Formerly of Bergdorf Goodman, style consultant Nick Wooster may be best known these days as a street style demigod. We asked him to talk to us about his favorite black T-shirts.
Not all black T-shirts are created equal. The one I find myself coming back to the most — because of the weight of the fabric, the dimensions, the chest measurement, the length of the hem — is the J.Crew slim broken-in pocket tee. It’s really the perfect all-around T-shirt because I can wear it to work out, I can wear it under a jacket, I can wear it on its own — and it’s comfortable enough to sleep in. It checks all the boxes of what a T-shirt should do.
There’s something really perfect about the shirt’s fit. The sleeve really grabs my bicep (I feel like that’s a fit issue that every guy could take to heart). I prefer a T-shirt that’s a little more fitted around the arm and looser around the body, which this is. Don’t be scared by the name. J.Crew calls it slim, but it’s not Saint Laurent slim, though it’s slimmer than a Hanes. It’s not too tight, but it’s not oversized either — it’s that right-in-the-middle fit. I love the pocket because it’s just that extra little detail. It’s that detail that helps make it more complete.
Finally, the weight of the fabric just covers everything. You know when you’re having a fat day versus when you’re not? This shirt is still flattering on a fat day.
The Black T-Shirt with the Perfect Collar
I don’t like a low neckline — I prefer one that hits just at the top of my collarbone, so this one is just perfect. The neckband itself isn’t as wide as a Hanes or as skinny as certain fashion T-shirts would be. The fabric is also this dry, crepe-y cotton, which is so fantastic in the summer when it gets a little humid.
Note: This is sold out from Neiman Marcus, but there are still some left from Barneys.
The Black T-Shirt That Feels Vintage
These T-shirts are half cotton and half polyester, so they feel like the vintage ‘70s rock T-shirts you’d find at a thrift store. It’s a little slinky, a little bit racy, a little bit lighter-weight compared to a 100 percent cotton T-shirt. This is the T-shirt that looks really good when you’re really fit, but you’ve got to be in ideal shape because it’s very clingy.
The Splurgy Black T-Shirt
I think this double-layered shirt is a work of art. I know a little bit about clothing construction, and the pattern that it must take to make that thing is practically like applying women’s couture to a T-shirt. It looks great on most bodies, and you don’t have to be completely skinny to wear it because it has a drapey effect; it camouflages. The only thing about it is that the collar is a little scoopy for me to wear every day. Maybe if I were 24 years old I’d feel differently.
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