Yes, frigate fashion is on the rise. And that being the case, it’s only appropriate to highlight some of the best galleon garments available. So feast your eyes on this smorgasbord of caravel couture, my nominees for the top ten nautical tees:
10. We Sail a Ship with a Drunken Sailor ($30, unisex)
Because We Sail a Ship with a Drunken Sailor doesn’t heavily feature seaworthy vessels, I don’t want to place it any higher on the list. But because this t-shirt from Kindred evokes a mood that can only be called ‘adventure on the high seas’, I couldn’t not include it.
9. Destroyer ($19, guys & girls)
Destroyer doesn’t feature any sailing ships either, but because it is as if the sea itself breathed its soul onto a cotton t-shirt, this beauty from Enlcothe deserves a spot on this list.
8. Poseidon’s Rage ($28, guys)
I wouldn’t want to incure Poseidon’s Rage by refusing to mention the god of the sea in a blog post entirely about his domain! I hope this deific tee from Monsieur T. suffices for appeasement.
7. Stormy Weather ($32, guys)
Now we’re talking sailing. This polo from Heavy Rotation has everything: a couple grand ships, some magnificent beasts of the deep, ominous Stormy Weather, and even a couple butterflies to remind you of terra firma.
6. Sailing Ship ($20, girls)
With simple but effective linework, this beautifully understated Etsy gem by Salmon Street Studio would go well with almost anything, whether or not you’re planning on boarding a Sailing Ship.
5. Ghost Ship ($19, guys and girls)
When you think of the sea, you probably think of the same four things that I do: pirates, ships, ghosts, and Ghost [pirate] Ships. With this tee from Enclothe, you get the whole quartet.
4. Blue at Sea ($28, guys and girls)
Circular Accessories (a.k.a. Alison) understands the details: the seagulls flying over the majestic ship are nice, but those that fly under the left arm are what guarantee that you will never be Blue at Sea with this long-sleeve t-shirt on Etsy.
3. The Captain’s Dream ($17, girls (for now!))
The Captain’s Dream is simply a wonderful scene that all land-locked seamen must all encounter in dreams eventually. Christopher Buchholz must have stolen the key to a veteran sailor’s sleeping mind for this emotional Threadless t-shirt.
2. Pirate Ship ($20, girls)
BondGirl seems unable to help producing gorgeously rich prints, and her Pirate Ship t-shirt is no exception. It looks magnificently detailed and flawlessly executed. UPDATE: this tee is currently unavailable.
1. Cartography on a Dollar a Day ($26.95, unisex)
What better t-shirt to top this list than one from Kindred, who have an entire section of their site devoted to maritime tees? With an intricate oversized print, Cartography on a Dollar a Day is easily my favorite nautically themed tee.
The Straw that Broke the Camel’s Back: Out to Sea ($35, guys and girls)
I had completely finished writing this entire entry, just when I remembered the most recent marine tee that I had seen: Out to Sea at PopJunkie. Not only had I been quite impressed with the superb quality of their design, their meticulous attention to detail, and their unique but perfectly-fitting garment selections, but I was inspired to create this very top ten list! PopJunkie’s prints look so wonderful in their detail shots that it’s worth browsing their site just for the pictures. [thanks to The Jaunty Scamp for pointing the way to PopJunkie's newest releases!] UPDATE: I’ve posted an in-depth, in-hand review of Out to Sea from PopJunkie!
Honorable Mentions: There are so many naval t-shirts that deserve a mention, but for one reason or another didn’t make it into my top ten, here is a slew of runners up; if you know of one that you like more, let me know!
A couple from Etsy: Ship and Serpent and Upside Down Ship
A handful from Oddica: Scuba Standoff, Octo Sub, and Mutiny on the Mallard
A bunch from Threadless (which mostly have more to do with diving than sailing): Do Not Jump Shark, In Oceanic Fashion, Surprise, JellyBalloons, and Sea Saw II
One from Waterloo: The Life Aquatic
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I must have the “Out to sea” tee. Thanks a lot for the tip. Great list. I would only include to the list “The Life Aquatic” from Waterloo (http://www.ilovewaterloo.com/t-shirt.php?estampa=Life%20Aquatic).
Top 10’s for the win! I think your number nine is my fav, I like a little violence
Pedro: I know, Out to Sea is amazing. And I completely forgot about the The Life Aquatic tee from Waterloo! It’s going up in the honorable mentions
Sjors: I like Destroyer a lot, too. So much, in fact, that I own it. But because it’s not as nautical as some of the others, it didn’t feel right placing it too high on the list.
I love Out to Sea, just such a kickass shirt.
We Sail A Ship With a Drunken Sailor is also awesome too, I think it may be the stripes.
This may be the first shirt I actually pay more than $30 for.
Yeah, Colin; it’s such a great piece that I’d pay over $30 for it, too. And a shirt that expensive better be something pretty special, which it is. I think the only other shirts I have that match this pricetag are Hot Dog from 2K and Pirate Radio from Lazy Afternoon (which is now Young Lovers). Back then, there were only a few tees printed on each size/color combo… I’ll have to post about Pirate Radio some time, with pictures!
I really like the “Cartography on a dollar a day” design, however, the color of the background really doesn’t do it for me as a t-shirt. I think that the background color is great for the design, because it looks like a Ye Olde Map’s color. However, it’s just an odd color to wear. Of course, this is just my opinion.