All I want is the tee of my dreams.

August 3, 2012 4:25 AM

I am looking for a 3/4 sleeve scoop-neck women's tee shirt, and I'm not sure where will meet my priorities. Help?

It's not like I have a lot of criteria. It needs to be available in a 2XL/women's 18 kind of size range, not too expensive (under $30, but under $20 would be better), and actually opaque. Reasonable quality would be nice, but I'm not all that picky if it's cheap. Also not too picky about colors or whether it's online or in store, as long as it's a national chain.

For awhile I could find such things pretty easily, but now the last of my old favorites is falling apart, but my go-to places either haven't had them lately, or else they seem to expect the layering thing that I really don't want to do in warm weather. Or else they have boat necks, and I always end up with a bra strap showing in those.

posted by gracedissolved to clothing, beauty, & fashion (21 answers total)

Eddie Bauer?
posted by ersatzkat at 4:27 AM on August 3, 2012

I came here to recommend the exact Eddie Bauer shirt ersatzkat linked. I have a couple and I love them and will likely buy more. As far as I know they're part of the permanent line, plus if you're near an outlet store they sometimes pop up over there.
posted by Metroid Baby at 4:35 AM on August 3, 2012

Have you guys gotten the EB ones recently? They look good in the picture but a bunch of the 2011/2012 reviews seem to indicate that the fabric's really thin.

Also, wanted to note that a crew-neck is also okay, since I forgot to put that in the post.
posted by gracedissolved at 4:44 AM on August 3, 2012

I would try L.L. Bean, which has higher quality fabrics than Eddie Bauer. They should probably have some now online, and will have plenty of things like this in their fall catalogue, which will be out very soon, and can be viewed online when it is. I love all the various Ts I have from them.
posted by gudrun at 5:41 AM on August 3, 2012

I like the tees from J Jill - they are pricier than your range when not on sale but there are frequent sales, frequent color line-up changes, and they have a lot of styles of scoop, v neck, elbow, 3/4, thin, thicker, etc. If wha I want isn't in their current line up, I wait 6 weeks or so and check back.
posted by pointystick at 5:56 AM on August 3, 2012 [1 favorite]

Land's End?
posted by JanetLand at 6:03 AM on August 3, 2012

I believe this tee at Christopher & Banks meets your criteria. I have several of their tees in various sleeve lengths and can attest to their opacity and general quality. The satin trimmed shirt, like the one linked, is particularly sharp looking.
posted by DrGail at 6:13 AM on August 3, 2012

Jessica London has good quality t-s. I love my boatneck tee from them (I know you don't want boatneck. Nice thick fabric that doesn't lose shape in the span of a day.

I actually just got the horseshoe tee, it is waiting for me at home, so I'll open it up tonight and let you know if the quality is the same on it, I am hoping!
posted by effigy at 7:19 AM on August 3, 2012 [1 favorite]

Keep an eye out for the LL Bean Double L rib knit tee. They are currently understocked in your size (only white and some stripey ones), but as gudrun says will probably bring it back for the fall. I bought one in the spring, and it's really good quality, thick fabric. It's not actually ribbed, either. The only caveat is that it is a bit too thick for me--I don't like wearing it in the summer, because I get too hot. Definitely opaque, though.
posted by zoetrope at 7:50 AM on August 3, 2012

I've noticed the trend in thinning shirts from what I've gotten in plus sized (and even regular kid sized) clothes from LL Bean, Lands End and Khols - teeshirt "layering" thin shirts are the in thing. Maybe layering with a nice tank is an option?
posted by tilde at 8:15 AM on August 3, 2012

Woman Within is where I get mine, and I'm really pleased with the texture of the t-shirt fabric - thick but not stiff, if you know what I mean. You can't see through the heather gray to a black bra. Bonus: their shirts come in long, longer, and longest, if you have a preference for covering your behind.
posted by Lyn Never at 8:37 AM on August 3, 2012

Oops: Woman Within link.
posted by Lyn Never at 8:38 AM on August 3, 2012

The Eddie Bauer tees are thinner than they "used to be" - I first bought some short sleeved ones about 4 years ago and there's definitely a difference. The are NOT tissue-thin, though, nor are they see-through.
posted by ersatzkat at 10:46 AM on August 3, 2012

I was just in Eddie Bauer two days ago and the t-shirts are certainly thinner than they were a couple of years ago, but definitely not see-through or tissue-thin, as ersatzkat says.

Orvis t-shirts are quite substantial.
posted by Sidhedevil at 11:02 AM on August 3, 2012

That's my ideal T-shirt as well, and the only way I get them is by checking Gap & Old Navy every month or so, and when they finally sell one I buy 4 or 5 immediately. You have to be fast, as they sell out quickly.

Anyway, I've been doing that for the past 10 years or so, and it's annoying, because even though those shirts are so basic, they don't go up for sale very often. This year I started making my own, and it is sooo much better. Here's what I did:

• Took a sewing class (here, fwiw) using a hand-me-down sewing machine
• Bought a serger ($200; this one)
• Took a "sewing with knits" class (here, fwiw)
• Made patterns by tracing my favorite, ten-year-old, falling-apart T-shirts, and made new ones

That might sound extreme to some, but I've been though enough fashion cycles to know exactly what I want, and now I don't have to wait for someone else to make it for me.


I know that's not the answer you were looking for, so: this tee on sale at the Gap right now is soft, opaque, and fairly sturdy. It's got a wide V-neck that's almost a scoop, and long sleeves. I like it a lot. You can probably take it in for tailoring to turn it into a 3/4 sleeve.
posted by homodachi at 1:15 PM on August 3, 2012

This Horseshoe-Neck Tee from Jessica London (via effigy's link) looks like a good contender as well. It's a little on the long side, though.
posted by homodachi at 1:35 PM on August 3, 2012

argh, correct link here: Horseshoe-Neck Tee
posted by homodachi at 1:36 PM on August 3, 2012

Take a look at JCPenneys plus size department (in-store, I haven't bought any online); they usually have some of what you're looking for. They have had plain, striped and prints in scoop and V necks with 3/4 length sleeves.

What you want is also my favourite style of shirt, so I'll be watching this thread closely!
posted by deborah at 11:33 PM on August 3, 2012

koshercasual.com?
They're meant as undershirts though, so YMMV
posted by lhude sing cuccu at 8:19 AM on August 4, 2012

A number of them look good--I think the EB ones do run a little thinner than I want for the price, but then I got to the CJ Banks site and $12.50 each when buying two is a hard sale to pass up. So we'll see how this goes!

I sorta like the idea of making my own, but right now, just don't have the time. Will have to keep that thought in mind for later, though.
posted by gracedissolved at 4:08 PM on August 7, 2012

H&M+ top might fit the bill.

I'm not sure where in OH you are, but you could call nearby stores to see if they have it in.
posted by homodachi at 9:02 PM on September 2, 2012