T-Shirt Reviews: Everlane vs. Gap vs. American Apparel

Where did the time go? Yesterday I was wrapping up finals and now I'm realizing I only have a week left in DC. I can't really complain. It's been nice to play housewife for a few weeks and soak up all the time I can with my friends and family (not to mention actually live with Mr. C rather than shuttle back and forth between apartments). One of the side effects though is that I have been separated from the majority of my wardrobe. On the plus side this has given me an excuse to go shopping forced me to be creative with the six outfits I remembered to stuff in my suitcase. On the downside, it's made it a little difficult to work on my closet cataloguing project. It's probably not a good sign that I can't remember how many dresses I own off the top of my head . . . 

So in lieu of updating my spreadsheet, I have been taking stock of my summer basics. First up? Solid, cotton t-shirts. After last summer when I couldn't seem to find any breathable (aka sweat-trap) tops. T-shirts quickly became essential. Add a belt, skirt, and some wedges and you're ready for brunch or a casual friday. Or switch it out for boy shorts on those too-hot-to -wear-anything summer days. But, after a summer in DC, my stock of t-shirts were definitely worse for wear. All but one had some combination of stains and tiny holes, or had simply disappeared into the mysterious abyss that also swallows single socks. 

My initial instinct was just to re-order the same Everlane T-shirts that I had last summer. But (because I may have too much time on my hands right now), I thought I'd take a step back and objectively evaluate the three brands I currently have in my closet to see how they measured up against each other: the American Apparel 50/50 shirt, Everlane's Cotton V, and the Gap Essential T.

So how did they stack up? 

Price: In terms, of price, they're all close (and all $20 or less) but Everlane was checked off as the cheapest at $15. The reason Gap got a question mark is that they've been running so many 40% off sales that I actually haven't seen this t-shirt at full price any where in the last month. American Apparel got an "x" because they were the most expensive and because I was annoyed they don't give a student discount #gradschoolproblems. 

Material: Both Gap and Everlane are listed as being made of 100% pima cotton and I can attest that they both feel really soft, without being too thin or at all see through. Unfortunately, I didn't realize that the American Apparel shirt I'd picked up was actually their 50/50 poly-cotton blend, so I can't compare it directly to the other two. However, in my un-professional opinion, it's pretty nice though not as soft or quite as breathable. 

Fit: This was where I realized my Everlane t-shirts where falling short. Even in the smallest size, they're baggy on me (this is actually true of all the Everlane products but it's particularly pronounced in their t-shirts). If you look at this year's version on-line, it looks baggy, even on the model, so it must be intentional. But, in my opinion, this makes them look sloppy on me. In contrast, both the Gap and American Apparel t-shirts fit really well--not too snug, but they're easy to tuck into skirts or my new favorite printed pants. I would note that some reviewers found the Gap essential T to run a little large, but this wasn't the case for me.

Style: I was happy with the style and cut of both the Everlane V and the Gap Essential T. The Everlane V is very flattering and not too deep if you're more endowed than I am and showing too much cleavage is a concern. I haven't tried their u-neck style but I assume it's similar. (judging from their baggier cuts and more classic style I don't think overtly sexy is their thing). In contrast, the cut of the American Apparel t-shirt is a little . . . off. It's comes up oddly high on your neck--almost like a kid's t-shirt instead of an adult woman's. It's not terrible but it's enough to make me hesitate before buying this style again. 

Final verdict? While I love Everlane for their silk shirts, sweatshirts, and acceptably adult backpacks . . . I've realized that I'm not really that big a fan of of their t-shirts. At the end of the day, the fit is really important to me. And, given that Gap's comparable shirt is not that much more expensive (and probably on sale as we speak), for me, it's the better buy. The only downside? It comes in a ton more colors, which may tempt me to buy one of each . . . 

*Note: In full disclosure, I will be working for Gap this summer, but that had nothing to do with this post. I just like their t-shirts.