Do You Tuck Your Undershirts Into Your Underwear? Robert Downey Jr. Does.
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Do you tuck your undershirt into your underwear?
Earlier last month there was an article written on Gather.com about a undershirt/underwear wardrobe “malfunction” Robert Downey Jr. had on the red carpet during the premier of his new Sherlock Holmes movie in Rome.
According to a report from TooFab, the Sherlock Holmes star walked a red carpet in Rome to promote the film, and shared with everyone the fact that he was wearing Calvin Klein underwear [Tug: Hmm, I wonder if CK underwear sales grew as a result?].
It seems that Downey, Jr. had somehow inadvertently managed to tuck his shirt inside his undies. He wasn’t wearing a belt, so the waist of his pants likely fell an inch or so. When that happened it put the red waist band of his Calvin Klein underwear in full view of all the people an cameras present at the event.
Robert Downey, Jr. was at least smart enough to have coordinated his undies with the red striped tie and hankie he had tucked into his pocket. In fact, he even sported red shoelaces for the event as well.
So this article got me thinking about the subject matter a little. While I hate to admit it, there are times that I actually do tuck my undershirt into my underwear.
Now, the whole point of tucking an undershirt into your underwear is to address two common issues:
- Keep the undershirt from coming untucked
- Minimize the amount of bunching around the waist line
There are two companies that were and have been the pioneers in marketing their stay-tucked undershirts (#2 & #3), but many other companies have followed suit over the years to offer longer tailored/tapered undershirts, and now there are many more options to choose from than there were a few years back.
In saying that though, some of these longer undershirts are either way too long, or cut too wide. In either of these cases, longer does not necessarily mean better.
If the undershirt is fitted, but too long, there will be just too much fabric to deal with when tucking the undershirt into your pants. Maybe it’ll be tough to get past the undershirt when you have to “relieve” yourself (not fun) or you might get some undershirt bunching near the crotch area of your pants (personally experienced). Regardless, it just looks plain silly too.
If the undershirt is cut too wide and too long, you’ll have the above issues, but you’ll also have a lot of bunching and gathering not only at the waist line, but also underneath your pants too. I don’t know about you, but unless you’re wearing pants that are too big for you, having a bunch of extra fabric under your pants is not only uncomfortable, it’s unsightly. Plus, this will make your pants fit tighter around the waistline too. Bad, bad, bad.
So one option is to find a fitted, not too long undershirt that’ll stay tucked. Finding a “Not too long” fitted undershirt will also depend on your torso length (not just your height). At an average height/weight, I’ve found the ideal fitted undershirt length for me is around 28.5″ – 30″ long after washing.
Scott Speedman. T-shirt Tucked into underwear. (Photo Credit: Denimology.com)
Tucking Your Undershirt Into Your Underwear
The other obvious option is to tuck your undershirt into your underwear to keep it tucked. In most most cases, I’ve found this method to be more effective in keeping my undershirt tucked, but it does have drawbacks that most of the time outweigh the tucking benefit. Drawbacks include:
- If the undershirt is too long, the bunching effect at the bottom of the undershirt is compounded
- If the undershirt is too wide (or not fitted), you’ll get a good amount of gathering underneath your underwear. This can be further compounded if the undershirt is too long
- If you wear briefs, you have less tucking area
- When you tuck your undershirt into your underwear, the front of the undershirt comes into contact with, ahem, your frontal private parts. This can become unsanitary, mostly after “relieving” yourself. (I hope I don’t have to explain further)
- Same principle for the back side of the undershirt as in #3. Nuff said.
- Lastly, as what happened to Robert Downy Jr., it’s a lot easier to expose the fact that your undershirt is tucked into your underwear. For some, it could be an embarrassing moment
Ideally, if you want to tuck your undershirt into your underwear, you’d likely be better off with a shorter undershirt. It wouldn’t have to be fitted of course, but you wouldn’t want it too boxy either.
In thinking about the proper length for the tucking-undershirt-into-underwear approach, I think you only need about 2.5″ – 3″ of undershirt length past your underwear waist band. Long enough to accommodate for regular movement, but short enough not to come in contact with any lower extremities.
Are There Other Options Available?
Well, there’s a handful I can think of, but I wouldn’t go on record officially recommending these:
- Use Shirt Stays on your undershirt
- Try securing your undershirt to your underwear with double-sided clothing adhesive strips, like the Quick Fix Strips from Solutions that Stick ($7.95 for 32 strips), Hollywood Fashion Tape, or other similar products like Pure Style Girlfriends Stay Put Fashion Tape, Fashion Forms Double-sided tape, Commando Matchsticks, or Commando Matchtips (dots)
- Sew elastic into the bottom hem of your undershirt
- Make an undershirt like the one from this inventor that keeps your pants up and your undershirt tucked
So, Which Tucking Method is Better or More Appropriate?
The short answer is that they are both valid and legitimate ways of keeping your undershirt tucked.
Socially speaking, I think that tucking your undershirt into your underwear is perceived as less acceptable than not. However, if you’re a stylish bloke like Robert Downey who color matches his underwear with his outfit, it might not be that bad.
The key though is to figure out exactly which method YOU prefer, and then track down an undershirt with the proper fit and length to accommodate that method and your particular physique.
What say you?
1/17/11 Update – Weird timing…I just saw this “Tucking Your Undershirt into Your Boxers” thread today that was started back in 2007!
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I always tuck my shirt in my underwear. Me, currently being 18, have always done this. I wear white briefs, so I play around with the chance of getting an atomic wedgie here and there. I’ve gotten on record 104 wedgies, yet I still tuck my shirt in that way. COMMITMENT!!!
you go prezdawg! thanks for sharing (:
So, white briefs, and shirts tucked into them, right?
I have a question: where did this habit come from? Does your father tuck his shirts, outer and/or under, into HIS (I’m assuming) white briefs? Or did you come across the benefits on your own? Would you ever tuck into, say, boxer shorts or boxer-briefs? What kind of undershirts do you wear/tuck, and were THOSE influenced by male family members?
Response to ‘drawbacks 1 to 6 when undershirts and T-shirts are tucked in’:
Dear tug:
The problems of bunching or gathering depicted under items 1 and 2, as well as the hygienic problems described under items 4 and 5, can be best avoided by ensuring from the start that one’s T-shirts and undershirts fit properly. They should never be too long or too loose. This requirement must always be considered before buying, especially if one tucks the shirts in, as I have always done. In a previous comment, for instance, I pointed out that my T-shirts are all ‘thin and tight’, simply because they must fit correctly. In fact, I think that a T-shirt which is a little bit too tight is better than one which is too loose. Of course, I am thinking especially of those horrible, baggy, oversized, ‘XXXL’ T-shirts which occasionally have become fashionable for reasons unknown to me. I myself am rather small and must therefore do some searching before buying T-shirts and tank undershirts, since the small ‘S’ size is usually more difficult to obtain, at least in my area. In the past, whenever I managed to find some that fit me really well, I bought an entire stack for ensuring a sufficient supply in the future, too. This has always proved to be a good investment, since I have always purchased durable, high-quality T-shirts. The situation is somewhat less acute in the case of rib-knit tank undershirts, since these seem to be more readily available in small sizes, and the rib knit is inherently elastic anyway.
Sincerely, ken
Can’t see a problem with my shirt tucked inside my boxerbriefs. My waist stays tidy, access to my privates and necessary adjustments are easier. I have always dressed this way since childhood (now 26), and have never really been subject to negative comments as I try to match my underpants colour to either my shirt or kecks so if they ride above, they are not that noticeable.
I’ve tucked my shirt in my underpants since my teens when I realised most of my friends did. My underpants sometimes ride over my trousers but why should that matter. I mostly wear white boxers – they tend to rise at the back more than the front.
As a child (now 23), my parents and grandparents always taught me to tuck my vest and my shirt into my underpants, and it was certainly the normal way to dress amongst my mates. Nobody bothered if the elastic rose above my school flannels or my jeans, although I did get some comments when I went to Uni. As a result, I did some research, and found that until the second world war, mens underpants did not have elastic waistbands, and so they had to be kept up by their braces, so it was essential to tuck the shirt into the underpants to achieve this.
I have never been bothered if my underwear is accidentally showing, as anyone can see it on my washing line, so no big deal.The double tuck, as I call it, just means I can make all necessary adjustments without undressing throughout the day. Great!!
wow coolguy, that’s some pretty interesting information about the origins of tucking undershirts into underwear. thanks so much for sharing!
I should add it was not only my mates who tucked but so my father and my mates fathers. At that time it was the way most guys dressed themselves. It was in the mid 1960′s that many men started not t
I am 30 yrs old and have been tucking my shirt in my underpants since I was about 12. My white waistband always shows at the top and has done almost everyday since I was a teenager. I am not at all embarassed and just ignore negative comments of which I have had many.After all, underpants are merely an article of clothing. What’s the big deal?
I am 19, and started tucking my shirt into my underpants at secondary school, as we got a detention if our shirt tails hung out, but not if our knickers were on show. Most of the guys in my class did the same, and I never considered it out of the ordinary.
Now I am at Uni, and although my new house mates did find it strange at first, I have noticed that a couple of them have started to also tuck their shirts into their boxers. They admit it is tidier, and also warmer in our cold digs.
My current gf has often commented on the colour and pattern of my underpants, but never that they are showing above my jeans.
Yes Mr. Knickers and Uni, but you are also uncircumcised. Ew.
Agree with James. The comfort and accessability of shirt tucked into my underpants is great, although you do need to make sure that they do not rise above your jeans.
thanks for your input alex! really appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts.
Don’t see a problem with tucking either undershirt or shirt into underpants. Keeps everything neat and tidy, is easier to make appropriate adjustments during the day, and was the method used by all guys before 1945, as underpants did not have elastic waistbands, and needed braces to keep them up. I learned this from my Grandfather, and it really works. Try it.
I always tuck my undershirt in my underwear.
As i always tuck my shirt (for work) in my pants… seems logical to me…
But i would never tuck my shirt in my underwear (that’s what Jr. did)
makes sense for sure!
thanks for stopping by and posting your comment mulder! i really appreciate it.
keep this between you and me, but the undershirts i mostly tuck into my underwear are my compression/slimming ones. i find the compression usually messes with my underwear, so i tuck those shirts into my underwear to avoid the problem.
I tried tucking into the underwear a number of years ago when frustrated at my undershirt coming untucked.
It stayed tucked, but was horribly uncomfortable, so I quickly went back to the tradition tuck.
interesting information nick! i’d be curious of how long or wide your undershirt was.
maybe it would support my thoughts about what type of undershirts *could* be tucked in.