# Undershirts: white or gray?



## vwguy (Jul 23, 2004)

On the weekends sometimes I'll throw on a sweater (sans OCBD) w/ an undershirt underneath & while the it's barely visible, a bit of the collar still is out there for the world to see. In cases like this, I prefer gray, but I'm curious what color undershirt you wear when it will be visible?

Brian


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## tripreed (Dec 8, 2005)

Wait, you sometimes go out in public without a collared shirt on?


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## jml90 (Dec 7, 2005)

Gray,black,anything but, white.


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## bigCat (Jun 10, 2005)

I have only white undershirts. I make sure it does not show behind whatever I wear.

In your case I would go with gray (not white).


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## egadfly (Nov 10, 2006)

jml90 said:


> Gray,black,anything but, white.


Excuse me, but you couldn't possibly have meant that anyone should wear a black undershirt under _any_ circumstances. Could you?


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## Topsider (Jul 9, 2005)

vwguy said:


> On the weekends sometimes I'll throw on a sweater (sans OCBD) w/ an undershirt underneath & while the it's barely visible, a bit of the collar still is out there for the world to see. In cases like this, I prefer gray, but I'm curious what color undershirt you wear when it will be visible?


I have a variety of colored t-shirts; I just make sure that it coordinates with the sweater. White and heather gray are always safe choices.

If I'm wearing an open-collared shirt, I'll try to wear a v-necked t-shirt underneath to keep it hidden.


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## spinlps (Feb 15, 2004)

KentW said:


> If I'm wearing an open-collared shirt, I'll try to wear a v-necked t-shirt underneath to keep it hidden.


So wear does one purchase grey v-neck t-shirts?


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## Duck (Jan 4, 2007)

White V Necks for me or nothing at all. However, gray v necks can be purchased at Target.


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## eagle2250 (Mar 24, 2006)

Is it still considered an undershirt if it is not white. I assumed such a shirt in any color other than white, would just be considered a T-shirt. Admittedly, I have worn sweaters with just an undershirt underneath but, with the v-necks, don't believe the undershirt shows itsself to the world...it's just my dirty little secret. Should it in fact be visable, I guess the jokes on me!


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## spinlps (Feb 15, 2004)

Duck said:


> White V Necks for me or nothing at all. However, gray v necks can be purchased at Target.


Really! I'll check next time. Thanks.


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## wnh (Nov 4, 2006)

Why go out of your way to buy gray V-necks when you can't see the color anyway?


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## septa (Mar 4, 2006)

Light grey undershirts do not show through light colored shirts the way white undershirts do. I should probably know why this is, but I have forgotten almost all of the optics I ever knew.


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## Patrick06790 (Apr 10, 2005)

Sometimes I go for the "off-duty" look of an ocbd with a crew neck tee shirt, in which case I prefer grey or black.

But not often.

I have a date this weekend with a lady who is somewhat younger (33 to my 45). I don't want to scare her off showing up looking like her granddad (who is probably wearing a Sean John track suit from T.J. Maxx anyway).

Plenty of time for that later.


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## jml90 (Dec 7, 2005)

egadfly said:


> Excuse me, but you couldn't possibly have meant that anyone should wear a black undershirt under _any_ circumstances. Could you?


Why? What are you racist?


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## interestedinclothing (Feb 8, 2007)

In case it needs to be said, a gentleman does not show his underwear in public.


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## ThomasC (Nov 6, 2008)

interestedinclothing said:


> In case it needs to be said, a gentleman does not show his underwear in public.


Agreed, which is why I always wear a sleeveless undershirt. The neckline is scooped and low enough so that it does not show unless your shirt is unbuttoned more than it should be.


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## Cruiser (Jul 21, 2006)

I have t-shirts in various colors including white, black, grey, and blue. I also have an assortment of shirts such as polos, henleys, sweatshirts, and sweaters that I often wear untucked and when I do I generally wear a matching t-shirt (in the winter, not summer) that I can tuck in under the polo, henley, etc. For example, here I am wearing a black tee under a black long sleeve polo and a grey tweed jacket.

https://img385.imageshack.us/my.php?image=scan0038kp9.gifhttps://g.imageshack.us/thpix.php

And for what it's worth, a light grey undershirt worn under a white dress shirt doesn't show through the white dress shirt like a white undershirt does. I don't know why this is, but it is.

Cruiser


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## Green3 (Apr 8, 2008)

A white undershirt under a white dress shirt "whitens" the dress shirt. Does grey do the same?


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## jon44 (Jan 30, 2007)

I wear a grey t-shirt (more substantial than an undershirt) under navy blue merino polo's for a casual look, or a white t-shirt under merino polos, for a hipper look.

BTW, LL Bean has a nice 'no iron' t-shirt that's substantial enough that it doesn't look like underwear (I think that's a critical part of the deal).

Jon


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## Thom Browne's Schooldays (Jul 29, 2007)

At last! 
I can finally recoup all the time I waste each week ironing my t-shirts!



I have a pet peeve about white undershirts peeking out.

I wear mainly gray (either that or some odd t-shirt lying around). This time of year everything's under a sweater, and doesn't show anyways.

Spent far too much time last year searching for a gray v-neck without success.


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## Jovan (Mar 7, 2006)

tripreed said:


> Wait, you sometimes go out in public without a collared shirt on?


... are you serious?

I'm becoming increasingly in favour of grey undershirts. Men with dark brown skin may be better served by the black undershirt.


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## P Hudson (Jul 19, 2008)

Always white, never ironed, rarely showing.

I'm not pontificating, just describing my practice.


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## MarkfromMD (Nov 5, 2008)

wnh said:


> Why go out of your way to buy gray V-necks when you can't see the color anyway?


:icon_headagainstwal hahaha


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## Miket61 (Mar 1, 2008)

tripreed said:


> Wait, you sometimes go out in public without a collared shirt on?


I did that once. In December 2000. I wasn't feeling well but I was flying back from Chicago and had to get dressed.

Someone took a picture. The negatives are no longer in existence and that person was sharply reprimanded.


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## Cruiser (Jul 21, 2006)

tripreed said:


> Wait, you sometimes go out in public without a collared shirt on?


Just for the heck of it I counted my shirts without collars, not including those that I consider to be "underwear", ie. undershirts worn with a dress shirt. I have 41 assorted long sleeve and short sleeve tee shirts, henleys, and sweat shirts that I wear alone; and I didn't even include the crew neck sweaters that I usually wear over a crew neck tee shirt. In the winter most of these collarless shirts are worn over a visible crew neck tee shirt, usually in some color other than white.

So I guess one could say that I sometimes go out in public without a collared shirt on. :icon_smile_big:

Cruiser


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## Jovan (Mar 7, 2006)

Dear me. I guess I'm a sl-b because I don't wear collared shirts all the time. (I do more than I used to, however.)

Honestly, I don't give a damn to wear a collar when I'm out running, doing errands and need to grab something at the store real quick, etc. None of those situations demand a collar. It is possible to look smart without a collar, as well.


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## wnh (Nov 4, 2006)

Jovan said:


> ... are you serious?


You don't get out much, do you?


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## Jovan (Mar 7, 2006)

I really can't tell the poster's tone. Just like I can't tell if that little dig was serious. Neither of you are using emoticons.


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## Sartre (Mar 25, 2008)

I remember something good from a (very old) minute with Andy Rooney. Toilet paper, like bath towels and underwear, should be white.


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## Jovan (Mar 7, 2006)

In my experience, the grey undershirt shows less under my white shirts. You don't see where the sleeve ends. That's a winning situation to me.


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## Thom Browne's Schooldays (Jul 29, 2007)

My problem is that the white shirt peeking out from behind a shiny long sleeved "dress" shirt (usually garish colored, or french blue), with black trousers and rubber-soled "oxfords" (or worse yet shiny all-black sneakers) is a bit of a business casual cliche around these parts.
and I hate it.

Also, the moment the white shirt losses it's "fresh form the bag" whiteness is the moment it starts looking sloppy. Nothing looks worse than a man with a ratty dirty-white undershirt showing under his electric lime Banana Republic stretch dress shirt.


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## SlowE30 (Mar 18, 2008)

I've been a white undershirt man forever, but I may have to give gray a shot after reading this thread. I agree that it is difficult to keep white undershirts looking decent. 

Besides brand new cotton socks, I have a peculiar weakness for new white undershirts. I'm glad I am in constant need of shoe-polishing or shop rags to enable me to buy more undershirts!


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## Cruiser (Jul 21, 2006)

Actually I think we may be talking about two different things here. While some are referring to undershirts in the sense that they are "underwear", others, like me, are talking about t-shirts that we wear as layering items with the intention that they be visible; therefore, we typically wear t-shirts that are color coordinated with the outer layered shirt. My white underwear shirts are different from my layering t-shirts.

For example, for casual wear in cooler weather I often go with a long sleeve henley in a heavy "cobble cloth" material. These type shirts are designed to be worn untucked and at least one, if not two, of the buttons need to be left unbuttoned or it looks kind of geeky; therefore, a colored t-shirt worn underneath is perfect. I really don't consider this to be "underwear" in the sense that we thing of "underwear" anymore than I would consider a shirt worn under a jacket to be "underwear".

Cruiser


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## wnh (Nov 4, 2006)

Jovan said:


> I really can't tell the poster's tone. Just like I can't tell if that little dig was serious. Neither of you are using emoticons.


Maybe I'm just good, but it's usual obvious to me, especially with posters who have been around a while. But for whatever reason, they always seem to fly over your head.


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## Helvetia (Apr 8, 2008)

White t-shirts only.....although grey with some sweaters intrigues me.


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## young guy (Jan 6, 2005)

white A-shirts only


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## wnh (Nov 4, 2006)

young guy said:


> white A-shirts only


Ahem, it's trad to call them "wife-beaters."


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## Jovan (Mar 7, 2006)

wnh said:


> Maybe I'm just good, but it's usual obvious to me, especially with posters who have been around a while. But for whatever reason, they always seem to fly over your head.


I've barely been here. I only started regularly posting earlier this year.


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## young guy (Jan 6, 2005)

wnh said:


> Ahem, it's trad to call them "wife-beaters."


oh you're kidding me, they don't call them that at Brooks Brothers, which is where I get mine.


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## wnh (Nov 4, 2006)

young guy said:


> oh you're kidding me, they don't call them that at Brooks Brothers, which is where I get mine.


Brooks Brothers is hardly trad, at least not anymore. The hardest of the hardcore still call 'em beaters.


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## ThomasC (Nov 6, 2008)

*White A-Shirts Only*



wnh said:


> Brooks Brothers is hardly trad, at least not anymore. The hardest of the hardcore still call 'em beaters.


I am as hardcore as they come about wearing A-shirts and would never call them wife beaters or beaters.


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## wnh (Nov 4, 2006)

Jovan said:


> I've barely been here. I only started regularly posting earlier this year.


I'm just amused at how often you seem to get worked up over a facetious comment. You've not been here terribly long, but you've been active enough that, in my opinion, you ought to be able to distinguish between the obviously tongue-in-cheek comments and the serious ones. You apparently aren't able to distinguish, and there's nothing wrong with that, I just find it amusing.


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## Jovan (Mar 7, 2006)

Given the flippant comment somebody made about people in t-shirts and shorts being better off killing themselves...


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## bimmerzimmer (Jul 28, 2005)

Jovan said:


> Given the flippant comment somebody made about people in t-shirts and shorts being better off killing themselves...


You really need to get off your high horse and stop admonishing everyone. Any man who routinely wears grey undershirts has quite a lot to learn and doesn't need to be schooling others.

bimmerzimmer


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## Jovan (Mar 7, 2006)

I think the reason I cited for liking grey undershirts were quite valid. I don't routinely wear them -- most of mine are plain-Jane white just like yours. However, I own a couple of grey ones and like the way they look under a white shirt. I'd be more than happy to show you in pictures why. 

Cheers,
Jovan


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## Cruiser (Jul 21, 2006)

bimmerzimmer said:


> Any man who routinely wears grey undershirts has quite a lot to learn and doesn't need to be schooling others.


Actually I've seen grey undershirts recommended quite often for wear under white dress shirts because the lines of the undershirt don't show through the white shirt. I have as many grey undershirts as I have white ones.

Whether the gentleman in question has "quite a lot to learn" I don't know, but I do know that such a determination cannot be made on the basis of wearing grey undershirts. In fact, it might be that you have some things to learn if you aren't aware of the advantages of grey undershirts vs. white ones. :icon_smile:

Cruiser


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