The tee shirt is a casual staple for many men. Not something for the office of course – at least for most guys – but often the first thing we reach for on the weekend or after a long day in a shirt and tie.
The definition of a “tee shirt” varies, and depending on your mood can run from faded concert favorite to refined couture. The best, in our humble opinion, are those which express the basic ideal of a great tee: relaxed, American comfort. Tee shirts are in many ways the most American of garments; simple, functional, democratic in design, and sturdy.
San Fransisco-based American Giant has taken upon itself the weighty task of reintroducing classic American made basic casual clothing like tees, polos, and sweatshirts, to consumers used to flimsy, cheaply made commodities. We have already tested a bunch of American Giant’s outstanding heirloom quality garments and flat-out love them. And yes, we just said “heirloom quality” in reference to sweatshirts. Their stuff will last your and your kids’ lifetimes.
Most recently, we got our hands on what may very well be the best cool weather tee ever made: The American Giant Long Sleeve Baseball Tee.
It is crafted in their signature 100% combed cotton ring-spun jersey knit (a hefty 6.2 oz.), with self-fabric elbow reinforcements, and soft jersey-knit taping on internal neck and shoulder seams. The double needle straddle-stitch construction on all exterior seams means that it can take a beating and thorough pre-washing ensures an accurate fit right out of the bag. It’s available in black, charcoal, blue, orange, red, and green. And, you get it all for less than US$40.00!
Our tester is the orange version and has a great rusty, autumn look to it.
This baseball tee screams back yard pick-up ball games, family cookouts, and crisp morning walks with your faithful dog. Put another way, it embodies all that is great about solidly built stuff that does what it should and says, “yep, I’m made in America and damn proud of it.”