When I look for dependable layers to ramp up my spring and summer style wardrobe, I tend to reach for pieces that take a classic and improve upon it ever so slightly. And if the piece is a bit of a swerve from the norm — say, a stylish striped long-sleeve T-shirt as opposed to a solid-colored long-sleeve tee — that’s all the better.

Let’s go one step further: When that staple piece is made the old-school way, well, you’ve hit the sweet spot, as the good folks at American Giant often tend to do.

Makers of everything from some of the best American-made jeans to the brand’s famed American Giant Classic Full-Zip Hoodie, you’ll find that the company leaves no stone unturned, so to speak, in pursuit of some of the best American-made menswear on the market.

And that goes for casual picks, like the aforementioned American Giant Classic Long-Sleeve Crew, as well as harder-to-craft picks, like blue jeans, canvas work pants or hard-wearing workshirts. A mid-weight 100 percent cotton build gives this T-shirt a breezy softness, the kind that wears well with French Terry joggers for weekend coffee outings or laidback spring patio mornings.

Yet, the USA-made build of the American Giant Classic Long-Sleeve Crew elevates it further — while this works as a loungewear-style T-shirt, you can also pair it with an indigo denim trucker or rock it beneath a chambray shirt for casually cool days around town.

The American Giant Classic Long-Sleeve Crew is the sort of T-shirt that might make you rethink what it means to wear one of the best long-sleeve T-shirts — either green or navy stripes add some style points, as do the contrasting cuffs.

It’s not quite as heavy as a crewneck sweatshirt, it’s more substantial than a pima cotton T-shirt, and it’s reliable as can be. While the American Giant Classic Long-Sleeve Crew is pricier than a standard T-shirt from a bargain-bin retailer, it’s a difference you can feel, and that’s a stylish touch I can appreciate. If you feel the same way, one of the best USA-made T-shirts is yours for the taking.