No matter your style preferences, quarantine has probably made you reconsider the best clothing brands when it comes to basics like sweats and tees (turns out the best sweats aren’t the stretched out joints you’ve had since college). Perhaps quar has also brought out your wildest fashion instincts and most radical forms of self expression (if so, that’s a beautiful thing). But it has certainly made you realize—damn—your high school basketball shorts are just not going to get you through another season of staying in. These 25 brands can definitely help, and maybe even enhance your more daring style adventures too. That’s the beauty of the best clothing brands for basics; like quarantine, they’re entirely what you make of them.
Cult-Loved Tees
Buck Mason
Buck Mason’s tees made our Best White T-Shirt, Best Black T-Shirt , and Best Bright Color T-Shirts lists. There’s a cut, weight, price trifecta happening here that is just magic.
Buck Mason slub classic pocket tee
$40.00, Buck Mason
Buck Mason slub classic tee
$35.00, Buck Mason
Jungmaven
If you like your T-shirts soft, faded, with the air of a rare vintage-store grail, Jungmaven’s hemp tees will be your new addiction. Unsurprisingly. the Cali brand also excels in the art of tie dye.
Jungmaven Jung tee
$48.00, Jungmaven
Jungmaven 100% hemp pocket tee
$96.00, Jungmaven
Comfort Colors
Part of the Gildan family, Comfort Colors tees are softer than a Drake ballad and come in dozens of vaguely ’90s, garment-dyed hues, like chambray, charcoal, and faded purple.
Comfort Colors pocket tee
$11.00, Amazon
Comfort Colors pocket tee
$11.00, Amazon
Everybody.World
If you love a fresh-outta-the-box tee but want to indulge consciously, Everybody.World makes deeply excellent T-shirts using 100% recycled fabric and ethical labor practices.
Everybody.World recycled cotton classic trash tee
$39.00, Everybody.World
Everybody.World recycled cotton long-sleeve trash tee
$45.00, Everybody.World
Lady White Co.
A GQ staff favorite, Lady White Co. tees are made in LA from ring-spun cotton and come in strangely-hard-to-find colors like sand and rose. Happy to report the sweats and socks also kill.
Lady White Co our T-shirt
$55.00, Lady White Co
Lady White Co light jersey t-shirt
$55.00, Lady White Co
Levi’s
Levi’s is a great basics brand all around, but we’re especially sweet on Levi’s Vintage Clothing’s 1950s tee which manages to be heavy and soft and has muscle-enhancing extra-short sleeves.
Levi’s Vintage Clothing 1950s sportswear tee
$65.00, End Clothing
Levi’s Vintage Clothing 1950s sportswear tee
$65.00, End Clothing
Socks & Underwear
Sunspel
Sunspel has been around since 1860, so it’s basically the basics king. Treat yourself—and your Tinder dates—to the English brand’s quality underwear and you’ll feel a bit like royalty too.
Sunspel Liberty print boxer shorts
$70.00, Sunspel
Sunspel superfine cotton trunks in white
$45.00, Sunspel
Nice Laundry
Whether it’s a suite of stay-up dress socks or its genius boxer/mesh short hybrid, Nice Laundry is quietly innovative—no neon palm trees here—and also priced exceptionally well.
Nice Laundry ribbed solid socks (3-pack)
$49.00, Nice Laundry
Nice Laundry boxer lounge shorts (3-pack)
$75.00, Nice Laundry
Uniqlo
Come for the Christophe Lemaire-designed pants or the ridiculously warm puffers, but don’t leave without a stack of ribbed socks and soft cotton boxers—a.k.a. the real prize of shopping at Uniqlo.
Uniqlo ribbed socks
$4.00, Uniqlo
Uniqlo supima cotton boxer briefs
$7.00, Uniqlo
Bombas
Doesn’t matter if you’re a no-show, ankles-out guy or a man who isn’t afraid to rock loafers and turquoise dress socks, Bombas makes the most comfortable socks around.
Bombas space dyed cushion no show socks
$12.00, Bombas
Bombas ribbed dress socks
$15.00, Bombas
Gap
When it comes to old-school mall stores, Gap wins the award for best basics. We’re still very much into the brand’s ribbed tank tops and boxer shorts, all these decades later.
Gap ribbed tank top
$17.00, Gap
Gap 3″ stretch boxer briefs
$15.00, Gap
Sweats
Reigning Champ
This Canadian label makes our favorite heavy-duty hoodie of all time, but tbh we wouldn’t kick any of their sweats off the couch. No flashy branding here, just quality fleece wear.
Reigning Champ terry sweatshort
$105.00, Reigning Champ
Reigning Champ lightweight terry crewneck
$125.00, Reigning Champ
Champion
Champion got it very right when it invented its durable—and shrink-proof!—reverse weave fabric in the ‘30s. We’ve been wearing their hoodies since high school and don’t intend to quit.
Champion Reverse Weave popover hoodie
$105.00, Champion
Chamion Reverse Weave classic crew sweat
$95.00, Champion
Entireworld
If you love the faded tones and extremely chill slouch of vintage sweats, you’ll appreciate Entireworld’s entire fleece-wear line. Ace Zoom casual by mixing in oversized Oxford shirts.
Entireworld Type C sweatpants
$88.00, Entireworld
Entireworld Type C sweatshorts
$58.00, Entireworld
Cotton Citizen
LA basics line Cotton Citizen doesn’t do collections; there are core pieces and every season you get ’em in fresh colors. Convenient, if you fall for their super-soft sweats as many, many have.
Cotton Citizen Jackson pullover
$225.00, Cotton Citizen
Cotton Citizen Bronx sweats
$225.00, Cotton Citizen
Aime Leon Dore
If you want the perfect sweatsuit, fresh sneakers, and accessories that’ll turn it into a massive fit, NYC label Aime Leon Dore can handle all three requests with equal skill.
Aime Leon Dore uniform crewneck
$140.00, Aime Leon Dore
Aime Leon Dore logo sweatpants
$185.00, Aime Leon Dore
Casual Basics
Club Monaco
Club Monaco’s muted, minimalist aesthetic isn’t for everyone, but if you’re looking to stock up on basics—particularly lightweight knits—you’ll always find what you’re looking for here.
Club Monaco short-sleeve boucle crew
$120.00, Club Monaco
Club Monaco linen crew sweater
$120.00, Club Monaco
Alex Mill
From boxy striped tees to drawstring chinos and rumpled Oxford shirts, everything at Alex Mill has a relaxed ease that’s built for quarantine. You’ll feel less stressed upon contact.
Alex Mill pocket t-shirt in cotton
$65.00, Alex Mill
Alex Mill pull on button fly pant
$115.00, Alex Mill
Polo Ralph Lauren
Ralph Lauren makes a whole lot of clothes that are the opposite of basic—think: patchwork shearling aviator jumpsuits—but, c’mon, no one makes a better Oxford, rugby, or polo shirt.
Polo iconic Oxford shirt
$99.00, Ralph Lauren
Polo rugby tee
$99.00, Ralph Lauren
Everlane
Many tech bros have made uniforms out of Everlane’s streamlined basics. Whether or not you want a Zuckerberg-plain wardrobe, there’s solid, building-block stuff in here for everyone.
Everlane re-cashmere crew
$99.00, Everlane
Everlane slim-fit performance air oxford
$62.00, Everlane
Todd Snyder
Todd Snyder‘s basics are so sophisticated, even his cotton weekend clothes and Champion sweats are nice enough to wear to dinner. The designer also has a mesmerizing way with color.
Todd Snyder cotton cashmere sweater
$188.00, Todd Snyder
Todd Snyder pleated pant
$148.00, Todd Snyder
Carhartt WIP
Carhartt WIP makes solid beanies, tees, and hoodies but the basics to focus on from the American brand are of the workwear variety. Chore coats, drill pants, overalls if you’re feeling alive.
Carhartt Michigan chore coat
$218.00, Carhartt WIP
Carhartt WIP single knee pant
$135.00, Carhartt WIP
COS
There are the basics you want to lay on the couch in and then there is the stuff from COS. In these modern, sophisticated clothes, you’ll be motivated to do more than just binge bad TV.
COS silk cotton knit polo shirt
$89.00, COS
COS regular cotton pants
$99.00, COS
Basic Rights
Basic Rights is a London-based brand making retro, musician-inspired clothes that don’t look at all costume-y. Go here for open-collar shirts, slim trousers, and mock-neck knits.
Basic Rights short-sleeve rockabully shirt
$110.00, Basic Rights
Basic Rights cotton high waisted trousers
$160.00, Basic Rights
Rag & Bone
For the best black basics in the business, you can’t go wrong with Rag & Bone whose jeans and chinos always fit perfectly and whose button-downs never manage to be stuffy.
Rag & Bone Tomlin slim-fit button-down shirt
$225.00, Mr Porter
Rag & Bone Fit 2 chinos
$225.00, Mr Porter
Originally Appeared on GQ