You鈥檝e probably heard that聽Steve Jobs聽. He didn鈥檛 want to waste any time thinking about his clothes, in order to聽dedicate more time to his inventions.
I鈥檓 no Steve, but I absolutely agree with his approach. By simplifying my wardrobe, I鈥檓 able to get on with my workday or adventure more quickly. For Steve, it was turtlenecks. But here in New Mexico,聽where it鈥檚 considerably hotter than the Bay Area, I鈥檓 all about the simple and understated T-shirt.
There are thousands of tees out there, so to help you choose your next ol鈥櫬爎eliable, I聽rounded up my seven favorites.
Free Fly Flex Pocket聽($50)

Best For:聽Monday through Friday, nine to five
Size Range: S to XXL
Made from bamboo, polyester, and spandex, the 聽wicks sweat just as quickly as my favorite running shirt but looks good enough to sport聽at聽the office, thanks to muted聽colors and a heathered pattern. The聽four-way stretch moves with me聽when I鈥檓 hiking or commuting on my bike, and the bamboo build gives the Flex an overwhelmingly soft and comfy next-to-skin feeling that I鈥檓 glad to wear for hours on end.
Prana Crew聽($29)

Best For:聽Your wallet
Size Range:聽S to XXL
Were I to truly mimic Steve Jobs, I would just buy and call it a day. Made from 60 percent organic cotton and 40 percent recycled polyester, the Crew isn鈥檛聽fancy聽but comes in nearly a dozen聽colors and is beautifully tailored, so聽it looks good on any body type. And at this price, the Crew is affordable enough that if I ruin one, it doesn鈥檛 hurt too much to buy a replacement.
Wellen Hemp ($36)

Best For:聽Weekend hangs
Size Range:聽S to XXL
Patina isn鈥檛 something you鈥檇 normally associate with a T-shirt, but will develop a beautiful sheen聽as you break it in. That鈥檚 because the hemp that makes up more than half the fabric is ultra durable, so you can abuse it and the shirt will tell it鈥檚 own story over time. Hemp also requires聽less water to grow than conventional cotton, so the tee鈥檚 environmental footprint is relatively small. Cut loose, but not frumpy, the Wellen is my go-to weekend shirt, and it always matches well with a pair of shorts and sandals.
Patagonia P-6 Label Pocket Responsibili-Tee ($40)

Best For:聽Going聽easy on the environment
Size Range:聽XS to XXL
is the most 鈥淧atagonia鈥 piece of any Patagonia gear I鈥檝e ever owned. It鈥檚 made from 100 percent recycled materials, including four聽plastic bottles and less than half a聽pound聽of cotton scrap. According to the company, that build uses 96 percent less water and creates 45 percent less CO2 during manufacturing聽compared to a conventional cotton T-shirt. It鈥檚 a medium-thick and easy-wearing piece that聽I鈥檝e regularly packed聽for road trips or worn around the house when聽I want something simple and reliable.
Taylor Stitch the Heavy Bag ($45)

Best For:聽Cool聽weather and yard work
Size Range:聽S to XXL
Most T-shirts last a year or two if you聽wear聽them regularly. I expect to last a full decade, thanks to a design of extra-thick, eight-ounce upcycled cotton and recycled polyester. It鈥檚 so well-made, in fact, that it took me a couple wears to get used to the thicker material. This garment isn鈥檛 made for hot days in the desert or the South, but I think it would be an ideal layer for mild days in the mountains, the Bay Area, or the Pacific Northwest. I鈥檝e used mine for everything from yard work to climbing to cutting trees, and it barely shows.
Ginew Naasag贸 Forward Movement聽($44)

Best For:聽Rocking a meaningful graphic tee
Size Range: S to XXL
Ginew is a Native American clothing brand owned by Amanda Bruegl and her husband, Erik Brodt, and is a collaboration with Corey Begay, a Din茅 (Navajo) artist.聽Begay, who created the design,聽says the tribal word 苍补补蝉补驳贸聽roughly translates to 鈥渢he action of moving forward,鈥 which is represented by the bear moving forward from聽day to聽night,聽over the ground and under the sky. The glasses on the bear signify modern culture (and are also a regular inclusion by Begay, because he wears glasses, too).
Ibex 24 Hour Short Sleeve Crew ($88)

Best For:聽Battling odor
Size Range: S to XL
Not all merino shirts are created equal. Some feel worn-out after the first few washes, as聽the wool can鈥檛 put up with much wear and tear.聽, on the other hand, has been a champ. Great at wicking sweat and fighting stink, it鈥檚 been plenty durable and still looks pretty new after days of use and a couple times through the spin cycle. The price tag hurts a bit, but you only really need one good wool T-shirt. Ibex聽offers聽the 24 Hour in seven fun colors.