Whoever said “Youth is wasted on the young” was on to something.  Like many women, I had body issues when I was younger (and I can’t blame social media). I was perennially trying to lose 5 pounds.  I was, in fact, a bean pole, with a pretty good body. Fast forward and I’m now in my early 60’s. I work hard at being in decent shape (walking, weight workouts, healthy eating) and… low and behold, I am seeing the signs of what’s commonly known as “old lady arms”.  I realize I’m probably the only one who notices, so I’m not going to obsess about my arms. Nonetheless, now that summer is officially here, I’m on the hunt for basic white t-shirts that cover my upper arms. 

You’ll Need Multiple T-Shirts

Summer styles will demand that, ideally, you have a few white t-shirts in your wardrobe arsenal.  You’ll want a boxy, oversized one for some outfits, a more fitted one for layering under other pieces.  And, as I wrote in this post about white button-down shirts, white t-shirts are also perishable.  You will inevitably get a stain or spot on your favorite one.  So, if you find some good t-shirts that cover your upper arms, it’s best to stock up.

On the Hunt – Here are Some Good Options for T-shirts that Cover Upper Arms

I went on the hunt for affordable, but high-quality white t-shirts that have longer sleeves to cover my upper arms.  You can spend more money on a basic, white T…but why?  As I shopped, my criteria was great fabric and good cut at an excellent price point. And, I found some great options that you can check out.

Gap

One of my first stops for basics is usually Gap.  They have pretty high-quality fabrics, cuts and construction for usually good prices.  The store is usually having some sort of a sale or promotion which makes their basics a great value.  I find these sales so frequently, that they have trained me (and I’m sure others) that full price is generally too much for Gap items.   If I had to pay full price I’d probably walk away. These were on sale at roughly $12.00 each, which is a bargain.

As the first stop, Gap had some good options in the t-shirt department.

Woman in a t-shirt that covers her upper arms.
The Organic Cotton Vintage Tee has good sleeve length and a slightly boxy shape.
The Modern Crewneck Tee is a bit more fitted than the others, but the sleeves are long and snug.
Woman in a boxy white t-shirt with short sleeves.
This is the Vintage Shrunken Tee. It had a super cute, slightly cropped boxy shape –but the sleeves were too short for me.

Uniqlo

Honestly, I had never spent much time in the Chicago Uniqlo stores and I was pleasantly surprised.  They had several good options with a longer sleeve.  The fabric felt great.  I bought three different styles.  A more boxy one; one with a cute split-hem detail that’s slightly longer in the back (perfect for a front tuck); and a more relaxed “drape” T-shirt.  The price for each was $19.99.

Woman in a white t-shirt from Zara that covers her upper arms.
The SUPIMA Cotton Crewneck T-Shirt is a great option .
Woman in a white t-shirt from Zara that is slightly longer in the back.
The AIRism Cotton Short-Sleeve T-Shirt has great sleeve length and a slightly longer back.
Woman in a relaxed white t-shirt.
The AIRism Drape T-Shirt is also good, but with a more relaxed, slouchy vibe.

The check out was also super interesting. You simply toss your items in this machine and it reads and totals everything. No scanning needed.

The scanless checkout at Uniqlo.

Zara

Zara always has affordable and stylish options.  These boxy deep V-neck T’s were $11.99.  I tried both the Small and Medium and couldn’t decide, so I got them both.

Woman in a deep V-neck t-shirt from Zara.
Woman in a white t-shirt with a deep v-neck that covers the upper arms.

Some Good Options if You’re Looking for T-Shirts that Cover Upper Arms

This exercise proved that if you want to choose t-shirts that cover your upper arms, there are some great options out there. I will wear them with pride, and no one (but you and me) will be the wiser.

WETSU! WETSU!

XO JT

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