Bape Bicolor Tee: What to Know Before You Pick One Up Second-Hand
A Bape bicolor tee is a short-sleeve shirt from A Bathing Ape where the body and the sleeves, or the body and the collar, come in two contrasting colours. Think grey torso with black arms, or white with navy. The big ape head or the shark graphic usually sits on the chest or back. On the second-hand market, prices run from around 70 to 200 euros depending on the print, the year and the condition.
This page covers how to spot the model, how it fits, and how to avoid fakes. It is an independent guide, nothing here is for sale.
What makes a Bape bicolor tee different
Most Bape shirts are plain one-colour cotton with a large print. The bicolor version adds a colour block, and that changes how the shirt is made. Panels are cut separately and sewn together, so you will see seams at the shoulder line or across the chest where a plain tee has none.
Those seams are a useful check. On a genuine piece they are flat, even and straight, with tight stitching of roughly 10 to 12 stitches per inch. Wavy lines or loose threads at the join are a warning sign.
Common colour combinations
- Grey body with black sleeves
- White body with navy or red sleeves
- Black body with camo sleeves
- Two-tone collar rib on a single-colour body
The camo sleeve versions are the most sought after, and they tend to sit at the top of the price range.
Bape bicolor tee sizing and fit
Bape cuts boxy. The body is wide, the hem is straight, and the sleeves end a little above the elbow. Japanese sizing runs smaller than European sizing, so a Japanese-market tee tagged L often fits like a European M.
Take your own measurements instead of trusting the tag. A shirt that is 56 cm across the chest, laid flat, suits most people who wear a European L. Check the length too, which is typically 70 to 74 cm for an L.
If you sit between sizes, go up for the intended oversized look and down for something closer to the body. Cotton jersey of this weight (around 180 to 200 gsm) shrinks a little after the first hot wash, so wash cold.
How to check a Bape bicolor tee is real
Fakes of Bape are everywhere, and the bicolor style is copied often because it looks simple. Start with the neck label. Genuine labels are cleanly woven, the font is sharp, and the spacing is even. Blurry letters or a printed label instead of a woven one point to a fake.
Then look at the wash tag. It should list the fibre content and care symbols in several languages, and the stitching around it should be neat. Compare the print too. The ape face on an authentic tee has crisp edges and the colours do not bleed into the fabric.
Ask the seller for photos of the inner collar, the side seam and the tag. A seller who refuses is usually hiding something. Buying from a trusted reseller with returns is safer than a blurry listing with a low price.
Fair second-hand prices
A worn plain-colour bicolor tee from the 2010s often goes for around 70 to 110 euros. Early Japanese pieces from the 2000s, or collaboration tees, can pass 200 euros. Anything listed under 40 euros for a current-looking design deserves suspicion.
Condition moves the price more than people expect. Cracked prints and yellowed underarms cut the value by a third or more. Faded black is normal, but pilling around the collar is not.
Where it sits next to other tees
If you only want the standard design in a single colour, the page on the Bape t shirt covers that range in more detail. For another heavy-hitting logo piece, the Off-White tee shirt has a very different feel, with arrows and diagonal stripes instead of animal graphics.
Prefer something quieter? The Stussy basic tee has a small chest logo and a looser, more neutral look that goes with almost anything. The Bape bicolor is the louder choice of the group, so wear it with plain trousers and clean white sneakers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Bape bicolor tee shrink?
A little, mostly in length. Wash it cold, inside out, and let it air dry. A hot dryer cycle can take 2 cm off the body and can crack the print.
Is the bicolor style rarer than a normal Bape tee?
Generally yes, because fewer were made per season. Rarity alone does not guarantee a high price, since the graphic and the era matter as much.
Can I tell a fake from photos alone?
Often, if the photos are sharp. Look at the neck label, the stitching at the colour seams and the edges of the print. If the seller will not send close-ups, move on.
What size should I choose if I normally wear M?
Pick M for a relaxed fit in a European cut, or L if the tee is from the Japanese market and you want it roomy. Always compare the flat chest width in centimetres first.