# Am I the only one who hates T-shirts made of thick, heavy cotton? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 4, 2011, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-hates-t-shirts-made-of-thick-heavy-cotton/573459 "2011-03-04T07:01:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2011, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-hates-t-shirts-made-of-thick-heavy-cotton/573459/1 "2011-03-04T07:01:48Z")
People always advertise high-end T-shirts as being made of “ultra-super-heavyweight cotton” or something like that, like it’s some extremely great thing. Personally I can’t stand this type of material for shirts. I like my T-shirts to be made out of the thinnest, softest material possible. PacSun and “The Buckle” carry these really fine, lightweight Ts that I used to buy all the time. Hanes also makes a good basic lightweight T-shirt (Comfort Fit) but honestly even that I could do with being a _little_ bit thinner. Why do I like this? Because it is cooler (temperature wise), and it fits the body naturally instead of hanging over shapelessly like the thick, stiff shirts tend to. Anyone agre? ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2011, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-hates-t-shirts-made-of-thick-heavy-cotton/573459/2 "2011-03-04T07:17:09Z")
No. I’m looking for blank retro-style tees myself because I find their light weight more comfortable and close fit more flattering…there’s just so many cartoons a grown woman can take wearing for the sake of the style, though. ---
**Author:** ![TravisFromOR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cc9497/32.png) [@TravisFromOR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TravisFromOR)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2011, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-hates-t-shirts-made-of-thick-heavy-cotton/573459/3 "2011-03-04T07:25:44Z")
To the OP: Do you wear your T-shirts as an undershirt or just as a shirt? As an undershirt, I like the thinner, lightweight ones, but on the weekends, or when I go for a run, the heavier, more substantial shirts are preferred. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2011, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-hates-t-shirts-made-of-thick-heavy-cotton/573459/4 "2011-03-04T07:27:39Z")
Just as a shirt, unless it’s cold and I need multiple layers. ---
**Author:** ![Darryl\_Lict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@Darryl\_Lict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darryl_Lict)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2011, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-hates-t-shirts-made-of-thick-heavy-cotton/573459/5 "2011-03-04T11:46:31Z")
Nope, Hane’s Beefy-T’s are the gold standard for me. I cannot stand 50-50 polyester blend. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2011, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-hates-t-shirts-made-of-thick-heavy-cotton/573459/6 "2011-03-04T11:52:32Z")
For me, a good shirt is thick, very sturdy _and_ very soft. ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2011, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-hates-t-shirts-made-of-thick-heavy-cotton/573459/7 "2011-03-04T11:53:31Z")
I sometimes wear a light Hanes cotton undershirt underneath a heavier outer T shirt or polo short. In winter it’s warmer and on summer it’s less sweaty than the outer layer alone. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2011, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-hates-t-shirts-made-of-thick-heavy-cotton/573459/8 "2011-03-04T15:34:02Z")
I wear Carhartt Ts pretty much every day of my life, so heavier is better for durability. Also, I like the pocket. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2011, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-hates-t-shirts-made-of-thick-heavy-cotton/573459/9 "2011-03-04T15:40:34Z")
The thicker the better. Thin is Evil. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2011, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-hates-t-shirts-made-of-thick-heavy-cotton/573459/10 "2011-03-04T15:41:16Z")
For women, the style seems to be tissue-thin tanks and tees for ‘layering’. That’s all you see in Target. I don’t get it myself, you need a sturdy bra underneath these clingy things to avoid ‘pokeage’. Maybe it’s a marketing device, to get you to buy two or three layers instead of one decent heavy layer. I only wear a tank or tee under a shirt or blouse (worn as a jacket), since I’m not 15, or weigh 100 lbs. any more, and a t-shirt and shorts as an ensemble makes me look short(er) and squat(er). ---
**Author:** ![miss\_elizabeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@miss\_elizabeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/miss_elizabeth)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2011, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-hates-t-shirts-made-of-thick-heavy-cotton/573459/11 "2011-03-04T17:08:37Z")
You should look into buying from American Apparel. They have very thin shirts, in every possible color. Personally I prefer mine thin, but not tissue thin. Medium weight, maybe? I used to not mind the thicker shirts, but since I started wearing thinner ones, the thick ones feel weird and stiff. ---
**Author:** ![Mooch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mooch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mooch)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2011, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-hates-t-shirts-made-of-thick-heavy-cotton/573459/12 "2011-03-04T17:20:34Z")
I agree. I like thinner ones because they are a little more form-fitting. Hanes are hit and miss. Lately, they seem to be sizing them up a little bit or something because they feel bigger to me which is lame. Or maybe their quality control is shit. I’ve got some great thin ones from Banana Republic, but are due for the rag bin sooner rather than later. ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2011, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-hates-t-shirts-made-of-thick-heavy-cotton/573459/13 "2011-03-04T17:31:09Z")
I disagree. I like them the thicker the better. The thin ones seem to not hold their shape well and some can almost be transparent-like. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2011, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-hates-t-shirts-made-of-thick-heavy-cotton/573459/14 "2011-03-04T17:47:37Z")
> [@Argent\_Towers](#): > > and it fits the body naturally instead of hanging over shapelessly like the thick, stiff shirts tend to. For us [Hans & Franz]flabby girly-men[/Hans & Franz], that’s not a good thing. ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2011, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-hates-t-shirts-made-of-thick-heavy-cotton/573459/15 "2011-03-04T18:01:52Z")
Moving threads (ha!) from Cafe Society to IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2011, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-hates-t-shirts-made-of-thick-heavy-cotton/573459/16 "2011-03-04T18:11:41Z")
The thinner ones make my boobs look better (bigger). The heavy cotton ones don’t show the subtleties of one’s chest. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2011, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-hates-t-shirts-made-of-thick-heavy-cotton/573459/17 "2011-03-04T18:31:28Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > For us [Hans & Franz]flabby girly-men[/Hans & Franz], that’s not a good thing. Indeed. I also sweat quite a bit and thin shirts aren’t very absorbent. ---
**Author:** ![rayman5321](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@rayman5321](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rayman5321)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2011, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-hates-t-shirts-made-of-thick-heavy-cotton/573459/18 "2011-03-04T18:33:09Z")
The thicker, the better! ---
**Author:** ![BetsQ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/fbc32d/32.png) [@BetsQ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BetsQ)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2011, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-hates-t-shirts-made-of-thick-heavy-cotton/573459/19 "2011-03-04T18:33:15Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > The thinner ones make my boobs look better (bigger). The heavy cotton ones don’t show the subtleties of one’s chest. This is about 90% of why I like thicker t-shirts. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2011, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-hates-t-shirts-made-of-thick-heavy-cotton/573459/20 "2011-03-04T18:48:39Z")
> [@BetsQ](#): > > This is about 90% of why I like thicker t-shirts. Because they hide your chest, or in your experience the thicker shirts make your boobs look better? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-hates-t-shirts-made-of-thick-heavy-cotton/573459.md?page=2)