Best Thin Undershirt: Uniqlo Airism Cotton T-Shirt

Not everything at Uniqlo is a great value. But when it comes to upgraded basics at an affordable price, you’d be hard-pressed to find brand that does it better. When you need an airy, breathable undershirt that’s truly lightweight, the Japanese mega-retailer’s AIRism tees are legendary. They’re crafted from a smooth and breathable cotton-polyester-spandex blend that dries quickly, feels cool to the touch, and fights odors—a triple threat that’ll have sweaty days in a headlock. “It’s an easy way to save your expensive dress shirts from dreaded pit stains,” Ortiz says. “But they’re also perfect for wearing as a gym shirt.” At just $15 per tee, there’s no other undershirt that can do as much for the price.

Best Tuckable Undershirt: Skims Lightweight T-Shirt

GQ contributor Evan Malachosky was always a little skeptical of Skims, but the brand’s tees won him over. “Skims’s proprietary fabrics are silky on the skin and are neither too thin (and therefore exposing), nor too thick (and therefore too hot),” he noted. “They’re sleek, polished, comfortable, and plenty appropriate, even if they’re a closer relative of the Fear of God family, than, say, capital-M Menswear brand Merz b. Schwanen.”

Pleasingly, the brand has applied just as much care to its undershirt, even though—or perhaps because—it’s designed to look invisible under your clothes. (The design team even thought about cleaning up the seam lines, so nothing would show through.) Made from 100% cotton, and available in an incredibly wide range of sizes, our favorite detail is that it’s a little bit longer than the brand’s standard tees, so that there’s no risk of any unsightly seams being visible at the hemline, either.

More Undershirts We Love

What to Look for in an Undershirt

Materials, construction, and fit—these are the main components that determine how good an undershirt (and, well, every garment) actually is. Undershirts are meant to be that intermediate layer between your outermost layers and your body, a protective guard that keeps your star garments fresh and free of sweat. Undershirts should be breathable, soft, comfortable, and, ideally, sweat-wicking. We love undershirts and tanks that are made from high-quality 100% cotton but feel like there’s a time and place for synthetics which are often used for their ability to wick away moisture and dry easily. Stretchy materials like Spandex are helpful for comfort, but their elasticity will eventually degrade over time.