Above: Photo from @ladywhite_co
I am mixing things up today with a men’s clothing review :) Note: though these are marketed as men’s tees, they can technically be worn by anyone! Currently, my husband’s daily uniform predominantly consists of plain t-shirts. In the past, he stocked up on several Alternative Apparel tees. They are super soft but unfortunately showing wear after 4+ years, so it was time for an update.
When searching online for premium men’s tees, one particular brand is often mentioned – Lady White Co. The company is based in Los Angeles and works with family-owned factories within 10 miles of their headquarters. They have a few staple t-shirt styles, which start at $55 and go up to $85. This is higher than what we normally spend on t-shirts, but it was worth a try since they are locally produced and highly rated.
During the search, I also noticed that Everlane has a premium crew tee for men, at about half the cost for a t-shirt at the time. This will be our basis for comparison today.
Materials
Most of Lady White Co. t-shirts are made of a midweight jersey material. The Balta Pocket style is made of a 6oz. Jersey cotton which has a good amount of heft and is 100% opaque. It’s manufactured in a tubular style, which means there are no side seams. This not only provides additional comfort, but also helps the shirt drape more naturally.
The Everlane Premium Crew is also made of a similarly midweight (nearly heavyweight) jersey material, clocking in at 6.2oz. It is 100% opaque, and manufactured in a traditional pattern with side seams.
Lady White Co 
Everlane Premium Crew 
Everlane Organic Crew
Fit
Lady White Co Balta
The Balta tee from Lady White Co. has a more standard fit in the body and arms – my husband tried both M and L, and ultimately went with L for more room in the shoulders. It is more of a ‘regular’ fit.
Size Large 
Size Large
Everlane Premium Crew Tee
The Everlane Premium Crew is described as slim fit, which is fairly accurate. It is also a bit smaller overall compared to the Lady White Co. tee – about 1” shorter in torso, and ¾” shorter in the sleeves.
Medium 
Large
Medium 
Large
For reference in these photos: My husband is 5’10” and 178lb, with somewhat broad shoulders.
Wear
Both tees have held up well over the past few months of wear. No visible pilling, stains (armpits, looking at you), or loose threads. The only real sign of wear is in the neckband – the Everlane tee has a narrower neckband that sometimes rolls. You can see in the photo below that the thicker Lady White Co. neckband is still relatively smooth and flat.
Verdict
Both are great options for a mid-heavyweight basic t-shirt that should last for years at the very least. Is the Lady White Co. version worth the +50% premium over the Everlane tee (which is now $40)? That depends. Given the local production with fair wages, it is worth the premium to us personally. But the Everlane option is still a great one if you are more budget conscious. Realistically, he’ll likely maintain a mix of both as he continues replacing worn out t-shirts.
Partnership Disclosure: This blog post was not sponsored by any of the brands listed above. As always, all opinions are my (+my husband‘s) own. This post may contain affiliate links, in which I earn a commission on purchases.
