Superdry : Get Set for Spring Weather With the Perfect T-shirt

Spring is when the wardrobe gets a full workout. When it's warm one day and chilly the next, you need a grabbable set of layers that'll see you through the week. But at the base of the collection is always the T-shirt. A perfect fitting tee under a sweater or light jacket means you're comfy when you're in the garden or street, but all set to soak up the vitamin D when the sun shines.

Here's your guide to the basic types of T-shirt and how to wear them.

Baseball Shirt

The traditional name for the baseball shirt is a Raglan shirt. It's named after Lord Raglan, who lost an arm in the Battle of Waterloo, and had a coat made with a single piece of material crossing the shoulder bone rather than separate arms being stitched to its body panels.

The idea was to make it easier for the Lord to dress and to be active, and it's this flexible quality, not the two-colour look, that was transferred to the design of the baseball top. Whether pitching or batting you need upper body mobility, so the design worked. If you look at baseball uniforms through history, they're usually a single colour, which makes the name a little confusing.

What is a baseball-style shirt?

When most people refer to a baseball shirt, they mean the two-colour Raglan sleeve design with shoulders and arms one colour and the main body another. The style can be long or short sleeved, though - the name doesn't imply one or the other.

How are baseball tees supposed to fit?

True to their intended use, baseball tees are meant to be slightly loose fitting but definitely not oversized. You know the shirt fits if you can raise your arms above your head without it lifting too much at the waist, but you probably wouldn't wear another tee under it.

Long Sleeve T-Shirts

The long-sleeve tee usually falls into the sweatshirt category, although there can be subtle differences in the weight of cotton jersey fabric to separate them. Sweatshirts tend to be a little heavier, while a long-sleeve T-shirt is typically made of light jersey fabric. But don't sweat it.

What are the best long-sleeve T-shirts?

If you want to keep your upper arms covered but like the relaxed feel of a crew neck T-shirt, the long-sleeve tee fills the gap. It's impossible to say which is the best, but go for something light if you're layering or thicker if it's your only layer.

The whiteMono Urban long-sleeve topis spring streetwear exemplified - this white tee goes perfectly with jeans, combats, cargos or chinos for a full duo-tone appearance. And with no need to worry about tan lines or springtime breezes, it's the only layer you need this season.

The style worksequally well in black, especially with coloured or greytrousers- it's a top you'll wear time after time.

Three-Quarter T-Shirts

Three-quarter shirts have a sleeve that goes at least to the elbow, so they're neither long nor short sleeves. Three-quarter sleeve is a loose description though, as it can mean anything from just below the elbow to high up the wrist. Just go with the look you like.

What are three-quarter sleeve shirts called?

You'll often see three-quarter-sleeve shirts listed simply as 'oversized'. That's because they tend to have a loose fit, especially in menswear. This style of sleeve means you can go for a full layered look with a long-sleeve tee underneath without it looking too unbalanced, as shown with theMono Urban T-shirt.

Polo shirts

The polo shirt is the most formal T-shirt due to its collar and buttons. If a golf club or country club allows T-shirts at all, a polo shirt will probably be a stipulation - never a plain tee shirt. The style comes from colonial equestrian sportswear in the 1800s, so it's natural that they are associated with smartness.

Polo shirts gained a lot of kudos when the mod movement embraced them in the 1960s, but nowadays you don't need to be on horseback or riding a Vespa to wear a polo shirt. They're still very much at thecasual end of the spectrum, equally at home in the bar as at the barbecue.

Crew neck

The crew-neck tee with cap sleeves is as laid-back as you like. It gets its name from two waves of water-based pursuits: first, they were worn by rowers, and during the war the US Navy adopted them as an undergarment. They became cool fashion thanks to Marlon Brando and James Dean in the 1950s - a white crew neck tee worn with jeans and a leather jacket gave them the archetypal rebel look, and 70 years later it's still the ultimate in casual wear.

They now come in the whole range of colours and designs, but for a back to basics look, slip on yourplain white teeand a light jacket and you're ready to hit the town - or the office desk - in unassuming style.

Slim fit T-shirts

If you like to show off your gym body or just prefer a sharper profile with your casual wear, you've probably already got a drawer full of slim fit tees to pull on. They're never formal, but certainly look a lot more tailored than the looser style of T-shirt that's the staple top. Perfect for layering, wearing around the home and getting out and about with a smarter silhouette, reach for theslim fit T-shirt, an everyday classic.

The T-shirt has evolved in all different directions, so whatever style you're looking for in spring, you'll find one.

Slip on a pair ofcargo pantswith your favouriteteeandtrainersand you're ready for a kick about in the park. With a pair of smart chinos and Chelsea boots, opt for a minimalistic vintage tee with short sleeves - perfect for hitting the bars. Or, for a night out, wear jeans with a polo shirt for a comfortable, cool look.