There's nothing quite like the thrill of coming across the perfect vintage T-shirt or shirt. While there's no shortage of options out there these days, the best vintage T-shirts set the bar for what your contemporary tee wants to be—it's irresistibly soft and broken-in and harnesses a cool factor inherent to finding a needle in a haystack. You probably already know that vintage T-shirts tend to be better quality too. Technically, anything vintage should be at least 20 years old, and if your tee was around when Britney Spears first crooned "…Baby One More Time" and is still in good shape, it can last you another 20 if you take care of it.
I grew up frequenting a special stretch of Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles for vintage T-shirts and underwear that my mom should not have let me keep, but with all of the stellar options online today, I rarely have to leave my couch when I'm in the mood to shop secondhand. The majority of tees I've sourced in my roundup below are from trusted sources like Etsy, Vestiaire Collective, and Urban Outfitters, sites that I typically don't have to scour for long. If you don't have the patience to scroll even a little bit, I've also included a few new-but-vintage-like options that actually look vintage because there's nothing that drives me crazier than a new tee trying its hardest to have a patina.
From striped pocket tees à la Miu Miu to rugby button-downs and band tees, 33 enviable vintage shirts await.
A really good find if I say so myself.
Did someone say Miu Miu?
Oy vey, I love this.
Such a good vacation tee.
I seriously contemplated buying this for myself. If it's gone by the time you read this… sorry.
Do yourself a favor and check out the back of this one.
This rainbow graphic is too cute.
A band tee that actually looks vintage for a fraction of the price.
This tank will make someone very happy one day.
I'm not that into sports, but I would sport this.
I love that Urban Outfitters takes deadstock vintage items and reimagines them with its Urban Renewal line. This tie-dye baby tee is a must in my book.
A square-neck top for your troubles.
You'll be hard-pressed to find a contemporary Burberry bear tee in red.
Aye carumba is right!
I can always count on Re/Done for a good vintage-inspired tee.
Really into the cobalt-blue stripes here.
The sheen on this vintage Versace blouse is just right.
It's the color scheme for me.
Another tee I seriously contemplated buying for myself.
This is a new pick, but you could have fooled me.
Yeehaw!
Bode, anyone?
'Tis the season.
If you're a Bode fan, I'll bet you've seen its panda T-shirt for 10 times the price of this little guy.
Okay, this might be a corset, but how could I not include it?!
Buttery-soft vintage tees are my love language.
In a surprising twist, Abercrombie Fitch does a great vintage-impersonator shirt!
Exhibit B.
I'm a sucker for three-quarter-length sleeves.
Another ringer tee you probably can't live without.
If you're not familiar, Pamela Anderson wore the long-sleeve version of this tee in an iconic '90s spread.
It's not quite vintage, but I'll take it!
A sheer delight!
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