I think I need to preface this entire post by saying that when the Citizens of Humanity tee showed up on the site for $78, my first thought was, "that's more than I want to spend on a tee". I have been on the search for great cheap tees forever. I have bought a whole lot from Target, a whole lot from Gap, and have dabbled in other fast fashion brands. Besides the fact that I feel guilty for contributing to the disastrous effects on the environment that fast fashion companies have, I have also amassed a pile of "pretty decent", but not great tees. I like this linen v-neck tee from the Gap quite a bit, but the fit is a little off (the body is just a bit short), and the neckline just a bit off from perfect. There is a tee from Target that is pretty good, but the fabric isn't soft, and the body is a little narrow but in a way that doesn't skim the curves in a flattering way. I have a lot of "pretty goods". Why is it so hard to just do a simple tee that looks good, feels good, and fits good? It really seems like it should be easier, but clearly it's not.
So when there was a $15 off Citizens tees promo at Melange, I decided to grab the heather grey one. Here's what I will say about the tee that I thought was too expensive. The fabric is better, the cut is better, the neckline is better. It's relaxed, but not overly sloppy. The fabric is light and thin, but not so sheer I'm going to pop a hole in it. It's delightfully soft, so the drape is perfect.The neckline is open and flattering, but not too low (or too high). It's the simplest of tees really, but all those "almost rights" were actually made "right" on this tee so it's worth 20 of the near miss tees. It's the "cool girl" of tees. Plus, I can feel good because it's made in Los Angeles by a company that actually gives a crap about the environment.
So there you go people, I've divulged my cheap streak when it comes to tees, and also explained my new appreciation for the perfect tee (despite the higher price tag). I want a stack of these, but I'll settle for the grey and white for now, I know they will be my favorite two tees ant he ones I reach for again and again.
Signed, ME {lv}
