The world's best white t-shirt

May 2023's shopping diary, plus all the sales I'm avoiding right now

This newsletter is an entirely reader-supported publication. At least once a month I publish a free, unpaywalled post for all subscribers, and here’s one of them! I can’t gatekeep this t-shirt, it is just too good.

For more shopping tips, culture criticism and explorations of my various existential crises:

It’s been over two months now of bouncing around New York/Connecticut/DC while waiting for my UK visa. I’ve been applying to jobs in England and living in the meantime off my tax refund, a little freelancing, and income from this newsletter. (Support my work for just $5 a month!!!)

This is all to say that I should not be shopping right now. And YET…..

Subscribers to the original version of this newsletter will remember that I started it as a sort of experiment in getting myself to spend less money on clothes and makeup and other frivolities. But it turns out writing regularly about everything I was dying to buy at any given time actually just ended up making me want stuff more, so I stopped. Since the newsletter’s generalist relaunch I’ve written a few window shopping posts, which were a lot of fun, but I’ve had to really scale back even aspirational shopping content during my time of extended unemployment.

I’ve been pretty good at avoiding temptation, for the most part. But a couple weeks ago, killing time in bizarro world Hudson Yards before my Mega Bus trip down to DC, I stopped into Uniqlo looking for the light blue version of the round mini shoulder bag, since I already have and love the pink and yellow; I use them daily. I’d like to think I’m getting better at buying only what I know I’ll *love* and rewear constantly for years to come. I ended up getting dark green since the blue was out of stock </3, and on my way to check out I grabbed a white t-shirt sort of unthinkingly, since it was on sale and because I’ve been enjoying the 90s resurgence of layering them under spaghetti strap tops and dresses. I didn’t even try it on. Turns out it is the best white t-shirt I think I’ve EVER owned????

It’s this one, the U Crew neck short sleeve. $14.90 at full price!!! 100% cotton, heavyweight jersey. Gorgeously comfortable, durable, breathable. Washes perfectly. Compactly woven with reinforced stitching so the collar retains its shape. Sharp, crisp, cool, classic. I feel like I’ve been searching all my life for the perfect plain white t-shirt, and I found it as soon as I was no longer actually looking. Isn’t that always the way?

I eyeballed a large, which is perfectly form-fitting for layering, but I have a feeling that an XL or an XXL would be even better when worn on its own. I’d also like to try the men’s version (which costs $5 more for some reason) to compare for the best oversized fit.

I’m wearing the large in this TikTok about my latest finds from the local thrift store. You can see my bra a little at certain angles, but I’m almost positive that’s the bra’s fault, because it’s saggy and old. I wish my love of shopping extended to practical things like bras. I resent spending so much money on something I hate having to wear!! (I know “have to” is relative, but I’ve gained just enough pandemic weight that going braless is so much more harrowing than it once was.)

Whenever I’m home in Connecticut I’m physically incapable of avoiding the thrift, even though it’s become a lot less pleasant of a shopping experience in recent years. It’s only open twice a week from 12-4pm, despite the store’s enormous popularity. Shoppers from surrounding towns flood in for good deals on basic and luxury items. Seniors are bussed in from local nursing homes. It’s a madhouse, and most of the good stuff goes fast. But I got lucky this trip, as documented in the above Tok. The pink jacket!! And I’m especially excited for scarves :)

The other nonessential purchase I’ve made over the past couple weeks: my first purchase from Damson Madder, where my long-coveted checkerboard vest went back on sale!!! Plus I had a discount code, so I also got this flower shirt for Lynette, which I will obviously be borrowing.

And now I’m contending with Memorial Day sales. Ugh. Despite my historic beef with Halsey (I wrote something years ago about her star image that she thought was biphobic, rendering my Twitter unusable for a week or two while I was berated by angry teens) I am increasingly curious about her makeup brand, About Face, especially the matte fluid eye paint. 20% off site-wide—could be better.

Selkie’s spring sale is crazy tempting. Last year I wore a baby blue puff dress from Selkie for my 30th birthday, and six months later I got married in Selkie, too, in the floor-length pink gown of my Barbie girl dreams. Last weekend I rewore the blue one to watch my best friend from high school get married and I got so many compliments. I just love Selkie’s big, comfy, joyful dresses; they make me happy. It’s probably for the best that the long ballroom skirt is out of stock in my size, as is the schoolgirl skirt, because I want them both SO BADLY.

What are you buying this weekend, or trying not to buy?? I want to know.

Thanks for reading. More from me when I know for sure whether I can reenter the country I’ve moved to.

xxSK