They’re the menswear equivalent of a golden retriever: Man's best friend. Reliable, comfortable and adaptable to all situations. Something you're always happy to have around. We're talking about a good pocket T-shirt. And much like their simpler, pocketless brothers, these tees are an essential part of your warm weather wardrobe. The pockets come in a variety of shapes and styles, but one wonders if they're really meant to be used. While pockets have long been added to clothing, the pocket tee didn't really take off until the late 1950s and '60s. T-shirts evolved from merely undershirts and athletic wear to an everyday casual staple. Suddenly they started showing up all over America and then people discovered that those small chest pockets made a convenient spot to store cigarettes, pens and other small items like business cards.

For Summer 2024, the shirts have a throwback quality to them. They're a little boxy and baggy, yet the slightly roomy fit is strangely flattering. And the best ones are cut from crisp, weighty cotton that's anything but sloppy. Wear them with jeans and with your favorite pair of shorts. Pull one on with the tailored pants you wear to work for a relaxed, yet polished summer look. There's no wrong way to wear them. In order to find out who makes the best ones, we tried on countless styles and have assembled a grouping of the best, in a range of styles and price points.