Men's Undershirts: Do you need to wear one? Which one is best?

 The first layer I recommend for the well dressed, American man is an undershirt.  Whether he is dressing for business casual or business formal, an undershirt serves both function and fashion.  It's function is to protect his shirt and layering pieces from sweat, body odor and unsightly deodorant stains.  It also functions in a fashion sense to smooth out the torso so the shirt or sweater lays flat across the body.  Chest hair, muscular-skeletal bumps, lumps and nipples are all things the undershirt smooths and diminishes. As for style; crew neck, v-neck or tank, is a personal choice. 

Does it matter what brand of undershirt you buy?  Yes!  Undershirts are not created equally and the idea you pay for what you get is very apparent in men's undershirts.  Just like premium denim the discerning qualities are fit and fabric. 

If your undershirt is simply a torso-liner so to speak, the ideal fit would be one that literally conforms to your body as closely as possible while still allowing you freedom of movement and comfort.  Unfortunately, the majority of popular, low cost undershirts like Hanes, Kirkland Signature, Fruit of the Loom, Merona, and Jockey do not fit most men well. Why?

• Many of these shirts tend to be thick and boxy rather than thin and body conforming. 

• Due to the boxy style, these shirts run short.  Many men need to purchase one size larger in order to allow enough length to properly tuck the undershirt in. 

• Regardless, these shirts are still not long enough for most men and ride up throughout the day causing even your fitted dress shirts to puff out around your waist.

• Lower quality undershirts add bulk under clothing, especially in the arms and waist.  This can create unfair and unsightly "love handles" as the extra material bunches together when the man tucks it in to his pants. 

• Some men wear pants that don't fit well because they require a larger waist size in order to allow enough room to tuck in the thick, boxy undershirt along with the top layers.  Changing their undershirt may actually allow them to buy pants that fit and look better!

• Thick undershirts add warmth, which in warm climates and heated office buildings can lead to more perspiration. 

• Lastly, inexpensive undershirts don't wash well.  The collar comes out wrinkled and puckered and won't lay flat unless you iron it.  I refuse to iron an undershirt!

As for fabric; thinner, higher quality cotton or stretch modal blends (a combination of cotton and synthetic fibers that create a smooth look and stretchy feel that retains it shape) are best.

So, what undershirts do I recommend?  For men making the transition forward from the Hanes level, I recommend Calvin Klein cotton undershirts ($29.99 for a three pack).  While pricier than Hanes, they are still affordable, and are as readily available as Hanes in most department stores, outlet or discount stores where if you are lucky, you can get them for $15 a package!).  Calvin Klein undershirts wash well and the collar stays flat.  They are reasonably fitted and long enough for the average torso.  The material is thin without being see-through and the arms are tapered to prevent bulk.  They come in crew neck, v-neck and tank style and most importantly, men report they are very comfortable.  You may need to buy one size smaller than you usually do to get the best fit (they run long so pick the size for your torso).

A level above would be the Calvin Klein or 2-Xist brand undershirts made in a stretchy micro modal blend.  These run about $25-35 per shirt, but are extremely fitted, smooth and comfortable.

For the ultimate undershirt, may I recommend a Tommy John Stay Tucked Undershirt. It's long, it's fitted, super soft and whisper thin.

From a woman's perspective:
I don't mind seeing a man's white undershirt showing under a v-neck sweater as long as it's thin, clean and with a flat, narrow collar.  I think it looks crisp, respectful and professional in a masculine American Man way.  However, I think a handsome man wearing a sweater or open collared dress shirt with no visible undershirt can look quite sexy and stylish as long as he has a reasonably masculine build and wears his style and sexuality well.  This is more of a European look and in some stylish locations and business sectors; acceptable on a daily basis.  However, in more traditional business or for American men in general, I recommend they wear an undershirt and save the sexy look for dinner dates and evening events.

For more information about men's undershirts, tips for how to wear them and beyond, no one says it better than The Undershirt Guy. 

-Lisa Bruckner Hendricks Park

Comments

[Steve L]

My favorite undershirts are silk v-necks from WinterSilks. http://www.wintersilks.com/products.aspx?BRANCH=2~1517~&dept=Silk+for+Men-tees
Women have known about the exceptional comfort of silk for a long time. Men are slowly learning this today. Silk keeps me warm in chilly weather, and is moisture wicking and breathable in warm weather (it is the natural fiber that synthetic polypropylene and Cool-Max wanna-be).

Plus, silk feels great, is smooth and non-binding under other layers, and adds minimum bulk to crowd my waistbands that the wash machine constantly shrink :-D .

But, in the summer, I skip the t-shirt entirely in favor of silk Aloha shirts. Sometimes, even a great underlayer is one layer too many.

[Lisa Bruckner]

Thank you Steve for your input! Silk undershirts (and underwear) are a luxurious option for many; especially in the winter. It's difficult to out-do the wonderful feeling of silk.

[Samantha]

I don't let my husband out of our house without an undershirt. If he is wearing a shirt that is open at the collar, a V neck t shirt type undershirt is a must. If he is wearing his shirt buttoned up with a tie, a crewneck t shirt type undershirt. Either way, it must be white and snug - a loose undershirt will bunch up under his shirt and look dreadful. "A" shirts are pretty much useless for a man. A couple years back, DH bought some and I wouldn't let him wear them. I washed them, shrunk them some, and tried them on me. They look good on me while doing chores around the house - because I don't have any body hair. And, upon getting home from work, I often free myself from the shackle of my bra and put one of those "A" shirts on in lieu of a bra.

By wearing an undershirt, my DH looks like a gentleman. It protects his outer shirt. It protects his suit jacket. It protects him from showing the world the effects of perspiration. It provides warmth in cold or chilly weather. It tones down bionic nipples and screens his black chest hair from showing through a white dress shirt.

For whatever reason, I am conditioned to find the sight of seeing a man putting on a shirt over an undershirt, or removing a shirt with an undershirt underneath, to be a sexy sight! At night, when DH undresses, I can't help but run my hands over the super soft cotton of his undershirt. I'm not sure why! To be honest, I guess I have a bit of a fetish here, but a harmless one I think. But then, my DH finds the sight of me in a full slip - while either dressing or undressing - to be sexy.

A word on the visible undershirt at the collar - top button undone, but wearing a crew neck undershirt. This is a very American look, not so popular here in Canada. But, it looks fine in a casual sort of way. It looks terrible at the office. It looks fine under a uniform at the auto service centre. It looks terrible at church. It looks fine when he is at the hardware store picking up some plywood. In other words, there is a time and place for everything - but visible undershirts don't mix with office dress - they are awesome under a uniform or for your day off. My DH often goes without a tie to work, but dress pants, dress shirt, jacket. V neck undershirts are the perfect answer here! Only he, the kids and I know he is wearing an undershirt and that is just fine by me!

Now, I have to get dressed to go to work - where did I put my slip? :)

[wholesale mens clothing]

White shirts looks always good for men. thanks for the post.

-mikee

[GN]

Great Blog.....

For me wearing an undershirt isn't an issue...it is part of my everyday attire...not sure how to put it, but I don't think about what how to pair my underwear with my outwear...in the morning, after my shower, I put on my briefs and undershirt..then I get dressed...90% of the time my undershirt is a short sleeved T-shirt, but when it is really hot in the summer it is a tank style...this shouldn't be a topic, PUT AN UNDERSHIRT ON! It is just part of getting dressed.

[Phil]

This is an issue, and a topic, because some men do not wear an undershirt. While some men can pull off 'topless comando', most cannot.

Until a few years ago, I never wore an undershirt. Then, a few years back, I overheard two female co-workers discussing how important it was for men to wear undershirts. One of them described in some detail how she persuaded her husband to start wearing them. They also agreed that they could be helpful for women too. So, I started searching online, and found so many good reasons for wearing an undershirt.

Now wearing an undershirt is as routine as wearing my watch.

It is nice never having underarm sweat stains on my shirts. Its nice for the insides of my suit jacket to never get wet. It is nice not having to bleach white dress shirts because of yellow underarm stains. Its nice for chest hair not to be poking through the spaces between the buttons.

The only real issue is, visible at the collar or not. I think that really depends on local culture. If the other guys do it at the office, its safe. If none of them do it, v necks for that tieless dress shirt!

Phil

[wholesale mens clothing]

V-neck is always the best undershirt for me.

[replica swiss watches- Licy]

White shirt, my boyfriend used to love.