17 Best Cheap T-Shirts for Men in 2024, According to GQ

By / / Lifestyle / 5 minutes of reading


That said, they’re substantially long for a tee, so they’re better suited as an undershirt straight out of the pack. But at just around six bucks a pop, the multipacks are some of the best value out there and leaves you with enough scratch to have your tailor shorten them as long as you don’t mind getting the side eye. The good news is they’re not just cheap, you also don’t actually need a Costco membership to get in on the deal.

Best Oversized Cheap T-Shirt: Uniqlo AIRism Cotton Oversized Crew Neck Half-Sleeve T-Shirt

Uniqlo U

AIRism Cotton Oversized Half-Sleeve T-Shirt

Material: 53% Cotton, 47% Polyester | Fit: Oversized | Sizes: XXS-3XL | Colors: Varies

In this year of our lord 2024, baggy, wide-legged, and oversized clothes reign supreme. The quiet luxury trend would have you believe that you need to drop several bags to get the look, but time and again Uniqlo has debunked that claim, especially under the Uniqlo U sub-label helmed by one of the preeminent names in the genre, Christophe Lemaire. The Uniqlo U AIRism tee is billowy, breezy, and ultra-wide, but the carefully considered cropped length keeps everything in the right proportions so you won’t look like you’re trying to bring back the tall tee.

Best Heavyweight Cheap T-Shirt: Pro Club Heavyweight T-Shirt

Pro Club

Heavyweight Cotton Short Sleeve T-shirt

Material: 100% USA cotton, 6.5oz Fit: Relaxed, Sizes: S-10XL, tall sizes available Colors: Varies

If you’re after a tee that’s as burly as your fancy Japanese denim, but, you spent all your money on said denim, then look no further than Pro Club. The brand has flown under the radar for most people, save for the savviest of style hunters. With an all-cotton jersey that tips the scales at six ounces per square yard, they’re certified beefy and actually weigh more than other so-called heavyweight tees. And for under twenty bucks a pop, your money’s going a loooong way.

Softest Cheap T-Shirt: Abercrombie Classic Polished T-Shirt

Abercrombie & Fitch

Classic Polished Tee

Material: 100% Cotton | Fit: Classic |  Sizes: XS-XXL, tall sizes available | Colors: Varies

The softest T-shirts are either stupid expensive high-end tees that use the finest cottons, lovingly worn-in vintage pieces that have been washed and worn a million times, or cheap tees that are cut with synthetic materials. But Abercrombie & Fitch’s Polished tee is somehow all-cotton, surprisingly plush thanks to the special Biopolish finish, and remarkably affordable.

Best Cropped Cheap T-Shirt: Gap Original T-Shirt

Gap

Cotton Standard T-Shirt

Material: 100% Cotton, Fit: Classic, Sizes: XS-3XL, Colors: Varies

When the weather gets warm enough, the only layer you’ll have on is a T-shirt. And, unless you’re a staunch tucked-in sort of guy, you’ll want to wear your tees untucked to let that glorious breeze waft through. The trick is to get a tee that’s the right length. You could go wide and cropped, but for the majority of us, a regular-fitting tee that hits the sweet spot is tough to find. Gap’s entrypoint is among our faves for wearing untucked since it hits right around the hips and looks great with just about any pant. Add to that a breathable and soft cotton fabric and a gang of colors and even some patterned options and you’ve got your whole summer tee rotation down pat.

Best Jersey Cheap T-Shirt: Muji Jersey T-Shirt

Muji

Jersey Short Sleeve T-shirt

Material: 60% Cotton, 40% Polyester | Fit: Relaxed | Sizes: XS-XXL | Colors: Varies

We’ve tested a whole bunch of plain tees at our laboratory (the GQ offices), and to our surprise, Muji stood out even against some of our longtime favorites. The construction is up there with tees that cost several factors more, the fabric is satisfyingly dense yet silky to the touch, and the cut is a classic silhouette that fits most people. The next time you need to restock on your aroma diffuser, you may as well pick up a fresh tee while you’re there.

More Cheap Tees We Love

Dickies Heavyweight Crew Neck Short Sleeve Tee

Dickies

Heavyweight Crew Neck Short Sleeve Tee

Dickies is a workwear stalwart known for its hard-wearing jackets and pants. That MO continues for their range of tees which are as sturdy as their work pants.

Uniqlo U Crew Neck Short-Sleeve T-Shirt

Uniqlo U

Crew Neck Short-Sleeve T-Shirt

Colortone Tie Dye T-Shirt

Colortone

Tie Dye T-shirts

Colortone’s kaleidoscope of tie-dye tees is refreshing in a landscape of solid colorways and bleach-white T-shirts. Each tee is unique, and the best part is they use a perennial GQ favorite, the Gildan T-shirt, as a canvas.

Hanes Short Sleeve Beefy-T

Hanes

Short Sleeve Beefy-T

Arguably the most recognizable of the heavyweight T-shirts, Hanes’s Beefy-T shirts helped usher in a wave of thick tees—and they’re still plenty toothsome today. They’ve got a soft hand that feels peachy to the touch and the fit is on the tailored side which makes them great as undershirts.

ALStyle AAA Plain Blank Short Sleeve T-Shirt

ALStyle

AAA Plain Blank Short Sleeve T-Shirt

Lore has it that these were the tees that got brands like Supreme off the ground. Sure, you’ll have to have some decent design chops and a tuned-in streetwear sensibility, but these AAA T-shirts stand on their own thanks to the hefty cotton jersey and classic silhouette.

Champion Classic T-Shirt

Champion

Classic T-shirt

Champion’s T-shirts are as hefty as their famed Reverse Weave sweats, so while they’re not the softest tees out there, they’re undoubtedly built like a tank.

Banana Republic Premium Wash T-Shirt

Banana Republic

Premium Wash T-Shirt

Banana Republic Factory’s Premium Wash tees achieve their luxe feel thanks to a balanced blend of cotton and post-consumer recycled materials which uses up to 4 bottles of recycled plastic bottles per tee. Okay, okay, so they’re actually more than $20. But if you’re patient enough (it doesn’t take much, honestly), you can find them on sale.

Russell Athletic Dri-Power Short Sleeve Tee

Russell Athletic

Dri-Power Short Sleeve Tee

There’s a time and a place for synthetic materials—and if you’re trying to make some serious gains in the gym or are playing your heart out on the basketball court, you’ll want something that wicks away moisture (i.e. not cotton). Russell’s Dri-Power tees come in a gang of great colors and are imbued with sweat-wicking and breathability powers to ensure you’re not soaked in sweat.

Calvin Klein Cotton Stretch T-Shirt

Calvin Klein

Cotton Stretch T-shirts

Calvin Klein’s tees are ideal undershirts thanks to their deftly fitted silhouette, soft and stretchy fabric, and tuckable length.

Carhartt K87 Workwear Pocket Short Sleeve T-Shirt

Carhartt

K87 Workwear Pocket Short Sleeve T-Shirt

Not only are Carhartt’s tees built like tanks, they’re cut like them, too. They’ve got a hefty feel and a generous cut that pairs well with some baggy jeans and a billowy Harrington jacket, just like your neighborhood swaggy grandpas.



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About The Author

Avatar of Silvia Ballard
Silvia Ballard is a writer and editor who has worked in publishing for over 15 years. She has written on topics ranging from arts to construction, automotive to travel, real estate to fashion—and everything in between! When she's not writing, Silvia enjoys spending time with her family and friends, traveling around the world, and exploring new places.

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