How to Style Graphic Tees: 6 Outfit Ideas for Spring and Summer

I have said it before and I will say it again. Graphic tees go with everything. I know that sounds too simple but I genuinely believe it and I have the outfits to prove it. A good graphic tee is one of the most versatile pieces in your wardrobe and most people are massively understyling them.

This post is going to show you exactly how to style a graphic tee six different ways using three tees from Mountain Moverz. I am wearing a large in all of them and I am typically a small so these do not run oversized at all. If you want that true oversized look go up at least two sizes.

The Graphic Tee Styling Formula

Before we get into the outfits I want to give you the formula because once you have it you can apply it to any graphic tee you own. The key is contrast. If your tee is casual, pair it with something that elevates it. If your tee is bold, let the rest of the outfit be simple. That is literally it.

• Graphic tee plus a maxi skirt equals effortless and elevated

• Graphic tee plus wide leg jeans equals the easiest everyday outfit

• Graphic tee plus linen pants equals casual but intentional

• Graphic tee plus denim shorts equals summer done right

6 Ways to Style a Graphic Tee This Spring and Summer

Outfit 1: Sports Mom Tee With Barrel Leg Pants

This is the outfit I wear to every single sports game and I always get asked about it. The Sports Mom tee is doing all the talking here so I kept the rest simple with olive barrel leg pants and flat sandals. The barrel leg silhouette balances the oversized tee perfectly and the whole look takes about two minutes to put on.

Outfit 3: Shell Graphic Tee With Ribbed Shorts and Sneakers

This is your grab and go summer outfit. The sage green shell tee with white ribbed shorts and New Balance sneakers is so easy and so good. I added a pearl necklace to elevate it slightly and that one detail makes all the difference. This outfit is comfortable enough to wear all day and cute enough to feel like you actually got dressed.

Outfit 6: Toes in the Sand Tee With a Blue Maxi Skirt

This is my favorite combination in the whole post. A graphic tee tucked loosely into a flowing blue maxi skirt is one of those outfit combinations that looks like it required a lot of thought but it really did not. The orange and blue color story is warm and summery and the studded sandals ground the whole look. This is the outfit that will make people stop and ask what you are wearing.

Outfit 2: Sports Mom Tee With Denim Shorts and Leopard Sneakers

Same tee completely different energy. Denim shorts and leopard sneakers turn this into a casual summer look that still feels intentional. The leopard sneaker is doing the heavy lifting here and it works because everything else is neutral. This is the formula in action.

Outfit 4: Shell Graphic Tee With White Linen Pants

Same tee elevated completely by swapping the shorts for white linen pants and studded mules. This is the contrast formula at work. The casual tee gets elevated by the linen and the mules and suddenly it looks like a considered outfit instead of something you just threw on. Gold bangles add the finishing touch.

Outfit 5: Toes in the Sand Tee With Wide Leg Jeans

Wide leg jeans are my most reached for bottom right now and they work with literally every graphic tee I own. The toes in the sand tee with light wash wide leg jeans and woven mules is effortless spring dressing. The bandana necklace adds personality and the gold bangles tie everything together.

My Top Tips for Styling Graphic Tees

A few things I have learned from wearing graphic tees constantly that will make your outfits look more intentional every time.

• Size up for an oversized look. Most graphic tees do not run big so if you want that relaxed fit go up at least two sizes from your usual.

• Add one elevated piece. A maxi skirt, linen pants or a great pair of mules instantly makes a graphic tee feel more put together.

• Do not skip jewelry. A necklace or bangles pull the whole look together and make it feel finished.

• Let the tee be the statement. If your tee has a bold graphic keep everything else neutral and simple.

The Bottom Line on Graphic Tees

A graphic tee is not just a casual piece you throw on when you do not feel like getting dressed. It is a wardrobe staple that can be dressed up or down depending on what you pair it with. I hope these six outfits showed you exactly what I mean. The formula is simple, the outfits are easy and you probably already have most of these pieces in your closet. All six looks are linked on my LTK so you can shop anything you need in seconds. Now go get dressed.