailed instruction on constructing the perfect fit!" Whew! But don’t worry, here are nine pages… oops. I mean nine things to remember when looking for that perfect white shirt.

Quality is most important when it comes to those white tees. Whether it’s cotton, cotton poly, or some other material, make sure the weight is what you want. As a quick indicator, use the fingertip test – how much flesh color can you see through the fabric?

"T"-shaped garments where the sleeves stick straight out will probably not fit as nicely than those whose sleeves fall closer to the body.

Never let a shirt’s simplicity fool you into thinking you don’t have to try it on. The most trouble-prone area is where the arms attach to the main body – this is where the fabric can bind or sag. Neck openings can also sit weirdly and the fabric can ride up your midriff. Always try it on.

T-shirts cut to contour the body shape are a sign of value. A little bit of spandex gives a lot of shape.

The neckline and sleeve cuff should have good elasticity.

The color should be crisp, not faded.

A lot of surface fuzz indicates that the shirt has been fitted too many times. Always ask for new stock.

Another hard-to-detect problem with shirts is fabric cut off the grain which causes the shirt to twist on the body. This defect will often show up after the first washing. It’s best to always try it on.

Make sure to check the contents label and washing instructions. Some rayon blends have to be hand-washed.

Send questions to rissa_ms@hotmail.com