Reviewing the State of Banana Republic’s Tagless, Soft-Wash T-Shirts

This post may contain affiliate links. Learn more.

As I review my stash of casual clothing in preparation for working from home, Banana Republic’s soft-wash crew neck and v-neck t-shirts for men are one of my go-to’s. I just wish they made more of them.

100% cotton, tagless v-neck t-shirts are a staple of my weekend wardrobe, which fit nicely under my favorite cashmere sweaters from Proper Cloth and chinos from menswear startup Bonobos and leather sneakers. (See my guide to where to buy the best leather sneakers for men.) 

For years, I never had to think about where to find those t-shirts. 

That’s because Banana Republic maintained a wide assortment.

Their soft-wash tees hit all the right buttons: Their t-shirts are:

  1. 100% cotton (no polyester or tri-blend here),
  2. super-soft,
  3. slim not bulky,
  4. tagless, and
  5. would come in a wide variety of colors, including soft, heathered colors (my favorite). 

At a list price of nearly $30 they weren’t cheap, but you could get the price down substantially thanks to Banana Republic’s near constant sales. 

Then, over time, their selection of soft-wash tees waned. In the winter, they would be hard to find. The selection has become increasingly spotty, particularly for those v-neck t-shirts.

While Banana Republic currently appears to have a new stash of 100% cotton, tagless crewneck t-shirts, their v-neck selection is, sadly, lacking, and has been for some time.

So I’m on a quest for other options from my favorite innovative menswear startups. Reddit has a good list worth checking out, but the reality is I’m not paying $68 for a cotton t-shirt. 

I’ll compare them and other options in the future. 


About Jake

Jake is passionate about exploring entrepreneurs' global journeys. He founded Modern Fellows in 2012 to get to know the entrepreneurs behind the innovative brands helping men dress sharp in the digital age. Jake has written about entrepreneurship, international business and/or fashion for outlets including Business Week, Forbes, Inc., Details Style Syndicate and Primer Magazine, and has provided analysis on international business for BBC Radio, NBC News, CNN and Time Magazine.

Other cool stuff:

* Get $25 off your first experience with Wantable, an amazing online personal styling option for men and women.
* For comfortable Athleisure clothing for women and men, try these 25 alternatives to lululemon.
* Find 21 Alternatives to Warby Parker that also let you try on prescription eyeglasses at home.
* The Essential List: These 125 innovative menswear startup brands will transform your wardrobe
* Upgrade your business casual wardrobe with comfortable yet professional-looking workleisure clothing made from stretchy performance fabrics.
* Get $50 off your first suit at Black Lapel, one of my favorite online custom tailors.
* Discover the best places to buy colorful socks online.

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.