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 havelet 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.
Vintage
90's Thelonius Monk T-Shirt
A really good find if I say so myself.
Land's End
Vintage 80's Basic T-Shirt
Did someone say Miu Miu?
Gucci
T-Shirt
Oy vey, I love this.
Vintage
1970s Rio Brazil Windsurf Graphic T-Shirt
Such a good vacation tee.
Vintage
1990s Point Break Surf Graphic T-Shirt
I seriously contemplated buying this for myself. If it's gone by the time you read this… sorry.
Vintage
Grateful Dead Spiraling Bears 1991 Summer Tour
Do yourself a favor and check out the back of this one.
Vintage
1970's/80's Rainbow Camp Comeca T-Shirt
This rainbow graphic is too cute.
Reclaimed Vintage
Wu-Tang Licensed T-Shirt
A band tee that actually looks vintage for a fraction of the price.
Jean Paul Gaultier
Shirt
This tank will make someone very happy one day.
Vintage
NY Giants Football Raglan Pullover Top
I'm not that into sports, but I would sport this.
Urban Renewal
Remade Tie-Dye Baby Tee
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.
Burberry
Shirt
A square-neck top for your troubles.
Burberry
T-Shirt
You'll be hard-pressed to find a contemporary Burberry bear tee in red.
Vintage
1990's Aye Carumba Bootleg Bart Graphic T-Shirt
Aye carumba is right!
RE/DONE
Classic Tee Lets Be Friends
I can always count on Re/Done for a good vintage-inspired tee.
Urban Renewal
Vintage Rugby Shirt
Really into the cobalt-blue stripes here.
Versace
Silk Blouse
The sheen on this vintage Versace blouse is just right.
Vintage
80s Iowa State Cyclones Single Stitch T-Shirt
It's the color scheme for me.
BEST
CO.
Striped T-Shirt
Another tee I seriously contemplated buying for myself.
Damson Madder
Bon Appetito Shirt
This is a new pick, but you could have fooled me.
Vintage
Western Embroidered Snap Button Shirt
Yeehaw!
Vintage
Short-Sleeve Collared Button-Up Shirt
Bode, anyone?
Vintage
Los Angles 80s Summer Olympics Ringer Tee
'Tis the season.
Vintage
Panda Bear Nature T-shirt
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.
D&G
Silk Corset
Okay, this might be a corset, but how could I not include it?!
Adidas
Vintage 1970's White Ringer T Shirt
Buttery-soft vintage tees are my love language.
Abercrombie
Fitch
Cropped Prince Graphic Tee
In a surprising twist, Abercrombie
Fitch does a great vintage-impersonator shirt!
Abercrombie
Fitch
Short-Sleeve Matisse Graphic Skimming Tee
Exhibit B.
Vintage
1960s Distressed Spooner Graphic Shirt
I'm a sucker for three-quarter-length sleeves.
Courrèges
T-Shirt
Another ringer tee you probably can't live without.
RE/DONE
90s Baby Tee
If you're not familiar, Pamela Anderson wore the long-sleeve version of this tee in an iconic '90s spread.