The Tapered T-shirt

Japanese circular-knitted T-shirts are great: robust, superior touch, only getting better with age.

But they have one problem: because they’re made as a tube, they have no shape. They’re usually short and square, which is rarely flattering and can lead to them getting wider over time.

Simon had long been a fan of these Japanese T-shirts, but was frustrated by the fit, which was so different to the regular tapered shape you get with any normal T-shirt.

So he embarked on a project to find a tapered, circular-knitted tee, and ended up working with Allevol, asking them to make their classic heavy-duty T-shirt, but tapered to make the fit more flattering for everyday wear.

The resulting T-shirt is made in Japan, from 100% raw American cotton. It uses a 14-count yarn, which is about twice as heavy as a regular tee, but which is a good weight for any but the very hottest or most humid summers.

Simon also tweaked the Allevol design to give it a higher back neck, which again is more flattering. Other features of the T-shirt include a bound collar with triple stitching, to stop it growing over time.

For Simon this is the ultimate T-shirt: the best quality but with a high neck line and a standard taper through the body.

See the full article for further details and the story behind the collaboration here

Fit details:

- The T-shirts fit like any regular tee in the body (from Sunspel for example) which all have a slight taper

- The only difference you will notice is that the chest is a little larger, and the shoulder seam slightly dropped. Both of which Simon finds quite flattering

- In the images, Simon is wearing a Medium and Taka is wearing a Small. However, Simon also wears a Large, and the nice thing about the taper is that it doesn’t look too big. He is pictured in a white Medium and then a Large in two subsequent images here. 

- Here is what our customers say "I just received my white T shirt and whilst I’ve got used to pretty high expectations from PS, this has simply smashed the ball out of the park! Ridiculously comfortable the fit is absolutely spot on"

Product details:

- 100% American raw cotton, spun into a 14-count yarn

- Although heavier than most mainstream T-shirts, this is common among Japanese makes, which are designed for heavy duty and to retain their shape

- The weight is fine throughout the summer. You might feel the difference in a tropical country, or when it’s 35 degrees and above, but not otherwise

- Circular knitted, in Osaka, Japan before being cut and sewn in the sides

- Care like a dress shirt: wash cool and hang dry

- The density of the material means it has a natural stretch that means it adapts to your body during the day, as denim can. You can give the shirt a slight stretch after washing too, to accelerate this