Five Plus One is our weekly series of buyer’s guides. We pick a specific category and dig up five great options along with one that’s a little outside the norm.
The weather is heating up, and what better a way to celebrate than with an indigo dyed tee shirt? Ordinarily I’m a proponent for buying solid indigo items and then letting them fade overtime, but when it comes to t-shirts it’s hard not to like indigo pattern. Whether they’re tie-dyed, gradient dip dyed, or dyed with an indigo pattern, the uniqueness of each individual garment makes them hard to pass by.
1) Ron Herman: Tie Dye Shirt
It’s hard to beat a classic tie-dye shirt, particularly when it is as well executed as this one. I particularly like the rolled trim on this shirt since it allows you to see that the fabric was tie-died first and sewn later, which can be noted by the harsh end to the pattern on the sleeves. This shirt is finished wide, swooping neck opening that is perfect for the summer.
Available for $120 from Mr. Porter.
2) Faherty: Indigo Pocket Tee
This Faherty Indigo Pocket Tee has a unique color gradient, which was created by dip dyeing the garment multiple times. Each successive immersion covered less of the shirt, which created the uneven darkening pattern on the final product. This 100% cotton t-shirt features a single front pocket and non-ribbed collar.
Available for $88 from Stag Provisions.
3) Sol Angeles: Spray Tie Stripe Tee
It’s always nice to see some unique indigo dyeing patterns, particularly from made in the USA companies. This Sol Angeles tee may just look like another t-shirt with horizontal stripes to some, but it’s far more than that — the bleeding tie-dye stripes are quite unique, and will look phenomenal as they fade over time. This 100% cotton shirt features a ribbed collar and slim fit.
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Available for $88 from East Dane.
4) Blue Blue Japan: Arimatsu Tie Dyed Tee
Blue Blue Japan consistently releases great products but are sadly under-appreciated here in US. This Arimatsu Tie Dyed Tee features vertical indigo stripes and ribbed crew collar. It’s fit is described as a “Japanese Slim Fit,” and based on the measurements it is much slimmer than slim-fit tees offered in the US so be careful when ordering.
Available for $159 from Unionmade Goods.
5) The Hill-Side: Murakumo Shibori Tee
The Hill-Side is always releasing exciting new fabrics and prints, so it’s nice to see them embrace shibori dyeing. This method of dyeing is a Japanese resistance dyeing technique that is very similar to tie-dyeing. you can that several different resistance methods were used for this shirt, such as the central vertical fold and the individual ties that are most easily seen on the left side of the shirt.
Available for $150 from Unionmade Goods.
Plus One – Orslow Printed Indigo Tee
Not every indigo-dyed shirt has to be tie-dyed. This Orslow tee is halfway between a t-shirt and a pair of scrubs, which was bound to happen eventually; if there is one thing I’ve learned from having friends in the medical field, it’s that I’m missing out on the comfort of scrubs. This shirt is finished with a causal v-neck and a vented slit on either side.
Available for $85 from Gentry NYC.
