Whitesville Vintage-Style 2-Pack Tee Shirts, Black
Since 2007, we have been bringing these wonderful, bygone tees to the USA, which standout as one of our favorite everyday items. It was in June of 2022, that the production team for the FX TV show, The Bear, contacted us to purchase several packs of this Whitesville tee shirt in white for Jeremy Allen White's character, and they have subsequently gone on to purchase even more as the show enjoys continued success. Now you can make this tee shirt of minor celebrity an everyday favorite and shop from the actual supplier to the show. Just as was the case with our introduction of the Buzz Rickson William Gibson black MA-1 Jacket in 2003, the rest, as the saying goes, is history ...
The Whitesville brand is a long-defunct sportswear label from the "good old days" in American clothing that was resurrected by the same manufacturer that brings us the world-renowned Buzz Rickson's, Sugar Cane, and Sun Surf brands. Whitesville tee shirts take us back to when tee shirts were not moo moo dresses outfitted with short sleeves that flirt with our elbows; rather, these are vintage-style tee shirts of the 1950's - 1970's that are trim fitting, short in the body length, and with quarter-length sleeves. The trim design with quarter sleeves lends itself well to reducing excess fabric and bulk when worn as an undershirt or just as a tee shirt, and the short body length affords a flattering look when worn untucked, typically stopping near the trouser pockets, though tucking in remains anyone's option.
The original tee shirts were made on “body-size” looms which yield a shirt with no side seams, thus weaving a perfect tube. To do this requires special looms that are only used by specialist manufacturers these days; subsequently, the looms are hard to source and expensive to produce garments on because you need one loom for each size you want made - but it's the proper way to make a vintage-style tee shirt, and it's the only way they were made in the 1950's - ‘70's.
The expertise for making such a garment is largely only found in one place in the world these days - Japan. The Japanese have become renowned as world experts in vintage-style garment manufacture and home of body-size construction, being able to produce super-accurate, vintage-quality fabrics.
These Whitesville vintage-style tee shirts are produced from fine-weave, long-staple, 7-ounce cotton with a high stitch count, have a reinforced rib-knit neck tape, and come in vintage-style packaging with two tee shirts per pack, thus the price you see on this page is for two tee shirts, not one.
We cannot endorse these tee shirts any more highly; they are a staff favorite, and we're sure you'll want to make them a wardrobe staple!
Available in sizes Sm - XXL. Shrinkage should be expected. Please see our SIZING TIPS for advice on how to get the correct fit.
Imported from Japan
Whitesville Vintage-Style 2-Pack Tee Shirts, Black
SIZING TIPS
About this Style: Our Whitesville tee shirts are the original fit and design commonly encountered in the late 1950's - 1970's, being short in body and sleeve length and not loose and sloppy. These are NOT a tapered fit, so the chest width and width of bottom hem are nearly the same, thus even if you elect a chest fit that is "painted on," there will still be some excess fabric in the waist area unless your waist measure is close to the same circumference as your chest. But also please keep in mind that this is a short-waisted, vintage fit, so these shirts will not have that moo-moo-esque dress fit so typical of tee shirts contemporary to the current era.
The sizing on the undershirts is sensible if you wish to wear the shirts as originally intended - as an undergarment or to simply fit as if it was an undergarment. Just as with traditional underwear, the fabric will stretch nicely to the size and shape of your body, and because these are true tube construction, you can forcibly and permanently stretch the chest/body width by about 1/2" gain.
Though made from a rinsed cotton, these shirts still will incur some shrinkage after washing, most especially in length, hence that true, short-waisted vintage look. Typical shrinkage in length over many washings in warm water and in a warm dryer yields a length loss of about 2". The chest and shoulder widths can be expected to decrease by 1/2" in the same wash/drying conditions. If washing in cold water and line or flat drying, shrinkage may be less significant.
Tip 1: Determine if you want to wear this shirt like traditional underwear (like a second skin in the chest area), or looser than traditional underwear (with some excess fabric in the chest area). For example: If your chest measures 40” and you want the shirt to fit your chest (not your waist area) as if painted on, order size Med.; if you prefer a looser fit with slight room in the chest area, please order size Lg.
Tip 2: Follow the instructions entitled “How to Use Product Measures to Obtain a Good Fit” listed under the PRODUCT MEASUREMENTS tab for this product. After finding no substantive conflicts with your body measures obtained from the tab entitled BODY MEASURING, order this garment in a size that is equal to your chest circumference measure. If you prefer a roomier or longer fit, then order the next available size after reviewing all relative measures that pertain to that size, or the reverse if you desire a "painted-on" fit in the chest area.
Tip 3: Please note that your chest circumference measure is not necessarily the labeled size you wear in another garment you may own from a different maker or even the same maker, so please take the time to obtain your true chest circumference measure so as to compare to our chart of measures; this will enable us to perform a better job getting you the right size and minimize your chances in having to deal with the hassle and cost of exchanges.
Please ask us for fitting advice if in doubt.
Tip 4: Individuals who prefer looser fits and/or those with a waist measure that is nearly equal to or greater than their chest circumference measure may jump up one or more sizes in this shirt for comfort and desired fit (when we refer to waist measure, we do not mean your trouser size; we mean the actual circumference measure of your waistline at its widest point). If you are unsure of the size to order we will assist you; please contact us with the following information: Height, waist circumference measure, chest circumference measure, body weight, and the type of fit you prefer: "Painted-on" chest area, trim, or roomy.
Whitesville Vintage-Style 2-Pack Tee Shirts, Black
PRODUCT MEASUREMENTS
The following table provides actual product measures BEFORE washing. Please see SIZING TIPS for more information on post-wash measurements. These measures are provided as an aid because, in conjunction with the information found under the SIZING TIPS tab for each product, they can sometimes be very useful when comparing the measurements from this garment to the measures of your body; however, acting as an armchair tailor should be done with caution, as well as with knowledge of other important areas of fit that are not displayed here. Armchair tailors frequently fail to take into account other significant elements that impact fit; following the information found under the SIZING TIPS tab for each garment on this web site is strongly suggested, which can be very useful in supplanting or supplementing the listed measures below.
Our measures were derived from averaging many garments of the same size from each specific size in the range of any given product, thus the measures provided are representative for each size but they may not be exactly what you will receive. Some fluctuation in size is normal and to be expected, especially in these garments that have been manufactured on vintage machinery using natural fibers; the vintage machinery and techniques that create sought-after looks and fabrics are also less precise than machines contemporary to the current era.
| Size | Sm | Med | Lg | XL | XXL |
| Chest width | 19 1/2" | 20 1/2" | 21 1/2" | 23" | |
| Shoulder width | 17" | 17 1/2" | 18 1/2" | 20.5" | |
| Back length | 24 1/2" | 25 1/2" | 26 1/2" | 28" | |
How to Use the Product Measures to Obtain a Good Fit:
1) Using the measurements listed for this product and information found under the tab entitled MEASURING GARMENTS to understand our measuring technique, please double the chest measure to obtain the total external chest circumference of this garment. For example: If the chest measure listed for size Medium is 20”, doubling this measure yields a 40” external chest circumference.
2) Measure your chest circumference as per the tab on this web site specifically addressing BODY MEASURING, then compare your chest measure to the chest measure of this product.
3) Underwear garments are cut in such a way that the wearer can require zero to even negative space in the shirt due to the stretch characteristics of the fabric. If your chest circumference is 40”, a product with a 20” chest width has a 40” external chest circumference and would provide no external room in this scenario (chest measures 40”, external chest measure of the shirt is 40”, thus zero external room would be realized).
4) If desired, repeat the measuring comparisons for back length.
5) Compare your body measures to the listed garment measures and follow the advice found under the SIZING TIPS tab to obtain a good fit.
Sometimes-Problematic Way to Determine a Good Fit:
Due to differences in how even near-identical garments are cut by different manufacturers, it is not necessarily a good idea to compare the listed measures of this product to the measures of an existing, similar product in your wardrobe to determine the correct size to order in this product. Though such comparisons can indeed work some of the time, and maybe even most of the time, vast experience with and knowledge of the products we market has proven such practices will sometimes fail. This inaccurate measuring methodology doesn't factor in other key variables of fit relative to you and the garment that includes: Armhole opening, shoulder slope, high-point shoulder, high chest, width of sleeves at all points including the all-important elbow, waist measure, and the thickness, plumpness, and rigidity of the material the garment is made from, naming just some variables influencing fit that do not appear on any list of measurements for a garment or that a customer is likely to account for.
It is best to compare your actual body measures to the listed measures of this product AND follow our advice listed under the SIZING TIPS tab specific to this product to obtain a good fit in this style.
A Good Fit:
This is highly subjective - what one person may think is too big, another may think fits perfectly. Some garments are cut quite generously and others are cut quite trimly. If comparing measurements of one of our products to another you may own, some individuals will surely find that none or maybe only one area of measure is commonly shared or remotely close to being the same. Ultimately, chest measure is the most important area to properly fit, then all other areas of measure will have to fall into place. And some individuals who are extremely tall may find that body and/or sleeve length are more important to accommodate than even chest measure.
It is best to compare your actual body measures to the listed measures of this product AND follow our advice listed under the SIZING TIPS tab specific to this product to obtain a good fit in this style.
We strive to create a crisp fit between our products and the customer, and not a loose, sloppy look. If you prefer your clothing to fit more loosely, then we will do our best to work with you to that end, though, by the very nature of our product designs and fits it may not be possible to duplicate the slack looks found in many mainstream clothing brands even if you go up one or two sizes in our products.
