Almost a year into working at Vogue, and way too many mornings spent scrambling over what to wear to the office, I can confidently say that I’ve got my personal uniform all figured out. I thought that by now, my style would have evolved into something a little more elevated, but for the sake of ease, and comfort, I’ve found myself gravitating toward a less-is-more approach: Every day, I’m wearing some variation of vintage denim, ballet flats, and a tee. It’s usually a neutral T-shirt, sometimes with graphics, and often a long-sleeve. Lately, it’s been a particular kind: the raglan.
I first really took notice of the style—better known as a baseball tee—when I saw Zoë Kravitz wearing a white and blue variation by Auralee with a plaid slip skirt out and about in New York last summer. And not to get too technical, but the raglan part of it all refers to the sleeve construction, which foregoes shoulder seams for a clean finish. The contrasting colors on the sleeves and body speak to its sporty roots, commonly worn by baseball players during practice in the 1960s, with teams often opting for their identifying colors.
Vogue’s Favorite Baseball Tees
On a recent Friends rewatch, I noticed Rachel Green—who despite being a fictional character is one of my most referenced style icons—wearing a baseball tee on a few occasions. I finally pulled the trigger when Cou Cou Intimates dropped a version of my most-worn top, the Rina tee, in a raglan style. I immediately added two of the three color ways to my cart—one white, one navy, both with grey sleeves—and plotted wearing them à la Zoë all summer long, with my Charlie Beads slip skirt and trusted Repetto Camilles.
The Cou Cou version has a slim-fit with bell sleeves and a curved front; a design based off a top worn by Jane Birkin (another style icon of mine). It features a ¾ sleeve length, like the traditional raglan tee. But there is no shortage of variations out there—from short to long-sleeved, or even knit if you run cold.
