Taking Stock : t-shirts

T-shirts are a recent style addition for me. I only wore shirts on top of pants for the last decade. Why ? Not sure. I managed to convince myself that t-shirt made me look sloppy and unprofessional. Maybe they did. T-shirts belonged on the off duty models and their prototypes with boyish figures – I ruled. Two years ago, I moved to California and this land changed me. I like the laid back and effortless vibe. It changed my idea of beauty in general and the beauty I owe the world. I DONT ! I can wear what ever I like, in-spite of how it looks in the mirror. But to me, design and fit matters. Most t-shirts don’t makes the cut. I have my constraints :

• They should not be too slouchy but they shouldn’t be fitted like those baby doll t-shirts either.

• They should not be oversized.

• The sleeve length should be no more than half the length of my arm. It should never hit the forearm. It’s too sloppy if it extends into the forearm.

• To me, the cut of the sleeve is a salient feature. It shouldnt be fitted. It should skim the arm.

• The flattery factor of a t-shirt is relational to the proportions of ones upper body. It comes down to the size of your bust, tone of your arms and the flatness of your stomach. Square cut shoulders make tshirts look good. The more rounded the shoulder gets, the more sloppy the t-shirt starts to look. This is the reason I always thought you needed a lot of natural beauty to pull off an ordinary and simple t-shirt. I always picked out clothes with more interest and detail for this reason.

• Structured t-shirts have their advantages. Soft and broken in t-shirts have their advantages too.

• Holes add to the charm of your t-shirts. When they become the right size, have the holes reinforced, so that they dont get a life of their own and eat up your shirt. I am waiting for mine to gather their holes.

• Stripes, polka dots and floral print t-shirts are welcome in my closet. Unfortunately, they are very hard to find.

• Band t-shirts, are not for me. I really really like them though – on other people. My husband has a Hans Zimmer t-shirt that I adore on him. I saw the coolest Pink Floyd tshirt in the Alameda flea market last weekend. It was washed black with subtle pink graffiti. It was 5$. In that moment, I wished it was my style.

• Activism slogans / brand affiliation tshirts, are not for me. I don’t like people reading off of my body and immediately making assumptions about my views.

In the future, I would like a tshirt made of hemp.

My colors : navy, pink, red, army green.

Accessories to wear with t-shirts : My first choice is nothing. I like the simplicity of it all. With striped t-shirts, I like how they look peeking under a jacket or a sweater. My second choice is a neck scarf. My third choice is a single bangle. My fourth choice is a pin of some sort. I like the #resist pin that I see on Berkley women. I have attended sporting events with my team’s pin worn on top of my clothes.

Some details of my garments :

I didn’t start wearing t-shirts till I found ones that fit me in Everlane. Its incredibly hard to find the right one for your body. Once I did, there was no going back. One by one, they started coming home. Size S is good for layering under a sweater during winter. Size M is the right sort of fit for me. I have both. The fabric is pima cotton and is idea for hot summers.

Uniqlo U does a great structured and sturdy t-shirt. This is the kind I can wear without a bra underneath. This is the kind that softens over time and becomes vintage. This t-shirt gives me smooth lines. There is no fabric clinging over the curves and lumps. The Everlane ones will be worn out in a few years. They are not worth reinforcing when the holes appear. It’s not that kind of cotton. They will become cleaning rags someday. But the Uniqlo ones will stay in my closet for as long as they shall fit me.

Stripes. Neither of these fit me the way I want a t-shirt to fit. One is too short. One is oversized. Sometimes, imperfections need to be embraced because its the need of the hour. They work with high waisted karate pants I own. They work as under shirts. They work. I don’t meet many stripes that are as subtle and low in contrast as these ones, often. This scoop neck tshirt is on my wish list.

Edit : After I made this post, I let go of the t-shirt that is short.

Why this catalog ?

A way to have ‘before’ pictures to record wear and tear of garments as they age.

Writing this got me excited about warm weather outfits.

I am always looking for an excuse to show your guys my indigo tshirt.

I quit wearing t-shirts a while ago under the pretext of “It’s for undergrads. Not for professors”. Any reversal of attitude needs to be celebrated.

A gratitude journal. To have all these good things, is a privilege.