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We’ve covered the topic of travel pants and the myriad of benefits that a good pair of tech pants can provide. But what about travel shirts? We are not talking about the tech tees you get at your local 5K every year. Instead, we are talking about solid colored shirts that are multifunctional and can be dressed up for a work meeting and can also withstand the sweat and grime from an international flight.
This review is focused on a travel shirt for both men and women. And fortunately, my husband and I had a full month-long road trip planned shortly after our shirts arrived, making it great timing for a full Bluffworks Threshold t-shirt review.
What is Bluffworks?
With its inception in 2012, Bluffworks’ mission was to create the perfect pair of pants with traveling top of mind. Everyone needs quality clothing for traveling that will withstand all of the elements while looking good (and feeling good) on the move. Bluffworks travel clothing is made with enough stretch to relax on a 12-hour plane ride fully but is also high-quality for a professional look during a Zoom call or in-person meeting.
Bluffworks not only designed their clothing with versatility in mind, but they also made their moisture-wicking technical fabrics machine washable and wrinkle-resistant, all top-notch features for any travel gear junkies.
While we aren’t reviewing the top-rated Bluffworks chinos today, we love all of the little details they add to their clothing. From zippered pockets and hidden pockets to deter pickpockets on the go to multiple pockets in their women’s pants line, the attention to detail is unmatched. Plus not skimping on pockets in women’s clothing always deserves a gold star.
Founder Stefan Loble had a vision to create a clothing company that would pass the NYC fashion bar and could also double as adventuring gear. We think Stefan nailed it on the head. The fact that most of Bluffwork’s clothing line can seamlessly transition from the board room to your evening biking commute is pretty impressive. Not to mention their focus on multifunctional clothing options for women too that actually look good, major brownie points in that department too.
Related: The 15 Most Comfortable Hiking Sandals [For Men and Women]
What to Look for in a Travel T-Shirt
Both my husband and I are firm believers in the fact that all our clothing should be machine washable and be able to go in the dryer. We have an infant, which means we are doing a load of laundry on a daily basis and do not have the time or energy to sort through what can’t go in the dryer or what needs to be dry cleaned these days. It is all or nothing with our laundry basket.
But when you are on the go or traveling, a few other factors go into creating a packing list besides the washability. These are the key factors we look at when packing travel clothes:
- Breathable
- Wrinkle-free or wrinkle-resistant
- Versatile
- Quick-drying
- Comfortable
Not only does our clothing have to tick all of those boxes, but it also has to look good. We want clothes we can wear on a morning hike and again for a cocktail at happy hour. We’ve learned the trick here is to pack a lot of neutral colors and a few accessories. Thankfully Bluffworks has the same idea in mind in the neutral realm. You will not find a statement blazer or flashy chino pants in their repertoire, and that is okay. If you want to dress up a neutral piece add in a colorful hat, necklace, sunglasses or flashy socks (all of these take up very little real estate in your packed bag.
Related: The 14 Best Men’s Tech Pants for Travel and Everyday Wear
Threshold Crew Neck T-Shirt (Men’s)
For reference, my husband is 5′ 9″ and tends to buy a size medium in all of his t-shirts. He answered the following details based on his Threshold crew neck shirt experience.
Fit: The Threshold Crew Neck comes in two fits: slim and classic. I am very skinny, so I opted for a slim fit, and honestly, it is actually a little roomier than my go-to t-shirts (Uniqlo Supima Cotton Crew Necks). This isn’t necessarily bad, but I would be curious to see how wide the “classic” fit is.
Other than that, I would say the Threshold is true to size, and buyers should buy their normal size.
Style: The Threshold is a very lightweight shirt, and it shows. So if you like shirts that look beefy, then look elsewhere. I personally like the lightweight look, especially in the summertime.
Sweat-Resistance: To be perfectly honest, I didn’t really put the shirt through the wringer when it comes to sweat resistance. I did go on a couple of 2-3 mile runs when the temperature was in the lower 80s, and it was surprisingly comfortable. In that situation, a normal cotton t-shirt would be less than ideal, but I had no problems with the Threshold shirt.
Durability: As I mentioned, this shirt is very lightweight, so I do question its durability.
Value: On its own, I wouldn’t say a single shirt is a great value. But when you take advantage of their “Buy one, get the second one for 50% off” promotion, the shirts are very reasonably priced. This offer makes each shirt cost $33.75 before taxes and shipping for those keeping score at home.
Threshold V-Neck T-Shirt (Women’s)
For reference, I am 5′ tall and tend to buy a size large in my t-shirts. I also prefer my shirts on the looser side versus a tight form-fitting tee.
Fit: The V-Neck Threshold Shirt comes in standard or petite sizing for women. Although I am short, I opted for the standard fit, and I think the fit is great as far as a v-neck t-shirt goes, but I think it is a tad short, to be honest. I would love to see another inch or two on the bottom, and then it would be perfect. I would assume the petite shirt is even shorter.
You could still definitely wear this t-shirt with shorts, jeans, leggings or tucked into a skirt, and it would look great. I also think the fit is very flattering for a bigger chested woman. Sometimes with t-shirts, you can get a boxy look that doesn’t do much for your shape, but the cut of the Threshold is extremely flattering.
Style: With a bigger bust, you have to be careful with a deep v and showing too much skin, but the Threshold V-neck offers a comfortable neckline without showing too much cleavage. The dark onyx black pretty much goes with anything. It works for a casual hike in the morning and paired with a long skirt for an evening dinner date. I also LOVE the tagless detail; you don’t have to worry about a scratchy tag on the back of your shirt.
Sweat-Resistance: A t-shirt claiming to be sweat-resistant always seems a little too good to be true, in my opinion, but this one actually held up for our 12 plus hour Midwest summer car ride. I didn’t really notice the SPF feature, but any black tee is going to radiate a little bit more heat than a white tee.
Durability: I think the shirt will hold up, but I am worried about it fading as most black do. After sitting in a car all day, most shirts are a little sticky, stinky and full of wrinkles, but I did not feel that way with the Threshold. Bluffworks claims their clothing gets softer over time, but I haven’t had the shirt long enough to notice that yet.
Value: $45 for one t-shirt might seem a little steep, but they offer the same BOGO as the men’s shirts making it a better bang for your buck. You could opt for staples in black and white, or you could get crazy and do a basic neutral and a pop of color with one of their red or pink flavors.
My only (minor) complaint that I probably wouldn’t have noticed if I didn’t have the men’s shirt to compare it to is that it could be softer. My husband’s Threshold shirt is buttery soft even after a wash and dry, but mine is not. By no means is the woman’s shirt scratchy or uncomfortable; it is just not as soft as the men’s.
If you are searching for a travel attire that is both moisture-wicking and comfortable, Bluffworks clothing won’t let you down. We love that they make versatile gear you can wear to a business meeting but not pay for dry cleaning that also doubles as a tee for your morning downward dog.
One of the best parts about the entire Bluffworks line is that it isn’t fashion suicide like some other technical fabric companies. We know there are dozens of options for travel gear out there, but Bluffs is now at the top of our radar when adding to our travel clothing repertoire. Anything that can be thrown in the washing machine, dryer and is wrinkle-free is a win in our book!
You might also be interested in: The 6 Best Men’s Dress Shirts For Any Occasion [Style Guide]