Memorial Day weekend marks the first real excuse to dress like summer, and the sales that come with it make just looking nearly impossible. Shopbop’s designer sale kicked off early, live today through 5/21 with up to 50% off select styles. I’ve combed through the assortment and found so many great warm-weather finds, from printed pareos and raffia bags to colorful dresses and easy sets. Explore my top picks below, or browse the full sale assortment here!

This post may contain affiliate links and Corporette® may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Sure, we all know what wardrobe essentials for work professional women are supposed to have in their closets, but if you’re buying one for the first time or replacing one you’ve worn into the ground, it can be a pain to find exactly the right incarnation in stores. In “The Hunt,” we search the stores for a basic item that every woman should have.

We have a whole post discussing the best women’s T-shirts for layering at the office — and while we always include a plus-size section, I thought I’d do a separate post to discuss some of our favorite options, as well as to round up some unique categories just for plus sizes, including the best basic tees in extended sizes (up to 6X!).

As I noted in the other post, a good basic tee for work should be opaque, not too low cut, and have sleeves. (Know your office — sleeveless looks aren’t acceptable everywhere!) I’ve always been a fan of tees that are thick enough so bra details are still a mystery (although it also helps to wear T-shirt bras — here’s our latest roundup for the best bras to wear to work)!

I would say that a “weekend tee” would have more casual details, such as pockets and shirttails.

New for 2026: We changed a lot of our selections for the best products, actually, while keeping links to some of our favorite classic picks. As always, we’re looking for polished tees that work under blazers, cardigans, and suits — not flimsy weekend-only basics.

{related: 100+ places to shop for plus-size work clothes}

In general, Universal Standard is probably the best overall plus-size tee for work if you want a polished layering basic, while Quince is the best affordable option and Eileen Fisher is best for sustainable natural fibers.

Why Trust Corporette®

At Corporette®, we’ve been covering professional women’s workwear since 2008, and have written hundreds of posts about comfortable office clothing and shoes, business casual wardrobes, and reader-favorite brands for wardrobe essentials. (We just did a big update to our guide to the best women’s suits!)

Our community is one of the best parts of Corporette® — you’ll see a lot of professional women at all career levels, discussing which clothes work for their offices and their lifestyle.

Who This Guide is For

This guide is for women looking for polished plus-size T-shirts for work — especially tees that:

• layer smoothly under blazers and cardigans
• aren’t see-through
• have sleeves suitable for conservative offices (sleeveless looks have come a long way, but know your office!)
• come in extended sizes (including up to 4X, 5X, and 6X at some retailers)
• work for business casual offices, law firms, conferences, and hybrid workplaces
• look more polished than weekend tees

How We Picked the Best Plus-Size Tees

We focused on office-appropriate plus-size tees in cotton, ponte, linen blends, silk blends, and other substantial fabrics — not flimsy casual basics.

{related: the best plus-size women’s workwear – wardrobe essentials!}

The Very Best Plus-Size Tees for Work Outfits

The Best Plus-Size Tee Overall: Universal Standard

Universal Standard is a fabulous basic for layering underneath a blazer, cardigan, or sweater blazer — the fabric is soft but substantial and it drapes well. Some of their tees are even part of US’s Fit Liberty program, which will allow you to exchange sizes up to a year after you’ve worn the shirt.

Other great plus size work tops overall include Quince, LL Bean, Lands’ End, and Talbots.

The Best Affordable Plus-Size Tee: Quince

If you like your price point under $20, I think the best simple tee you can find for work in 2026 is from Quince. Other options in the under $20 category: Amazon Essentials (up to 6X), Lane Bryant, Kohl’s, and Old Navy.

(Similar T-shirt-y options at Quince to consider while you’re there: this stretch silk T-shirt blouse and this sweater tee, which are harder to find on site otherwise.)

For just a bit more, check out affordable office-appropriate T-shirts at L.L. Bean, Lands’ End, J.Crew, J.Crew Factory, J.Jill, and Eddie Bauer.

{related: The Best Plus-Size Suits for Interviews}

The Best Plus-Size Tee with Elbow-Length Sleeves: Chico

I keep hearing great things about Chico’s tees, and the price is right — they’re normally $49, but today they’re marked down to $25. Sizes range from 0-22.

Other great options for polished T-shirts with longer sleeves include this Lauren Ralph Lauren top has been around for years, as well as Lane Bryant’s “Perfect Sleeve” line of tees. J.Jill also has a few!

The Best Plus-Size T-shirt With little Details: Talbots

Talbots is always a great basic for professional clothes in plus sizes — they also have the hard to find “plus petite” category, although fortunately that matters less with T-shirts. I also think of them as one of the most reliable places to go if you want a slightly “elevated” tee with little details like eyelet (pictured), lace, or different cuts, colors, and patterns.

Lands’ End also has a plus petite category — and they also often have T-shirts with similar details. Another few spots with plus-size basics for workwear with little details: J.Crew Factory (up to 3X) and J.Jill (up to 4X).

The Best Sustainable Plus-Size Tee: Eileen Fisher

Eileen Fisher can be pricey as far as plus-size tees for work go, but most of their clothes are made in the U.S. with sustainable fibers. The most options are of course on the brand’s website, but if you prefer the return policy at Nordstrom there’s also a huge selection there (including this fun teal linen version, pictured).

EF also has an interesting “renew” policy in that they’ll take back old EF clothes, even if they’re worn or damaged. You get a $5 gift certificate and they repurpose the fabric into other creations.

Eco-friendly plus-size clothes can be hard to find, but Eileen Fisher, Ulla Popken, and wool& all offer eco-friendly, basic tees for work.

The Best Polished T-shirt To Wear Beneath a Suit: Anne Klein

This miiight be controversial for a number of reasons — first, some people will tell you you can’t wear T-shirts beneath suits. We totally disagree and always have; if you’re wearing a classic suit there’s no reason you can’t just wear a simple tee beneath the suit. As always, we suggest looking for shirts that don’t have pockets or shirttail hems, and while you don’t want voluminous sleeves (difficult to get into a blazer), you do want SOME sleeves to help you save on drycleaning.

The second reason this might be controversial: this particular pick might not even read “T-shirt” to some people because you may think “blouse” instead.

Whatever you want to call it, Anne Klein has a number of really cute T-shirts right now that I think are the perfect thing to wear beneath suits. Kasper and Tahari are both also flush with good options right now.

Of course, the downside to these types of brands is that they tend to be made with a lot of polyester. If you’re looking for more natural fibers, you can get Pima cotton at LL Bean, Talbots, and Lands’ End, as well as other sustainable, breathable T-shirts from Eileen Fisher and wool&.

{related: Designer Plus-Size Clothing for Professional Women}

FAQ: Plus-Size Tees for Work

Can you wear a T-shirt to the office?

Yes — in most modern business casual offices, a polished T-shirt layered under a blazer or cardigan is completely appropriate. Look for opaque fabrics, structured cuts, and minimal casual detailing. Here’s our whole Guide to Business Casual.

What makes a T-shirt look professional?

Thicker fabrics, clean necklines, sleeves, and tailored drape usually look more polished than thin jersey or oversized weekend tees.

Which brands have the best plus-size basics?

Readers consistently recommend Universal Standard, Talbots, Lands’ End, J.Jill, Quince, and Eileen Fisher for office-friendly plus-size basics.

More Favorite Plus-Size Business Casual Clothes

Looking for something cute to wear with your work-appropriate tees? These are some of our favorite pieces to build work outfits…

Great Sweater Blazers in Plus Sizes

Stylish Plus-Size Blazers

Like this feature? Check out other recent installments!

This post may contain affiliate links and Corporette® may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Our daily workwear reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices.

Where are we buying beautiful blouses in natural fibers in the year 2026? Tucker is one of the best options out there. They have a wide array of silk blouses in solids and prints, including this vibrant red number with a mock-neck collar.

Pair this with a pair of navy trousers or wear it under a gray suit for a non-boring office look.

The blouse is $275 at Tucker and comes in sizes XXS-2X. 

Sales of note for 5/15:

• Nordstrom – 3800+ items in “new markdowns” — I kind of wonder if they’ve started marking down stuff for their Half-Yearly sale that usually starts the week before Memorial Day. Good deals on Veronica Beard, Vince, Reiss (esp. coats), as well as Wit & Wisdom and NYDJ
• Alexis Bittar – Vault sale! 100s of re-issued archival styles up to 70% off, plus 25% off all full-price styles too
• Ann Taylor – Extra 40% off sale
• Boden – Up to 50% off with new styles added
• J.Crew – 40% off your purchase and 50% off dresses
• J.Crew Factory – Extra 50% off clearance + extra 20% off orders over $125
• Lands’ End – Up to 60% off sitewide + extra 60% off sale and clearance
• Loft – 50% off your purchase, and 5/15 only: take 60% off the LOFT Versa collection
• Mango – Weekend exclusive, 30% off everything, and free shipping with $260+
• M.M.LaFleur – Try code CORPORETTE15 for 15% off
• Supergoop – 20% off sitewide + free Glow Stick (also, free shipping with $50+)
• Talbots – Extra 40% +15% off all markdowns, plus Summer Fridays One Day Sale (5/15), $19.50 pocket tees and $29.50 relaxed chino shorts.
• Theory – 25% off sitewide
• TOCCIN – 30% off select items with code! (You can’t stack codes, but on full price items try code CORPORETTE15 for 15% off!)
• Vivrelle – Looking to own less stuff but still try trends? Use code CORPORETTE for a free month, and borrow high-end designer clothes and bags!

High Sport Tank, Frame Jeans (similar here), Dior Sunglasses, Shoes & Bag, Sherman Field & Dezso Necklaces

These are the pieces worth having in your closet for casual dinners, last-minute plans, or any moment when you want to get dressed quickly and still have your outfit feel like it has a point of view. They’re the foundation pieces that are cut so well, they do the styling for you. Whether it’s an unexpected color, a really tailored shape, or a fabric with a little shine, there’s something special built into each one. They make up the base of a look without feeling too done, so the whole thing feels relaxed but never plain.

We already know the outfit formulas that always work: a tank and jeans, linen pants and a halter top, shorts with a pretty blouse. The fun is playing around with those familiar combinations to build looks that feel one of a kind. Maybe it’s a red kitten heel popping out under wide-leg denim, a pendant necklace that looks like it was found on vacation, or a belt that gives white linen pants a reason to be noticed.

The trick is in the details. Start with an outfit you already know you feel great in, then layer in personality through your accessories. An embellished sandal, a tassel clutch, or a charm necklace can make summer staples feel fresh again with very little effort, perfect for plans that are easy but still deserve a little something.

This post may contain affiliate links and Corporette® may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

I bought this elf lip gloss at least a year ago, and honestly — I didn’t like it at first. I always thought the color was lovely (“Bust a Mauve”), but I worried it was too shiny and didn’t feel like I needed the plumping properties.

I got a very similar product for review recently, which shall remain unnamed — but let’s just say it cost more than 7x as much as this lip gloss. I felt like the color and shine was identical to this one, which made me pull this one out again — and I felt like this one stays on a lot longer and makes my lips feel more moisturizing than the fancy product. So I’ve put it back in my rotation, and am now nearly at the end of it and thinking about buying more.

You can find it at your local drugstore or at Ulta, Target, Amazon, or elfcosmetics.com; according to elf.com it now comes in 12 shades.

Sales of note for 5/15:

• Nordstrom – 3800+ items in “new markdowns” — I kind of wonder if they’ve started marking down stuff for their Half-Yearly sale that usually starts the week before Memorial Day. Good deals on Veronica Beard, Vince, Reiss (esp. coats), as well as Wit & Wisdom and NYDJ
• Alexis Bittar – Vault sale! 100s of re-issued archival styles up to 70% off, plus 25% off all full-price styles too
• Ann Taylor – Extra 40% off sale
• Boden – Up to 50% off with new styles added
• J.Crew – 40% off your purchase and 50% off dresses
• J.Crew Factory – Extra 50% off clearance + extra 20% off orders over $125
• Lands’ End – Up to 60% off sitewide + extra 60% off sale and clearance
• Loft – 50% off your purchase, and 5/15 only: take 60% off the LOFT Versa collection
• Mango – Weekend exclusive, 30% off everything, and free shipping with $260+
• M.M.LaFleur – Try code CORPORETTE15 for 15% off
• Supergoop – 20% off sitewide + free Glow Stick (also, free shipping with $50+)
• Talbots – Extra 40% +15% off all markdowns, plus Summer Fridays One Day Sale (5/15), $19.50 pocket tees and $29.50 relaxed chino shorts.
• Theory – 25% off sitewide
• TOCCIN – 30% off select items with code! (You can’t stack codes, but on full price items try code CORPORETTE15 for 15% off!)
• Vivrelle – Looking to own less stuff but still try trends? Use code CORPORETTE for a free month, and borrow high-end designer clothes and bags!

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