Design
Quality of Materials
Value for Money 
Craftsmanship 
Customer Service What could possibly be so great about a premium t-shirt?
That’s a question I had when I was young and inexperienced (i.e. a total noob).
But after several years of trying some of the best brands in the business, watching titans rise and fall (ok, not that epic), and discovering new brands that punch above their weight, I’ve learned that the right piece of clothing can set the tone for your entire day.
What could be more fundamental than the humble t-shirt? Nothing, I argue.
That’s why I decided to pick up several t-shirts, plus a few other goodies, from the young brand, Goodlife Clothing.
I’ve been wearing their tees for several weeks now and I’m ready to share my thoughts. Keep reading if you want to see if Goodlife is right for you.
Skip Ahead
What Is Goodlife Clothing?
I’ll start with what Goodlife Clothing isn’t.
The other day, I saw an ad for a dress shirt brand that has a zipper in the front with a faux-button placket. “Do you ever get tired of buttoning your shirts?” the ad read.
They just made up a problem that literally no guy has ever faced, and then tried to sell the solution. Bogus.
Unlike so many direct-to-consumer brands, Goodlife doesn’t try to make up a problem and then shell out a half-baked solution.
Goodlife is simple: they make premium clothes with the best fabrics available. They consider themselves an “aspirational” brand, meaning their focus is on how the clothes make you feel.
How do you view yourself when you’re wearing Goodlife clothes? And more importantly, are you living a good life?
Goodlife Clothing is an excellent brand if you have a little more room in your budget and you’re looking to curate your wardrobe with nothing but the best pieces. If you believe having two amazing t-shirts is better than having five decent tees, you’ll love Goodlife.
Goodlife Clothing isn’t participating in the “race to the bottom” like many brands succumb to. Their goal is to make premium clothes that fit well, feel fantastic, and help you feel awesome when you’re wearing them.
Now, Goodlife isn’t the only brand doing this—I think more and more guys are waking up to the idea that if they spend a bit extra on the right brands, they can find pieces with a more flattering fit that help boost their confidence.
You can expect to pay a bit for that top-tier fabric and construction quality. Goodlife Clothing isn’t for bargain-hunters. And while I do feel it’s worth paying extra for clothes you love (not just from Goodlife, but in general), not everyone has the budget to spend $50+ on a t-shirt.
Goodlife Clothing Review
Goodlife got their start with t-shirts, and that’s where I’ll spend the majority of this review. But tees aren’t all that Goodlife does, so I also picked up a few other pieces to see how the brand is faring outside t-shirt land.
Goodlife T-Shirts
Boy, did I get a haul of Goodlife t-shirts. If you didn’t know, there are several different blends and dyes, though they all fit identically as far as I can tell. While you’ll be able to see the fit from the photos, I’ll also dive into the differences between these fabrics and why you’d choose one over the other.
The shirts I got were:
- Tri-Blend Scallop Crew
- Supima Scallop Crew
- Sunfaded Slub Scallop Crew
First up: the Tri-Blend Scallop Crew. This is Goodlife’s most durable weave, and it’s made from a blend of polyester, rayon, and cotton. Because it’s mostly synthetic, it holds its color and shape really well, even through dozens of washes.
It’s breathable, and Goodlife suggests you can use this t-shirt for a workout. That said, I’m not a huge fan of working out in blended fabric clothes because they tend to develop a righteous odor that doesn’t go away. I haven’t had that happen with this Goodlife shirt, but I’ve had it with other brands and I don’t want to lose this tee.
The “scallop” part of the name refers to the hem, which is curved. I really like this look, and prefer it to a classic hem (hence why all my shirts from Goodlife have the curved hem).
The longer torso helps make me look taller and slimmer, both of which are good things.
The Tri-Blend Crew makes for a fantastic everyday shirt because of its breathability and how often you can wash it without it losing shape or color.
Now the Supima Scallop Crew is another beast: this one is all about softness.
Made with a 50/50 blend of US grown Supima cotton and hyper-soft modal, this tee feels incredible. I don’t wear this shirt as often as my Tri-Blend because it’ll slowly lose its shape and super-soft texture (though that will still take a while), plus I got the bright white.
If you’ve ever spent time with me, you know I have a knack for spilling on the front of my shirt, so I wear white sparingly.
I’m a big fan of the Supima tee—it’s softness makes it an excellent option for those special occasions where you still want to look casual, but want your basics to look stellar.
I also got the Sunfaded Scallop Crew, which is made with 100% cotton and is a heavier weight than other Goodlife tees. The big selling points for this shirt are the pigment dyed fabric, the uneven slub cotton weave, and the faded color.
It arrived in the box already looking like my old favorite t-shirt (but it’s worth noting: even though the fabric looks aged, the hem and collar don’t—those are solid).
Goodlife says this t-shirt gets better with age, and I’m pretty excited about that because I like this tee as it is. It should continue to fade and get softer over time, which will only add to its charm.
In all of these photos, I’m wearing a size large. I’m 6’2” and 200 lbs for reference. You can tell that the shirts fit quite snug around the chest and arms. I know some huskier guys who like to have a little more room in those areas, so if that’s you, consider going a size larger than you normally would.
I’m usually on the smaller side of large, but with Goodlife, the large fits more like a big medium.
If you’re chiseled, then you can do whatever you want. You can shop at Baby Gap and still look good. This review is for the rest of us.
There's a variety of fabric blends to choose from, but most importantly, the fit is on point for all of Goodlife's t-shirts. Each fabric blend has its own strength, but you can't go wrong.
Denim Shirt
While I love a good t-shirt, I’ve spent enough time near Silicon Valley to know how easy it is to get sucked into wearing a neutral tee every day of your life. So I broke the mould and opted for one of Goodlife’s new Denim Shirts.
They have three color options: Indigo, Medium Indigo, and Light Indigo. I opted for the Medium Indigo.
This shirt is decked out with mother of pearl snap buttons, which gives it a distinctive western look. Like the t-shirts, Goodlife knocks it out of the park with the fit here. I picked up a size large and it fits well in the shoulders and has a nice, slim taper through the torso.
I have a more athletic build, meaning my hips and shoulders are equally as wide. A flattering shirt for me helps my shoulders look bigger and hips look slimmer. All of Goodlife’s shirts fit the bill there, so I’m a big fan.
This shirt is decked out with mother of pearl snap buttons, which gives it a distinctive western look. Like the t-shirts, Goodlife knocks it out of the park with the fit here. I picked up a size large and it fits well in the shoulders and has a nice, slim taper through the torso.
Essential Twill Pant
We’ve established Goodlife knows how to make a shirt. But do they know how to make a garment for the lower appendages?
I love me some joggers, but I already have enough to last me a lifetime after I did this ultimate jogger roundup. So I skipped Goodlife’s joggers and sweats and went straight for their Essential Twill Pant.
It’s an interesting pair of pants, and I don’t have anything like it in my wardrobe.
They feel a lot like chinos, but their construction is similar to what you’d get with a pair of linen pants. The waist is elastic with a drawstring in the front, which gives these a distinctly relaxed vibe.
The cut is straight below the knee, and I’ve been wearing mine with a little roll at the bottom to show some ankle and boost that chill-factor.
There are two buttoned back pockets, which is nice for carrying around your phone and wallet, and there are two vertical pockets at the tips, much like a pair of chinos. There’s no zipper, and a faux-fly for aesthetics.
Overall, I’m a big fan of these pants—I think I’ll be wearing them more in summer and spring than the colder months because they have a more laid-back beachy vibe to me.
The Essential Twill Pant feels a lot like chinos, but the construction is similar to what you’d get with a pair of linen pants. The waist is elastic with a drawstring in the front, which gives these a distinctly relaxed vibe.
What do Other Reviewers Say About Goodlife?
The word “quality” came up through most reviews online, and many reviewers say these are the most comfortable shirts they’ve ever worn. I’d say Goodlife’s Supima/Modal blend could make an argument for the softest premium tee, while other blends are better for durability, etc.
Something to note, and something I saw come up in most negative reviews: the shirts are fitted through the chest and shoulders, and have a slimmer silhouette than most t-shirts.
This is something I’ve come to expect from most high-end shirts—they tend to run smaller than big name brands, but that’s what makes them flattering and premium.
If you’re a huskier gent and like to have more room in your t-shirts, order the next size up. And if you’re in between sizes (like say between a medium and large), you can try the large, though you may also like the extra-large). I say that only if you like more room in the chest and shoulders. Otherwise, your standard size is your best option.
My Thoughts Overall On Goodlife Clothing
What I Like
These are some of my favorite t-shirts. Each fabric blend is unique, but the fits are all the same and super flattering.
The Essential Twill Pant is really cool. I like that it has some elements of a classy chino, but is more “dressed-down” and relaxed looking. They complement the t-shirts well in that they’re casual, but still upscale looking.
The fabrics used by Goodlife are all exceptional.
I like that Goodlife is taking practical and direct measures for sustainability by creating the Goodlife Loop program, where they recycle old shirts into insulation for homes.
What I Don’t Like
If you’re a husky gentleman, you may want to opt for one size larger than you’d normally get because the fit of the t-shirt is quite snug in the chest and arms.
Who is Goodlife for?
Goodlife Clothing is an excellent brand if you have a little more room in your budget and you’re looking to curate your wardrobe with nothing but the best pieces. If you believe having two amazing t-shirts is better than having five decent tees, you’ll love Goodlife.
The Verdict
I’m really impressed with Goodlife Clothing.
Their USA-made t-shirts are made with exceptional fabric and top-notch construction. Each fabric blend has its own unique strength, and whether that’s durability or softness, the most important factor is that they all fit really well.
Goodlife is on the premium end for basics, but if you’d rather have two incredible tees instead of five just decent tees, you’ll appreciate your investment here.
The tees have a snug fit across the chest and shoulders. This is a flattering look for many guys, but if you’re a bigger guy and want more room in the chest, you may want to go a size larger than you usually do. You’ll still get a flattering fit, as the torso has a nice taper.
And Goodlife didn’t just excel with their t-shirts. After trying the Denim Shirt and the Essential Twill Pants, I’m a believer in the brand.
I’m looking forward to seeing Goodlife expand their offerings and continue to make high-quality, fit and fabric focused basics that elevate what a casual wardrobe can look like.
Goodlife Clothing is an excellent brand if you have a little more room in your budget and you’re looking to curate your wardrobe with nothing but the best pieces. If you believe having two amazing t-shirts is better than having five decent tees, you’ll love Goodlife.
FAQs
Where is Goodlife Clothing made?
Goodlife is primarily made in Los Angeles at their factory there. All of their t-shirts and most other products are made in the USA, while a select few seasonal styles are imported.
Is Goodlife a good brand?
Goodlife is an excellent brand. Their t-shirts are among some of the best I’ve tried. Their aesthetic is unique, so it’s definitely worth scrolling through their Instagram to see if you can jam with the style, but if you like the looks, you’ll be pleased with the fit and quality.
