These Shirts Take A Licking

5 Stain-Resistant Shirts That Fight Spills And Keep You Looking Sharp

Parenting is messy. These shirts are engineered to defend against spills, spit-up, and whatever else comes your way.

by Beau Hayhoe
Updated: 
Originally Published: 

Parenting is messy business. But fighting back doesn’t mean wearing only old tees or accepting that your favorite clothes will be forever-dotted with stains. Because the latest stain-resistant and stain-repellent shirts are more versatile than ever. The best ones feature durable stretch fabric, moisture-wicking qualities, and the construction of a classic button down. And they’re damn near stain-proof.

What’s the difference between stain-resistant and stain-repellent? Well, stain-repellent shirts are usually treated with a coating meant to repel liquids (or just about anything else you can think of), and stain-resistant shirts commonly have material woven into said shirt to prevent stains from setting in. You’ll occasionally see the term “stain-fighting” as well, which is another way of referring to either type of shirt. The ones you’ll see here are “stain-resistant” or “stain-repellent,” but they all fit the right criteria in terms of style and performance.

There’s no need to fear with these shirts: You’re not sacrificing style and zipping up a hazmat suit when you wear a shirt designed to protect against stains. Stain-fighting shirts are actually more stylish and versatile than you might think. In fact, they’re simply stylish shirts that have tech to keep them free of stains. Here are five to consider.

Threadsmiths Game White Polo Shirt

Call it a miracle: Worrying about stains on a crisp white polo shirt is now a thing of the past. This teched-up shirt’s 100 percent cotton fabric is hydrophobic as well as stain-resistant meaning the stain-proof shirt is a reality. Special powers aside, this is a comfortable, wear-anywhere short-sleeve shirt that fits without feeling sloppy or baggy. You'll want to buy five.

$59
Lands’ End Long-Sleeve Performance Twill Shirt

Remember what we said about shirts that blend both style and functionality in your quest to rid your wardrobe of stains? Lands’ End delivers in that regard quite handsomely with this amped-up performance twill shirt. The brand transformed its Chino fabric into a sport shirt with stain-repellent qualities, and it’ll also fight wrinkles at the same time. It’s available in nine distinct and versatile colors.

$20
Western Rise Air-Light Button-Down Shirt

When you think of a performance shirt you likely picture a gym shirt or other type of activewear. Western Rise’s AirLight shirt is turning that notion on its head. Made with lightweight, breathable fabric finished with a durable water resistant coating (DWR), the smartly tailored button down (also available in a short-sleeve style) is both water and stain-repellent. It’s a style forward shirt that just so happens to have incredible tech behind it.

$109
Ably Apparel Wyatt Long-Sleeve Woven Shirt

Ably Apparel’s version of a long-sleeve shirt check a lot of the right boxes. It’s stain-resistant, sure, but it’s also designed to fight odor and dry quickly. It’s all thanks to the brand’s proprietary activated fabric, which turns any natural fiber into a stain-busting wonder while repelling liquid. The brand claims the ttech can even stand up to wine, coffee or ice cream.

$100
Vardama Wall Street Blue Slim-Fit Shirt

Consider this the classic dress shirt, upgraded. Thanks to a proprietary fiber infusion, it's both stain-resistant and liquid-repellent to keep you looking sharp. A slim cut and front buttons covered by a placket, provide some nice style points.

$30

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