11 Best Black T-shirts for Women

Sizes: XS to XXL | Fabric: Slub cotton | Weight: Lightweight | Fit and neckline: Loose crewneck

Over the years, Strategist writers have interviewed many stylish people about their favorite T-shirts, and no brand has come up more than Buck Mason. With tons of backing from experts (our staffers included), I set out to test the brand’s Slub Easy Crew for myself. After wearing it consistently for six months, I now understand why it has everyone’s seal of approval: It’s a regular-fit crewneck — the most all-around universal style — and made from soft, breathable slub cotton, which makes it easy to layer and tuck in.

“I have loved Buck Mason T-shirts for years now and happily wore the men’s ones, saving them for special occasions so they wouldn’t get worn out,” says our senior writer Liza Corsillo. After the brand launched its womenswear line, Corsillo started to wear this style and never looked back. “It is just as good as the men’s with one exception: It fits my body correctly.” Another of our writers, Dominique Pariso, is a loyal fan, calling Buck Mason’s tees “awesome.”

Sizes: XXS to 4XL | Fabric: Cotton | Weight: Lightweight | Fit and neckline: Loose crewneck

Everlane tees have been recommended to us often (and by tasteful people of all kinds) because they come in a range of styles and are a reliably good deal for the money. If $48 is more than you want to spend on our top overall pick from Buck Mason — or if you’re not a fan of slub tees — Everlane’s lightweight and fully opaque Box-Cut Tee is $38. I’ve tested this T-shirt through the warmest months, and I found the 100 percent organic cotton to be very breathable and soft. The silhouette strikes a perfect balance between not-too-baggy and not-too-fitted, and on my five-foot-five frame, the hem hits right at my hips, which flatters my shorter torso. This boxy style looks great with high-waisted pants, and since the cotton is thinner, it’s easy to layer under a cardigan or hoodie. Compared to Everlane’s Air Scoop-Necked Tee, below, the Box-Cut Tee is shorter in length (so not as easy to tuck in) and made of a slightly thicker fabric, though I still consider both tees to be on the lighter-weight side.

The Box-Cut Tee is a favorite of Taylore Glynn, a brand marketing manager at the Maker Hotel, who says this black T-shirt perfectly fits her body shape. Glynn told me she has “a large bust and smaller ribs, so certain tees can end up looking wonky on me: too loose and the shirt balloons out under my bra cups; too snug and I get that overly tight stretch across the chest.” But the Box-Cut Tee is just right. Our writer and resident fashion expert Ambar Pardilla agrees. “I’ve always had trouble finding T-shirts because I have a bigger-ish chest and I’m petite,” she says. But Everlane’s box cut “hits my shoulders without the dreaded drooping, and the length just skims the top of my jeans.” She’s impressed with the construction, saying Everlane’s T-shirts “wash so well with no shrinking or saturation loss at all, which is super important when it comes to black tees.”

Sizes: XXS to XXL | Fabric: Cotton | Weight: Lightweight | Fit and neckline: Loose scoop-neck

I’d consider this the scoop-necked version of the boxy Everlane tee above. It’s another one of Pardilla’s favorites, and according to her it doesn’t cling, but is still figure-hugging. It comes in an airy cotton, making it “the easiest tee to throw on on the hottest days,” Pardilla told me. The standout feature is the scoop neckline, which shows some tasteful collarbone and skin across the chest. It also comes recommended by photographer and content creator Ashleigh Reddy, who calls it “easy to style and easy to care for” thanks to its 100 percent cotton material, which, she adds, holds up over time.

After hearing Pardilla and Reddy’s case for the Air Scoop-Necked Tee, I called in a sample to test myself. Within a few hours of wearing this style for the first time, my mother (whom I was visiting) complimented the neckline and shape. Meanwhile, I was immediately impressed by how incredibly airy this top felt on my body. The lightweight cotton is breathable and smooth and drapes perfectly, whether you wear it tucked or untucked. I love the scoop neck, too — it’s elegant, easy, and effortless looking, and not too deep or revealing. From layering this T-shirt under a trench coat to wearing it on its own to show off my necklace stack, it really does a lot of heavy lifting as a wardrobe basic.

Sizes: XS to XL | Fabric: Cotton | Weight: Lightweight | Fit and neckline: Loose V-neck

If you prefer V-neck tees, look no further than this one from Perfectwhitetee. I’ve been testing it (along with a few other best sellers from the California-based brand) since the fall and love that it’s slightly boxy and doesn’t cling, instead draping easily on my frame. It feels a tad dressier than your average black T-shirt thanks to the wide shape of the V neckline, which ends in that not-too-deep, not-too-high sweet spot. It’s made from 100 percent cotton; the fabric has a subtle sheerness, which gives it an airy and lightweight look, and I’ve found it to be a very versatile shirt: I’ve worn mine to lounge around the house in pajama pants, layered it under a cardigan, and worn it on its own with more tailored pants.

Sizes: XS to XXL | Fabric: Supima cotton | Weight: Lightweight | Fit and neckline: Cropped crewneck

A previous version of this story listed the Pima Cropped Easy Crew as our favorite cropped black T-shirt, but a brand representative told me that the tee has since been rebranded to the Pima Boxy Crew. This style from Buck Mason got nods from two experts: Aishwarya Iyer, the founder and CEO of olive-oil brand Brightland, describes it as “soft, comfortable, and perfect for hanging at home or wearing out and about in.” Meanwhile, our senior deputy editor, Simone Kitchens, adds that the shape is the “ideal combination of boxy and cropped: It doesn’t feel too tight anywhere, especially under the arms — it just hangs in this cool, easy way.” Both like to wear it with high-waisted jeans; Kitchens notes that it “looks especially good with faded black Levi’s.”

After testing this newer style, I can see why it’s a favorite among my sources. It’s perfectly cropped above the waist, but the boxy silhouette provides breathing room through the torso. The lightweight Supima cotton has a smooth texture that makes this a great layering piece, whether I’m wearing it underneath a cardigan or thicker crewneck. And because the material is so fine and airy, it’ll be perfect for when the weather warms up. While the sleeves are relaxed, I’d say they’re on the shorter side, which also makes for a solid summer tee.

Sizes: XXS to XXL | Fabric: 96 percent cotton, 4 percent Spandex | Weight: Lightweight | Fit and neckline: Cropped crewneck

If $54 is more than you’re willing to spend on a baby tee, Uniqlo’s Mini is under $20 and has a similar ’90s-inspired shape to the Cou Cou above. Our junior writer Bella Druckman, who owns this top in six colors (white, gray, black, pink, blue, and striped), says it’s fitted throughout the torso and hits at about her navel. It’s Druckman’s go-to top for layering under a crewneck sweater and she notes that it’s comfortable enough to wear while relaxing after work. “I bought my first one a little over a year ago and quickly realized it’s the perfect tee for my short torso, meaning it’s just long enough that I can pair it with my favorite high-waisted jeans without worrying about any bunching happening at the waistband,” Druckman told me. While she typically air-dries all her clothes, every so often she machine dries her Uniqlo Minis to “reset the spandex and make them fit a bit more snugly.” Druckman adds that it’s a great tee at a very good price, so it’s hard to resist picking up a few more whenever she visits a Uniqlo store.

Sizes: XXS to XL | Fabric: 95 percent cotton, five percent elastane | Weight: Lightweight | Fit and neckline: Cropped crewneck

Baby tees can be hit or miss, but this one from Copenhagen-based brand Organic Basics features light-as-air cotton and stretchy elastane material, which makes it ideal for layering or wearing on its own. I’ve been testing it for more than a month now, and I love that the fabric is semi-sheer, which I find to be more interesting appearance-wise than a regular solid-color baby tee. It’s so soft that I regularly throw it on while lounging around at home and because it’s extra-lightweight, it’s great for wearing under a sweater or over a bikini top. According to the product description, the Core Baby Tee runs small, so I recommend sizing up one or two sizes since it’s form-fitting. (This will also ensure the hem sits closer to your waistline.)

Sizes: XXS to 3XL | Fabric: Cotton | Weight: Lightweight | Fit and neckline: Loose crewneck

If you’re looking for an easygoing yet fitted silhouette, consider this vintage-inspired Madewell tee, favored by Megan McCarty, a fashion and e-commerce editor. McCarty says it checks all the boxes: “My closet is full of many (many, many) white tees of all kinds of silhouettes, weights, and materials. I only need a couple of black ones though, so they need to be easy to wear, easy to clean, and easy to layer. This one does it all.” Even after consistent machine washing, her Northside Vintage Tee has maintained the richness of its black color. And at under $25, the price is nearly impossible to beat, McCarty adds.

Sizes: XS to XXL | Fabric: 50 percent Pima cotton, 50 percent cotton | Weight: Medium weight | Fit and neckline: Boxy crewneck

Cozy Earth is known for its luxuriously soft bedding and sweaty-sleeper-approved pajamas, but the brand also has some incredible basics thanks to the recent launch of its All Day Collection. I tested the All Day Tee, which is made from 50 percent Pima cotton, an extra-long staple cotton that’s naturally breathable, and loved how the mid-weight fabric is soft and comfortable even on sweltering hot summer days. The cut is slightly boxy but since it’s more of a relaxed fit, this tee doesn’t cling to your midsection. The hem hits right below the waist, and the sleeves end about halfway down my biceps. Though the price tag is on the higher end, the All Day Tee is one of the sturdier and more structured options on this list, so I think it will hold up better over time.