By Manish Puri.
The only suit you’ll ever need. Five hacks to up your style game. The ultimate summer wardrobe cheat code.
These are headlines you’re unlikely to ever see on Permanent Style – and if you do it probably means Hell has finally been able to open that ski resort.
The promise of one-size-fits-all fixes just isn’t the way we like to play the game. Because, to quote Denzel Washington’s magnificently malevolent Alonzo Harris in Training Day: This shit’s chess. It ain’t checkers.
Developing your style and wardrobe is about more than just trying to bluff your way to a quick fire checkmate. It’s about relishing the mid-game: evaluating the board, considering the permutations, and then assiduously building your position to one of such strength that the outcome becomes inevitable.
But, everyone has to start somewhere. Every player needs a solid opening.
In a starter wardrobe, that might translate to an upgrade of a basic – elevating the quality, fit or style of something like the humble T-shirt, which, while perfectly fine in its simplest form, can be harder to pair with a more tailored wardrobe.
These days there’s no shortage of options here. For the sake of brevity, I’ll refer to them in this guide as knitted T-shirts, but that’s something of a misnomer, because even the cheapest T-shirts are often jersey knits.
In this instance (and I think it’s fair to say, often across the industry) the term is shorthand for T-shirts that are made more like a quality sweater than a cheap sweatshirt. In other words they are:
– Fully-fashioned rather than cut-and-sewn, so each panel is individually knitted and linked together, rather than being cut out of a single larger piece of fabric before being sewn together.
– Finished at the edges with ribbing which allows some stretch (permitting a closer neckline that you can still get over your head) while ensuring it holds its shape on the biceps and waist.
– Made from higher grade cotton and other finer materials.
You can read more about why some of these attributes are desirable in Simon’s article about knitted, fully-fashioned T-shirts. And, more specifically, why they can be helpful in relation to tailoring here.
For now, let’s press on with a survey of the best out there. As always, I know the readership will have a wider set of recommendations than we could ever hope to include, so please do spill the tee in the comments section.
The Anthology knitted T-shirt ($120)
When searching for an all-rounder knitted T-shirt, it’s hard to look beyond The Anthology’s offering.
It’s been one of their staple products for some time (which means it’s benefitted from minor refinements, such as an increase in length, over the years), it’s fairly priced and is available in more colours than any other brand in this guide – 11 at last count, including two nautical stripes.
They’re made from a soft organic cotton that’s a little thicker and heavier than the Rubato Nonpareil T-shirt (covered later) or the new Bryceland’s Skipper Tee (£189). This lends The Anthology knit a slightly more casual air, and the additional sturdiness of the cotton also means it doesn’t need to be handled quite so delicately when laundering.
Of course, these statements need to be considered within the narrow context of this guide; compared to a High Street jersey T-shirt, The Anthology knit is still very smart, and works as well with tailoring (above) as it does with jeans (below).
In terms of fit, I size up to an Anthology large – which is almost identical in fit to my medium Rubato tee.
The only noticeable difference is the sleeve length, with The Anthology’s measuring a full centimetre longer. Ok, that’s only really “noticeable” by the forensic standard of these guides, and a non-factor when worn under a layer, but I know some readers will appreciate the heads up.
A final commendation to The Anthology for the styling inspiration found on their website.
The product page of each T-shirt showcases at least three or four entirely different ensembles – running the gamut from beach-casual to office-appropriate.
This should help stimulate ideas on how readers can wear them, and are especially helpful for the more unusual colours like rust (above) and mustard.
Nicola Radano Posidonia open-knit tee (€180)
Knitted tops have been synonymous with Italian style since the end of WWII, so it’s only right that I include at least one Italian brand in this guide.
My choice is the Posidonia tee from Nicola Radano, a Neapolitan brand whose crochet knit polo I’ve been wearing a lot recently – the waffly finish aiding breathability and adding texture.
The vertical open-weave strips of the Posidonia perform a similar function, which makes it a nice alternative to the plainer tees in this guide – perfect for someone who already has a few knits and is looking for something more distinctive.
The medium works perfectly for me. Compared to the same size from The Anthology and Rubato, the Posidonia is a bit slimmer in the chest (by 2-4cm across the half-chest measurement), but is also straighter through the body, so it’s a good option for those that prefer the proportions of a regular tee over the more exaggerated full chest-trim waist variety.
The Posidonia is also longer than those tees by 4-6cm, and that length is allowed full expression as it’s not funnelled into the waist by a tight hem.
This makes it ideal for two extremes of reader: those who want to bring a looser, longer untucked energy to their summer looks, and those who like to be able to tuck their T-shirts into their trousers. (You can do the latter with The Anthology and Rubato too, but you’ll need a higher rise).
The cotton is from Zegna’s Baruffa collection, and I have to say it feels absolutely wonderful against the skin. To my hand, it’s the softest of the cotton tees in this guide, without feeling too fine or thin.
As you’d expect from a brand whose tagline is “funky elegance”, Nicola Radano’s colour options are a bit more adventurous, but each is tempered by a sunbleached feel – think bright beach towel left behind on a deck chair in Sorrento.
The denim (above) is the sort of colour I’d advise a reader to try when they ask what they can pair with navy chinos and shorts.
Batoner High Count Linen Short Sleeve Sweater (£195)
Batoner is a Japanese brand that began life as a knitwear company before expanding into other wardrobe pieces. However, their reputation for quality knitwear remains and Simon himself has recommended them to me previously.
The High Count Short Sleeve (there’s also a long sleeve option) has been around for a few seasons, which again affords Batoner the opportunity to refine and improve it over time. This year, they’ve changed the gauge number to improve durability, and as a result the Batoner is one of the heavier T-shirts in the guide – but it’s still very breathable.
As is often the case with knitted linen, it doesn’t feel quite as cool to the touch as the woven variety (used for tailoring), and the knitting process helps draw out the texture – the Batoner has a dry, crunchy handle (even more so than the high twist Rubato Nonpareil).
In terms of sizing, the boxfresh chest fit of the size 2 is comparable to most other mediums. However, the body length is longer, similar to the Nicola Radano knit, and so has the same benefits when it comes to wearing it tucked in and untucked.
The Batoner is also wider in the shoulders with a slightly longer sleeve length. The combined impact of this is clear in the product shot above from stockist Trunk Clothiers (model is 6’1″ with a chest of 38.5” wearing a size 2) – the shoulder seam sits just past the shoulders and the sleeve finishes after the bicep.
The tee also tends to stretch and lose a bit of shape during wear – which I’ve found isn’t unusual for linen tees – but will mostly shrink back when washed. However, given this natural stretch alongside the fit through the shoulders, readers might want to consider sizing down if they prefer a neater silhouette.
The Batoner collar is particularly nice – high and chunky like a sweater. The rib’s depth is 3cm which makes it the thickest in the guide alongside Rubato’s.
The colour choices (there are two stocked by Trunk and four on Batoner’s website) are the most conservative of any of the brands in the guide, essentially variants of grey, blue and black. However, Simon has one in grey which he said had a “beautiful, Armani-esque marl” to it.
There are some brighter colours available in Batoner’s other knit tee models – one made from Sea Island cotton and the other (rather fascinatingly) made from a Japanese washi paper and rayon mix.
Rubato Nonpareil T-shirt (£290)
The thing I noticed most when I received my first Rubato T-shirt was the neck opening. Measuring 11cm at its widest point (in comparison, my Uniqlo T-shirts measure 17.5cm), it appeared comically small.
And yet that neckline has proved to be one of my favourite features of the T-shirt. The cotton – a really lovely crisp, cool high-twist – offers enough stretch to pass over the head, and enough resistance to snap the ribbed neckline back into place.
The result is a T-shirt that feels as neatly fitted as a mock neck with the comfort of, well, a T-shirt.
And it’s that flattering closer, higher neckline combined with the finer cotton which makes this my preferred knitted T-shirt to wear with smart tailoring (above).
However, I also think the Nonpareil knits shine as part of the very simplest smart casual combinations – a T-shirt paired with just trousers or shorts (below).
The quality of the cotton and the higher neck help of course, but there are a couple of additional points of visual interest.
The first is the addition of a chest pocket on the left hand side – a nod to 50/60s styling, with the functional benefit of being big enough to hold a pair of sunglasses.
The second is the ribbing on the hem, sleeves and neck. Now, most knit T-shirts are ribbed, but the Rubato ribs are just a little bit meatier. Once again, it’s not a significant difference – they’re deeper by 1cm at most (or 15-20%) – but it’s these small details that add character and elevate the T-shirt when worn solo.
I’d also add that Rubato’s Marin colourway (top) is one of the best blues I’ve seen – dark enough to co-ordinate with a navy suit, but with a twinkle of indigo to stop it from looking too flat and sombre.
Connolly Cashmere & Silk T-shirt (£495)
Unsurprisingly for a garment made from 70% cashmere and 30% silk, the Connolly T-shirt feels great with a light, soft handle.
Given the lightness of the material, it also makes a good base layer, and is particularly nice for travelling – a touch of luxury and comfort that can mingle unnoticed with more casual travel gear.
While the Connolly T-shirt is true to size, it is slimmer than most of the other brands in this guide, with measurements that are probably most similar to the Posidonia knit – closer through the chest and less taper into the waist.
The sleeves are a bit slimmer too – although not to the point of restriction – and they’re finished with a shallower ribbing, which makes them look a little less vintage-inspired.
The colour choices are excellent. I think the mink (top) is very chic. And, perhaps because it’s a unisex offering, there are some bolder options – which is always welcome. My favourite, which won’t come as much of a surprise to anyone that’s read my article on pink, is the mauve (above).
I know some readers may question wearing a garment made primarily from cashmere in the summer. However, Connolly uses a very fine, light cashmere here, and (more generally) cashmere is very breathable and adept at moisture wicking. That said, we did find it slightly warmer than some of the cottons.
Honourable mentions
While I think The Anthology T-shirt represents excellent value for the quality, I know some readers would prefer a cheaper option. For them I would suggest taking a look at Arket (£47).
Of course, one can’t discuss Italian (or Italian-American) inspired knitwear without a shoutout to Scott Fraser Collection who carry an extensive selection. For crew neck tees, have a look at their Chet knit (£230) (above) and Net knit (£135), but be warned these models are more cropped than any other T-shirt in this guide.
For more non-cotton options, I’d suggest Colhay’s sport shirt (£230) (above) which is made from a merino wool from Zegna’s Baruffa Cashwool collection, and is a little thicker than the John Smedley wool. Currently only a few larger sizes are available (and I’d recommend sizing up to readers), but I’ve been told there will be a restock of select colours in July.
Thom Sweeney carries a very similar, 70/30 cashmere/silk T-shirt (£495) to Connolly. The main difference is size (the Thom Sweeney is slimmer, so I’d recommend sizing up) and the sleeve ribbing (Thom Sweeney’s is about 1cm thicker).
Manish is @the_daily_mirror on Instagram.
