As the weather gets warmer, I love being able to grab one of my go-to T-shirts and a pair of shorts. However, I realized it had been a while since I stocked up on new options.
So, I decided to check out three Gap Inc.-owned retailers — Gap, Banana Republic, and Old Navy — to see if I could find one that makes me feel both confident and comfortable.
For a fair comparison, I tried on one basic black T-shirt from each store. Here's how it went.
I started at Gap, a store I hadn't been to in a while.
It had been a bit since I'd last shopped at Gap, but my local store was stocked with T-shirts in a wide array of trendy colors, silhouettes, and patterns.
It was difficult to choose which styles I liked the most — which I considered a good sign. Plus, most of the shirts I saw ranged from about $15-$30 (some were on sale), which I found to be a fair price point.
I ended up grabbing a $30 black boatneck top, which I brought to the fitting room.
The shirt was cute, but I didn't love how it fit me.
When I tried it on, I liked the shirt's boat neckline, which I thought made the style feel elevated.
The soft-ribbed material (96% cotton and 4% Spandex) felt nice on my skin, and it wasn't see-through or too heavy.
Unfortunately, though, the body of the shirt felt loose and the arms felt tight, even though I tried it on in my usual size. The hem also felt higher on my waist than what I usually prefer, so I would size up in this style next time.
Overall, I decided to pass on this option because I didn't think the neckline would be easy to layer comfortably without riding up on the arms. So, this shirt would be one I'd only wear in the warmer months.
Next, I went to Banana Republic.
This was my first time in a Banana Republic store, as I've only owned the brand's clothing secondhand. So, I was a little surprised to see T-shirts priced at $50.
However, the interior felt elevated, and the clothing was hung and curated nicely.
While browsing, I only found a few casual shirts, and decided to try on the black minimalist cotton baby T-shirt.
I liked this option a lot, but it wasn't within my budget.
Overall, I liked this shirt's fit, hem, and semi-thick material (made of 100% cotton). The only real downside was the $50 price tag.
I definitely think I could find a shirt with a similar feel and silhouette elsewhere for a lower price. However, it's worth noting that I later saw this option for sale on the Banana Republic website for $35.
I ended my journey at Old Navy.
To round out my shopping trip, I visited Old Navy, the Gap Inc. store where I can usually find the largest selection of affordable options.
When I walked in, I found a long table of T-shirts of all different styles — stripes, bright, summery colors, and even modern band graphics.
After looking around for a bit, I brought the black snug crop T-shirt ($17) with me to the fitting room.
I really liked the Old Navy T-shirt.
Labeled on the Old Navy website as having a "snug fit," the shirt's ribbed material (made of 48% polyester, 48% cotton, and 4% Spandex) fit my curves well. I also thought the sleeves and hem sat at the perfect spots on my torso and arms.
I don't typically reach for polyester-cotton blends because I find them less comfortable than other options, but this one pleasantly surprised me.
Like many of the shirts I saw in-store, it was marked down to $12, which I thought was a great value.
Overall, the option from Old Navy was my favorite.
Although I loved the material used for the Gap shirt, I didn't think the neckline was versatile enough to wear year-round. However, I'd definitely consider buying a similar option with a more basic style.
As for the shirt from Banana Republic, the quality was great, but I couldn't justify paying the full $50 for it.
Moving forward, Old Navy will definitely top my list of stores I check out when I need to find the perfect T-shirt. Plus, I really appreciated the store's wide range of styles and colors at an affordable price point.
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Amena Ahmed is a recent graduate from the University of Minnesota and former fellow on the freelance team. There, she obtained a Bachelor's in Journalism with an interest in editing articles about topics such as lifestyle, fashion, and entertainment. She loves to build stories that are relatable, entertaining, and relevant but also edit stories as if it is a fun puzzle to solve.
