For when short-sleeves, well, fall short.
Don't consider this a wholehearted repudiation of the trusty T-shirt. I own a ton of them, and short sleeve ones are perfect paired with jeans, worn with something like a shirt jacket, or used as a base layer beneath a hoodie or a sweatshirt. T-shirts are the titular king of the closet.
But what about the short-sleeve T-shirt's sibling, the long-sleeve? It's everything the T-shirt is except longer. Does that make it better? Well, you can be the judge of that, but the benefits of a T-shirt with elongated sleeves abound.
Natural materials breathe better than synthetic ones, which means shirts made from cotton or wool will help regulate your temperature in a more efficient way. (Less sweat, more comfortability.) If you want a shirt you can comfortably layer that'll also get softer over time, try one made from only (or mostly) cotton.
Synthetic tees are great for working out, staying dry or mobile during the workday or running errands on the weekend. Synthetic materials often wick moisture, meaning you won't stay wet for long (after a workout, for example), but they also give, which is the reason why many men turn to athletic styles over, say, heritage workwear ones when emphasizing comfort.
Any good long-sleeve T-shirt can be worn on its own, too — just like a short-sleeve one. How you wear yours truly does depend on the fit, though. If you want it to go on top, you can buy a bigger, boxier tee. But you can go the opposite direction if you want — tight — just not too tight. A regular-fitting long-sleeve tee looks just as put-together, even if it makes less of a statement, and it'll offer the same protection from the sun.
If you want your long-sleeve tee to line scratchy jackets and sweaters, your long-sleeve T-shirt should be a little tighter. When it's tighter, it won't be as visible beneath a fitted top layer, and with less fabric, it's less likely to bunch up or twist, too.
