05 March 2007

The transition tee

It wasn't until I got my first job (i.e. my first substantial paycheck) that I discovered the irreplaceable wardrobe staple that is the transition tee.

What is a transition tee, you ask?

A transition tee is a stylish, high-quality t-shirt that can seamlessly transition from serving as your bikini cover-up in Phuket to looking cute under a bolero for Sunday brunch to topping off a pair of premium jeans on a casual Friday at work.

In the fashion industry, the term "high-quality" is almost always tantamount to really expensive. In this case, yes, the 15 transition tees I've provided for you do cost more - four to five times more - than a GAP or Urban Outfitters t-shirt, but believe me, they're worth it.

I haven't had the pleasure of owning all the tees I'm recommending in this post, but I have tried most of the brands, and in addition to maintaining their shape far better than their less expensive counterparts, they also resist fading in a major way -- a non-negotiable requirement of a transition tee.

My favorite transition tees are ones with unique sleeves, simple round or square necklines and a tissue-soft texture. If I only had the money to purchase one, I would definitely invest in a red Ella Moss scoop-neck cap-sleeve. Mine is more than two years old, and I still wear her once or twice a week with jeans, dressy shorts, even black work trousers.

And after at least fifty washes, my baby Ella is still as red as the day she begged me to take her home.

Ladies, your transition tees:

Top to bottom:
1. Helium scoopneck by Velvet ($68 at anthropologie.com)
2. Icebox tee ($34.95 at anthropologie.com)
3. Radiant scoopneck by Michael Stars ($44 at anthropologie.com)
4. Seaboard scoopneck by Rebecca Beeson ($48 at anthropologie.com)
5. Tia peasant tee by Rebecca Beeson ($58 at anthropologie.com)
6. Mesh and Jersey cap-sleeve by James Perse ($76 at shopbop.com)
7. Seagull print crew by Primp ($66 at shopbop.com)
8. Cheryl top by Ella Moss ($97 at urbanchiconline.com)
9. Banded top by Ella Moss ($90 at urbanchiconline.com)
10. Hannah tee by Velvet ($65 at activeendeavors.com)
11. Ebony ¾-sleeve by Zooey ($65 at activeendeavors.com)
12. Cap-sleeve top by Karen Zambos ($147 at couturecandy.com)
13. Shine top by Michael Stars ($42.75 at couturecandy.com)
14. Puff sleeve dot top by Theory ($75 at southmoonunder.com)
15. Pixie flutter v-neck by Ella Moss ($79 at daszign.com)

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Love the Theory tee with the polka dots! Spending $60+ on a t-shirt is tough, but you're right, when it's this versatile, it's worth it.

That tee is going into the top 3 of my wishlist!

Anonymous said...

This is such a great collection!