You know, I run across a very common question from men about wearing undershirts:

Should an undershirt be visible or not?

11/15/08 Update: Here’s a link to a post that covers a bunch of information about wearing undershirts. Wearing an Undershirt - What about style?

Today, while visiting the Style Forum website, I ran across a post where a member asked this question:

I’m about to buy some new undershirts. I know that it’s generally not good for the undershirt to be showing, but I almost always wear my shirts with two buttons unbuttoned. Will an undershirt with a v-neck be hidden, or will it still show? Is it best for a crewneck undershirt to show rather than a v-neck? I do not plan on wearing a tie, or changing the way I have my two buttons unbuttoned.

Here’s how I responded to his question:

That’s a great question and what it really boils down to is personal preference.

There are some who feel that undershirts should never been seen. But if you really look it in common practice, you’ll find that many men wear crewneck or v-neck undershirts under their button shirts where the undershirt is visible.

One could suggest that wearing a deep v-neck would be the right thing to do so you don’t see the undershirt at all, but that leaves you with the possibility of showing potentially unsightly chest hair. Although, if that’s your style, that’s cool too.

Personally, I mostly wear fitted v-neck undershirts under my button-up shirts and most of the time the collars are somewhat visible (although not as visible as crewnecks).

Bottom line, if you wear an undershirt that has a crisp, clean collar that doesn’t look unsightly, you should feel free to wear either a crewneck or v-neck (and not give a hoot what other people think).

If you’d like an opinion on which type of undershirt to choose, considering you wear your shirts with two buttons unbuttoned, I’d recommend a crewneck.

What I found rather disturbing was this comment:

I know that it’s generally not good for the undershirt to be showing…

Honesty, who determines whether or not it’s ok for an undershirt to be showing? (heck, people have made wearing a wife beater a fashion statement) I’m sure everyone has their own personal opinion, but let’s all agree that it’s just that — someone’s opinion and nothing more. Now, I’m sure many people had formed that opinion at one point because undershirts can look unsightly if they’re older and have been through the laundry a billion times. But there’s plenty of newer, higher quality undershirts that look really nice — so much in fact that many can be worn on their own. Furthermore, even some of the lesser expensive undershirts like Hanes or Fruit of the Loom will look good if they are new or well maintained.

Personally, I primarily wear v-neck undershirts. I switch back and forth between wearing black undershirts and white undershirts. If I’m wearing darker colors, I typically sport a black undershirt. When wearing lighter colors, I throw on a white one.

So, if you’re one of those guys that wonders whether or not it’s ok to wear an undershirt — stop wondering. It’s perfectly acceptable.

Long live the undershirt!

Tug
P. S. If you’re looking for some additional advice, here’s an article I posted a few months ago that provides some additional insights about wearing undershirts from another blogger: A Man’s Guide to Undershirts

Other posts you might be interested in...

• Wearing an Undershirt - What about style?
• The Great (and dumb) Undershirt Debate
• Ask Tug Update: What do you think? Deep V-Neck Undershirt for Tall Men

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