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

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.