Recommend me a long-sleeve t-shirt with a high, tight, snug collar

October 8, 2013 10:35 PM

Hi everyone. It gets a little chilly up here in the winter, and I like to layer up with a long-sleeve t-shirt. I'd like them to come up snugly right around the base of the neck (without being a turtleneck, obviously), but this has proven more difficult than you might think.

For example, look at this shirt. See how, in the picture, the collar looks all tight and snug? How it even kind of pokes up a little bit, where the neck would be? LIES I TELL YOU. I bought one, and the collar is as loose and sloppy as an objectionable metaphor.

So I was hoping someone here could let me know what a good brand is. Bonus points for:

* Thin (I'm layering these, so I don't need a real heavyweight one. If it gets really cold, I'd just wear two.

* Available on Amazon

* Variety of colors.

Thanks for whatever suggestions anyone has!

posted by Alaska Jack to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (14 answers total)

Unfortunately I can't recommend a brand, but would a mock turtleneck be closer to what you want? I found a random example here on Amazon- you can see that the neck fits snugly and even goes up a little on the neck without being a full-blown neck covering turtleneck.
posted by MadamM at 11:00 PM on October 8, 2013

Bam.
posted by charmcityblues at 11:45 PM on October 8, 2013

I was coming to suggest you might look into UnderArmor too. My husband just bought some, and they have several tightness levels of their cold weather shirts. Only thing is they might be too warm for inside? It wasn't clear. I know you can get them here at several places around town (including Freddy's, I think) as well as Amazon, of course.
posted by leahwrenn at 12:31 AM on October 9, 2013

You might check out Patagonia's Capilene shirts -- thin but insulating.
posted by MonkeyToes at 4:21 AM on October 9, 2013

I would echo the mock turtleneck suggestion. You can get them in a variety of colors. Lands End is another supplier.
posted by elmay at 7:29 AM on October 9, 2013

Do you really want a cotton shirt? Why not something with a bit of smartwool? One with a half-zipper has a slightly longer neck coverage, but you can unzip if you get too hot. It will make you SO SO happy. You won't be cold, clammy or itchy. Just perfect.
posted by barnone at 8:39 AM on October 9, 2013

Response by poster: Rats -- I see now that when I typed my original question I wasn't clear enough. Those are all good suggestions, but I am really just looking for the simplest of cotton or 50/50 tees, in the $10-$15 price range.

Amazon, by way of reference, has dozens of brands: Hanes, Gildan, Soffe, Champion, Fruit of the Loom, Jerzees, etc. I was just hoping someone had worn one or more of these and could tell me if they had a good, snug collar.
posted by Alaska Jack at 10:30 AM on October 9, 2013

Would you consider a mock turtleneck? They come up a tiny bit on the neck - tighter than a crewneck, for sure, but they don't extend too far up the neck. Here are a few good ones on Amazon:
- This Carhartt one is awesome but is more like $30
- Port Authority Interlock ~$20 for large
- Ultraclub is about $20
posted by barnone at 1:58 PM on October 9, 2013

Lands End tailored fit
Sale: Some colors only 10 bucks.
Yeah not Amazon, sorry.
posted by artdrectr at 5:52 PM on October 12, 2013

Response by poster: artdrectr - Those look like nice shirts -- unfortunately, the link is to the short-sleeve Ts. The long-sleeve versions run a minimum of $24 (not counting shipping to Alaska), and there don't seem to be any sales. Still, I appreciate the response.
posted by Alaska Jack at 3:29 PM on October 14, 2013

If you like those Lands End shirts, sign up for their newsletter. They're always running 20-40% off sales.
posted by barnone at 8:03 AM on October 15, 2013

Response by poster: barnone - good tip! I will -- thanks!
posted by Alaska Jack at 10:32 AM on October 17, 2013

I think even the crappy Sears in Fairbanks carries some adult-sized Lands End stuff, if that's useful.
posted by leahwrenn at 10:46 AM on October 19, 2013

Response by poster: OK, for posterity, I found one that fits the bill almost perfectly: The Soffe long-sleeve cotton T. Snug collar, thin, cheap ($8), on Amazon. Only downside is that it doesn't come in very many colors.
posted by Alaska Jack at 11:51 PM on October 27, 2013