Two tees can share the same fabric, the same sleeve and the same color and still look nothing alike, and the difference is almost always the neckline. It is the part of a top closest to your face, the part a necklace sits on and the part that shows above a cardigan. Get it right and a plain tee looks chosen. Get it wrong and it looks like the one you wear to paint the fence.
Our catalog uses eight necklines across sweatshirts, tees, 3/4 sleeves and tanks. Here is what each one does, who it tends to suit and what to wear it with.
| Neckline | Styles | Sleeves | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crew neck | 18 | long sleeve, 3/4 sleeve, short sleeve, sleeveless | from $4.99 |
| V neck | 36 | 3/4 sleeve, short sleeve, sleeveless, long sleeve | from $4.98 |
| Henley placket | 33 | short sleeve, 3/4 sleeve, sleeveless, long sleeve | from $4.49 |
| Square neck | 3 | 3/4 sleeve, short sleeve, sleeveless | from $12.99 |
| Scoop neck | 2 | sleeveless, short sleeve | from $4.49 |
| Mock neck | 2 | long sleeve | from $14.99 |
| Collared | 3 | long sleeve | from $17.99 |
| Cold shoulder | 2 | 3/4 sleeve | from $14.99 |
The crew neck: round, close and easy
A crew neck is a round opening that sits close to the base of the neck. It covers the collarbone, it stays put when you lean over, and it is the neckline of nearly every sweatshirt ever made, ours included.
Because it covers so much, a crew neck works best on a longer neck or on narrow shoulders, and it is the easiest neckline to layer: it shows a clean line above a V-neck cardigan and sits flat under a jacket. If your neck is short or your bust is full, a crew can make the top half look busy. A small pleat, a lace yoke or a row of buttons breaks it up, and several of our crewneck tees carry one of those.
The V neck: plain, notched or split
A V neck draws a line from the collarbone down to a point, and the eye follows it. That line makes a short neck look longer and a full bust look calmer. No wonder the V is the most common neckline in our catalog.
It comes in three versions. The plain V is a clean point, modest enough for an office. The notched V has a short slit at the bottom of the point, so it sits a little lower and reads more relaxed. The split V opens over a short button placket, halfway to a henley. If you like to wear a camisole or a pendant underneath, pick the notched or split versions: the opening is deep enough to show them.
A notched V to try
TICTICMIMI Notched V-neck short sleeve tee
The notched V-neck tee in the blend most of our tops use.
22 colors · S to XXL · from $12.99
The henley: a placket you can open
A henley is a crew or V neck with a short run of buttons below it. That small placket is the most adjustable neckline there is. Buttoned to the top, a henley looks neat enough for a desk. With two buttons open, it falls into a soft V.
Look at the buttons before you buy. Some of our henleys have wooden buttons, two have marbled faux horn buttons, and on a few V-neck styles the buttons are decorative and do not open. If you want to choose how open the neckline sits, pick a style whose buttons work.
A henley to try
TICTICMIMI Classic short sleeve henley
A crew neck with a working button placket and short sleeves.
11 colors · S to XXL · from $4.99
Square, scoop and mock
A square neck cuts straight across below the collarbone and turns down at the corners. It frames the shoulders rather than pointing down, and on a plain knit it looks deliberate, the way a bateau neck does on a dress.
A scoop neck is a wide, low curve, cooler than a crew and softer than a square. It shows off a collarbone and suits a tank on a hot day. A mock neck goes the other way: a short band stands up around the base of the neck and keeps a draft off it. It belongs on a sweatshirt in fall.
Cold shoulder, asymmetric and collared
Three necklines in our catalog are statements rather than basics. The cold shoulder opens the top of the shoulder under thin straps. The asymmetric neck slants to one side and carries a few buttons. The collar turns a knit into something close to a shirt, on the long sleeve polos and the button-down.
Wear these when the top is the point of the outfit, with plain jeans or slacks and not much jewelry.
A quick way to decide
- For a short neck or a full bust, start with a V neck or a scoop.
- For a long neck or narrow shoulders, try a crew, a mock or a square neck.
- To layer under a cardigan, a crew or a plain V.
- To choose how open it sits from one day to the next, a henley with working buttons.
- For warm weather, a scoop or square neck on a tank.
None of this is a rule. It is a starting point for the moment you stand in front of a grid of tops in the same color and wonder which one to open. Pick the neckline first, and the rest of the choice gets short.
