How to Style a Vintage T-Shirt
This closet workhorse will never go out of style
Is there anything better than a lived-in t-shirt? When faded, perfectly worn, and maybe even with a few holes, a vintage tee can be the kind of thing that feels like comfort food. The nostalgia of a novelty shirt is rivaled only by its comfort — and the fact that it can be worn in so many ways.
This week is all about the vintage tee. I’m guessing you have some but if not, I have some tips on finding them at thrift stores below. Plus, I’ve shared some of my favorite ways to style a vintage tee (with some options that aren’t vintage, but look it, if you’re in the market). It’s easy to get stuck in a rut and go the pairs-well-with-jeans route, but there are so many other fun ideas here.
And if you’re lookin g for more inspo, I’m always saving t-shirt looks on Pinterest…
How to Shop for a Vintage T-Shirt
Check the tag: Obviously, if it’s a brand name you recognize (Old Navy, any of the Target brands), it’s a re-print of a vintage tee. But if the tag looks old (faded, with dated font) it might be vintage. Sometimes tags also include the date of printing.
Check the stitching: Generally speaking, new t-shirts will have two stitching lines on the sleeves, rather than just one. So a single-stitched sleeve is a good indicator that the shirt is older.
Check the seams: Vintage tees almost never have seams on the sleeve, because they were made from fabric that came in tubes.
Check the fabric: Hold a shirt up to the light to see if it’s worn (i.e. if light comes through). Older, vintage tees are much less starchy and stiff than the modern variety.
Tips on styling:
Always go for slightly oversized (you can use the tricks below to make a tee look “fitted” but you’ll never be able to make a shirt look larger than it is)
Cuff or roll up the sleeves (a trick to make a piece look more tailored)
Try a French tuck (tuck in the front and leave the back untucked—just looks chic)
Layer (a vintage tee under a bustier or slip dress is really cool)
DAY: Hoop earrings / Snake chain necklace / Raffia bag / Shearling sandal / Destination tee / Frayed jeans
NIGHT: Stack ring / Sterling bracelet / Lipstick / Wooden clutch / Sneakers / Jil Sander tee / Blazer / Trousers
VACATION: Coin choker / Hoop earrings / Bronzer / Crystal mesh flats / Mar de Bahia shirt / Silk pants / Raffia bag
CITY: Green bag / Sterling bracelet / Lip oil / Silver sneakers / Printed tee / Cargo skirt
Recommended reading/listening:
The reviews for The Flash are kind of all over the place but I loved it. Perfect summer movie and a great, easy-to-ingest appetizer for the blockbuster, entrée-sized films coming out later this summer (Barbie, Oppenheimer, Indiana Jones, Mission Impossible.)
On the opposite end of the spectrum is The Idol, a show I loathe but can’t shut up about. It’s like a 14-year-old boy was given $75 million to live out his darkest fantasies on
HBOMax. It’s confusing, one of the lead characters has no acting experience and it shows, and it feels like a giant music video (which is to say, the soundtrack is great and the cinematography is sexy but that’s kind of…it). That being said, I feel like it has the makings of a cult-followed film. Like it’s so bad that maybe people would pay to watch a screening of it and throw toast at the screen, the way they do for Rocky Horror Picture Show or The Room?
And I’ll leave you with this…