A Man’s Guide to the Raglan Tee

The raglan tee (or as most guys know it, the baseball tee) is a shirt with sleeves that contrast in color from the body. Those sleeves are its defining feature: instead of attaching at a vertical seam on top of the shoulder, they’re cut in one continuous piece of fabric that runs from the underarm up to the collar. You know the shirt — it’s the one Benny “The Jet” Rodriguez wore in The Sandlot.

Like the rugby shirt and the trench coat, the raglan started as purely functional gear (in this case, for a one-armed general) and worked its way into everyday menswear. If you’ve written it off as something for little leaguers and concert merch tables, take another look. Few T-shirts do more to flatter a man’s build and have such an effortless appeal.

Here’s the history of the raglan tee, why men look good in one, and how to wear one well.

A Brief History of the Raglan Tee

Like most menswear, the raglan-sleeved tee was born in war. In 1815, during the Battle of Waterloo, a 26-year-old British officer named FitzRoy Somerset was struck in the right arm by a French musket ball, and the arm had to be amputated on the spot. (As the surgeon carried the limb off, Somerset called after him to bring it back; his wife’s ring was still on one of the fingers.) Somerset learned to write and fight left-handed, kept climbing the ranks, and eventually rose to command British forces in the Crimean War as Lord Raglan.

A one-armed man could hardly get in and out of the era’s military uniforms, which were tailored stiff and snug through the shoulders. So as Raglan prepared for conflict in the Crimea, he brought the problem to John Emary, his tailor and the founder of the Aquascutum menswear company. Emary’s solution was to eliminate the shoulder seam altogether. He cut the sleeve and shoulder as one continuous piece of fabric, which left a diagonal seam running from the armpit up to the collar. The design gave Raglan a coat he could put on and take off by himself, and enough room in the shoulder to swing a sword. After the war, the raglan overcoat caught on beyond the battlefield. King Edward VII wore one, giving the style a royal stamp of approval.

The raglan cut eventually found a natural home in baseball. Its roomy shoulder construction suited a sport built around throwing, and raglan-sleeved undershirts became a familiar part of the ballplayer’s uniform. The three-quarter sleeves and contrasting colors eventually produced the classic baseball-tee look we know today.

Rock stars in the 20th century adopted the raglan tee as part of their signature look. They even used it for merch. In the 1970s, Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, and the Rolling Stones all sold raglan tees at their concerts. Punks wore raglans too, mostly because they were cheap and unfussy.

It flatters a man’s build. A raglan’s diagonal seams run from the collar down toward the underarm, visually widening the shoulders and drawing the eye inward toward the waist. Because there’s no seam sitting on top of the shoulder, the fabric also drapes smoothly over the delts and traps instead of breaking up their shape. Contrasting sleeves amplify the effect, making the upper body look broader and the waist look trimmer.

Women notice it. Research on male attractiveness has found that women tend to prefer builds with a pronounced shoulder-to-waist taper (make sure you’re regularly working out those man antlers!). The raglan tee not only accentuates that shape, but it also carries appealing associations — to athletes and rock stars. It’s part of the reason Benny “The Jet” Rodriguez looks, according to my 13-year-old daughter, “so fine.” Chicks dig a guy in a raglan.

It’s made for fall and spring weather. Fall and spring often have cool mornings and warm afternoons. A raglan can keep you warm in the morning, but is light enough that you won’t be burning up later in the day. It also pairs naturally with everything else you’ll be wearing during these seasons, like jeans, chinos, boots, flannels, and light jackets.

What to Look for in a Raglan Tee

A Close (But Not Tight) Fit. Because the raglan has such a forgiving shoulder, it’s tempting to size up. Don’t. When the shirt’s too big, the armhole droops toward your ribs and the silhouette gets sloppy. Aim for a fit that sits close to your body without clinging to it. The diagonal seams should lie flat across your chest, the sleeves should lightly hug your arms (showing off your biceps), and the hem should end just below your belt line.

The Right Sleeve Length. Short sleeves should hit mid-bicep. Three-quarter sleeves are the classic baseball look and will show off your forearms (women love a dude’s forearms!). Long-sleeve raglans are great for cooler falls.

Medium-Weight Fabric. Very thin fabric can look flimsy and cling to the torso; very thick fabric can make the shirt feel bulky and sweatshirt-like. A medium-weight cotton or cotton blend is your sweet spot. It’ll give you enough structure to emphasize the shoulders, chest, and contrasting sleeves while still draping naturally.

The Right Colorway. A white or heather gray body with navy, black, or red sleeves is the classic look, and it’s hard to beat. Raglans with a dark body and lighter sleeves are generally less ideal, but will flatter a man with a bigger midsection. You’ll also find raglans in single solid colors, though going solid gives up the contrast that sets the shirt apart.

How to Wear It

Wearing a raglan is stupidly simple. Pair it with jeans or chinos and some canvas sneakers or boots, and you’re good to go. When the weather cools down, layer it under a flannel or a denim jacket.

Go ahead and add a raglan tee to your rotation. It’s got two centuries of history behind it, wears as easily as any other tee, and will do more for your build than anything else in your t-shirt drawer.