Basics
Aug 4, 2023

I Have a New Favorite White T-Shirt, Sandals, and Denim Shorts—Here's the Tea

by Allyson Payer

During the summer, I tend to ignore much of what's in my closet in favor of a T-shirt, shorts, and sandals. (For context, I live in the South and work from home, so this is a perfectly acceptable uniform.) Year after year, all of the time spent in these summery basics has led me to try and find the perfect version of each. This summer, I think I finally have.

The tee, shorts, and sandals I'm detailing below aren't all new, per se, but they may be new to you, and I'm never one to gatekeep when I love something, so let's discuss these great warm-weather basics while we're in the midst of a blazing hot summer.

Scroll on to shop the perfect white tee I waited way too long to try, the most comfortable and best-fitting denim shorts I've ever owned, and the sandals I've loved so much that I had to get them in two other colors.

Photo:

@allypayer

Why is it so hard to find a perfect white T-shirt? They're always too thick, too thin, too long, too short, too sheer, or the sleeves are too long or too short—you get the idea. Needless to say, I'm very picky about white T-shirts.

I've put Leset's Margo T-Shirts in more stories than I can count, but I'd never tried it on myself until this summer. Now that I have, I have a new favorite white T-shirt (which also comes in black and cream). The weight of the tee is on the medium side, so you don't have to worry about it being see-through. As for the fit, it's only the slightest bit boxy and cropped, and I'll probably wear it untucked more often than not. There are plenty of $20 white T-shirts out there, but I highly recommend spending a little more to get one as perfect as this.

Photo:

@allypayer

Another thing I'm extremely picky about is denim shorts. I'm more of a fan of finished hems on denim as opposed to raw hems or cutoffs, so when I saw that Agolde released a new iteration of its Parker Long Shorts with a finished hem, I placed an order immediately. I haven't been disappointed in the least.

I initially ordered these in my usual size 26 but decided to go up to a 27 to get more of a slouchy fit. It was the right choice because I would honestly wear these every single day if I could. They're incredibly comfortable, and the length is perfect (for reference, I'm 5'4"). They come in three other washes, and I'm very tempted to order them before my focus turns to fall clothes.

Photo:

@allypayer

Last but not least is a pair of sandals I've been wearing for a few summers. I love them so much that I bought them in two more colors this year. The sandals are Birkenstock's Arizona EVA Sandals. At $50, they're some of the most affordable Birkenstocks you can buy. They're wildly lightweight and comfortable. I use one pair as house shoes, another as outside shoes, and another as beach and pool shoes (the blue, of course). My dad even liked mine so much that he ordered a pair for himself. I tell everyone to get these and don't know what I'll do if Birkenstock stops making them (but I don't think they will, based on how popular they are).