We Asked a Savile Row Tailor to Test All the ‘Best’ T-Shirts You See in Social Media Ads

SCORES:

Mott & Bow — M8 / C8 / J7 — TOTAL: 23

Colorful Standard — M8 / C7 / J8 — TOTAL: 23

Asket — M7 / C8 / J7 — TOTAL: 22

Son of a Tailor — M5 / C8 / J7 — TOTAL: 20

AYR — M6 / C8 / J6 — TOTAL: 20

Uniqlo — M6 / C7 / J6 — TOTAL: 19

Sunspel — M7 / C5 / J6 — TOTAL: 18

Rapanui — M5 / C6 / J6 — TOTAL: 18

Steel City — M6 / C6 / J5 — TOTAL: 17

True Classic — M5 / C4 / J7 — TOTAL: 16

SANVT — M7 / C3 / J4 — TOTAL: 14

Spoke — M4 / C4 / J4 — TOTAL: 12

Labfresh — M2 / C5 / J5 — TOTAL: 12

Both ASKET and Mott & Bow produce high-quality T-shirts off the peg, but ASKET’s extensive choice of sizes, including width and length, should ensure everyone can find something that looks and feels great. Uniqlo seems to have created a superb-value, indestructible design that will last for years, while Colorful Standard proves that prewashed, hipster-approved organic tees can look great on all body shapes.

Newcomers to this list AYR impressed everyone with the attention to detail and superior stitching. Labfresh, with its stretchy elastane/cotton mix felt great and will no doubt last a long time, but again, sizing was a bit of a lottery, and scores were low. And while Steel City offers appealing Made in America vintage vibes, the quality of construction was a dissapointment.

Of the two bespoke brands, Son of a Tailor was far superior to Spoke. The use of quality (albeit not organic) Supima cotton in a choice of weights, combined with a flattering, premium look and the ability to tweak subsequent designs to suit stands them apart, despite the strange discrepancy in sizing. Spoke failed to impress, although the remake of Chris’ original shirt was a significant improvement.

We were excited by SANVT’s use of technology to determine sizing, but the Sizekick software was terrible for two of our three testers, which is a shame, as the T-shirt is high quality.

Taub isn’t surprised that the online algorithm approach isn’t, as yet, foolproof. “Getting people that aren’t experienced inputting their measurements is flawed. You could never get a customer to send their measurements accurately. I’m also surprised none of these brands ask for a simple photograph, as it would really add a dimension.”

But he does concede that “if you understand that the first T-shirt [ordered online] isn’t going to be the best, and instead consider it a journey with a brand you’re willing to trust and support—and that will still be in existence in the future—you will learn what looks good on you. Through trial and error, you will be able to get a custom fit from a factory-made garment. But from what I’ve seen so far, none of them really have been better than you just spending two days going to every single shop, and checking them out for yourself.”