# Undershirt under white dress shirt



## Maggio (Apr 4, 2005)

How do you guys alleviate showing the outline of your undershirt when you wear a white dress shirt?

I have a white dress shirt on today and am reluctant to remove my jacket since you can see the undershirt sleeves clearly through the dress shirt. This seems akin to women showing panty lines through their pants. Needless to say, it looks tacky. 

Thanks fellas.


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## cpac (Mar 25, 2005)

Personally? By not wearing the undershirt.


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## Mathguy (May 16, 2006)

T-shirt


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## A Questionable Gentleman (Jun 16, 2006)

You could try pinpoint or another denser fabric instead of broadcloth


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## mpcsb (Jan 1, 2005)

I wear an A-shirt undershirt under oxford cloth - it barely shows so I don't worry about it.


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## Taxler (Oct 22, 2006)

If your choice is between the undershirt showing or sweat stains, opt for the undershirt. I personally avoid wearing undershirts with sheer shirts.


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## cgc (Jan 27, 2007)

I have found that a light grey shirt does not show that much under a white shirt.


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## KenR (Jun 22, 2005)

Maggio said:


> How do you guys alleviate showing the outline of your undershirt when you wear a white dress shirt?
> 
> I have a white dress shirt on today and am reluctant to remove my jacket since you can see the undershirt sleeves clearly through the dress shirt. This seems akin to women showing panty lines through their pants. Needless to say, it looks tacky.
> 
> Thanks fellas.


I don't consider women's panty lines to be tacky. I consider them to be.....interesting.

I wear the undershirt no matter what. But then none of my shirts are very sheer, not even my broadcloths.


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## memphislawyer (Mar 2, 2007)

On the first score, Im with Ken, especially thongs, LOL.

Seriously, I have some thinner white shirts and a Tshirt showing is going to be fact of life to me. I prefer in that instance the crew neck Tshirt and then a tank top tshirt, and least of all, the V-neck. Im surprised a light grey would not show through more, but since I have not done it, I can not really comment. Broadcloth or oxford cloth and most pinpoints present no problem, but some 140's Sea Island cotton and a Burberry shirt I have, see through anything I wear

Sam


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## DocHolliday (Apr 11, 2005)

I'd rather see a T-shirt than your chest hair/nipples.


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## cdavant (Aug 28, 2005)

Don't you hate it when the lettering shows through...


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## NewYorkBuck (May 6, 2004)

DocHolliday said:


> I'd rather see a T-shirt than your chest hair/nipples.


Amen.


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## Acct2000 (Sep 24, 2005)

I would much rather see the Tshirt also. Plus, anyone who really sees the white T shirt under your shirt may be staring a bit too much anyway.

A hairy guy, especially is better off with the Tshirt.


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

It doesn't look like a good match.


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## Alexander Kabbaz (Jan 9, 2003)

cpac said:


> Personally? By not wearing the undershirt.


 My man!



A Questionable Gentleman said:


> You could try pinpoint or another denser fabric instead of broadcloth


 Iccky!



KenR said:


> I don't consider women's panty lines to be tacky. I consider them to be.....interesting.


My man!



memphislawyer said:


> On the first score, Im with Ken, especially thongs, LOL.
> 
> Sam


My man!



DocHolliday said:


> I'd rather see a T-shirt than your chest hair/nipples.


 Why? Would Mrs. DocHolliday agree?



cdavant said:


> Don't you hate it when the lettering shows through...


 Iccky my man!


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## arturostevens (Feb 6, 2007)

Patagonia silk wear is fabulousa. Very light. Warm in winter. Wicks when it is hot. Dries in an hour if you are traveling. And is very sheer. These are great t shirts but you have to get the Capeline "Silk Wear" weight. About $30 per t shirt. You only need 3 or 4 and you have it covered for years.


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## johnnyblazini (Feb 24, 2006)

I think mr. Kabbaz can hook you up with a long sleeve undershirt...


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## robin (Jan 6, 2007)

cgc said:


> I have found that a light grey shirt does not show that much under a white shirt.


It depends on the shade of grey and the white shirt's fabric, but this usually works well.


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## yachtie (May 11, 2006)

KenR said:


> I don't consider women's panty lines to be tacky. I consider them to be.....interesting.
> .


But, Sir, no panty lines are _more_ interesting.


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## Wimsey (Jan 28, 2006)

*Krylon*



Maggio said:


> How do you guys alleviate showing the outline of your undershirt when you wear a white dress shirt?
> 
> I have a white dress shirt on today and am reluctant to remove my jacket since you can see the undershirt sleeves clearly through the dress shirt. This seems akin to women showing panty lines through their pants. Needless to say, it looks tacky.
> 
> Thanks fellas.


I avoid this by spray painting my forearms white. Not only does this work quite well - it also serves as an excellent sunscreen on the beach.


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## Angrik (Dec 7, 2006)

arturostevens said:


> Patagonia silk wear is fabulousa. Very light. Warm in winter. Wicks when it is hot. Dries in an hour if you are traveling. And is very sheer. These are great t shirts but you have to get the Capeline "Silk Wear" weight. About $30 per t shirt. You only need 3 or 4 and you have it covered for years.


Alternatively you can wear a white Under Armour T shirt underneath a pinpoint shirt. I think it costs about $20 per shirt at any Sports Authority store.


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## erdavis (Sep 19, 2004)

arturostevens said:


> Patagonia silk wear is fabulousa. Very light. Warm in winter. Wicks when it is hot. Dries in an hour if you are traveling. And is very sheer. These are great t shirts but you have to get the Capeline "Silk Wear" weight. About $30 per t shirt. You only need 3 or 4 and you have it covered for years.


I TOTALLYAGREE. What I do is have a local sewing lady modify my shirts and turn them into a v-neck. I spend 10-18 hours a day in a shirt and the fabric never feels cold. Granted turning them into a vneck model costs $20 a shirt, the fabric does last for many many years. I have some that are going 3+ years and no sign of giving up.

PS: I am "beta" testing some of the under shirts for A. Kabbazz.


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## jimbosyn (Mar 20, 2007)

With a blue or patterned shirt I do not wear an undershirt. With a white shirt, I have to because of a tattoo on my shoulder that is pretty noticeable without an undershirt. I prefer going undershirt-less. Undershirts make me feel like I am wearing too much clothing and it seems to exaggerate the mushroom affect in my shirt.


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## ashie259 (Aug 25, 2005)

I'm quite hairy and do tend to perspire a bit, so a T-shirt is a must for me if I'm going to have to take my jacket off. This is a shame, because I love the feel of the cotton, especially Sea Island, against my skin. Also, the T-shirt has a way of bunching above the waistband that makes me look as if I've got a slight paunch, which I haven't.

Having said that, I don't think it's the end of the world for a T-shirt to be visible under a shirt. Most of the time, as someone else here has said, if you can see it, you're looking too hard.

Oh, and in many cases I have no problem with VPLs in women.


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## AlanC (Oct 28, 2003)

The undershirt sleeves are not seen because they're under your suit or sport coat.


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## Alexander Kabbaz (Jan 9, 2003)

Solution:


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

White under white wouldn't look good cause If you perspire It would show than would any other colors.


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## nicksull (Sep 1, 2005)

The secret is apparently light grey. Some brands call it heather. THe melange is somehow less visible through a white shirt, presumably becasue it reflects less light


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

nicksull said:


> The secret is apparently light grey. Some brands call it heather. THe melange is somehow less visible through a white shirt, presumably becasue it reflects less light


One time I perspired through a grey shirt maybe It was a darker shade of grey.


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## jimbabwe (Jan 15, 2006)

Some these $300 plus shirts are so sheer a white guys skin tone can be clearly seen through them thereby altering the "whiteness" of the shirt. It's ridiculous. Just make sure that you're wearing a spanking white undershirt which always out-classes the lack of one. Otherwise, move to a denser fabric or simply leave your suit jacket on all day like many Europeans.


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## ice (Sep 2, 2005)

If the dress shirt is light enough to see through it, then you must wear an undershirt. So seeing an undershirt through a white shirt will always be acceptable, except in more formal situations where a denser cloth should be chosen. Wearing an undershirt with all your dress shirts is the best idea.


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

ice said:


> If the dress shirt is light enough to see through it, then you must wear an undershirt. So seeing an undershirt through a white shirt will always be acceptable, except in more formal situations where a denser cloth should be chosen. Wearing an undershirt with all your dress shirts is the best idea.


Cause if you start wearing a lighter shade of white then you'll most likely wind up perspiring a lot.


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## AddisonBelmont (Feb 2, 2006)

I wear two t-shirts all year long. I'm in-& out-of-doors a lot in the summer, and a double layer of cotton prevents both perspiration & nipple show-through, and in winter it acts a base layer for two cashmere sweaters worn under my dress shirt for warmth. I wear the heaviest Oxford cloth I can find--BB & LE, at the moment, although LE Hyde Parks seem to have gone to a lesser-weight weave in the last year--and if there's any discernible color change from skin to cotton at my sleeves, it's invisible under my jacket. 

Going out wearing only a single t-shirt would make me feel seriously underdressed, and if I wore a dress shirt without a t-shirt at all, I'd feel as if I were wearing pyjamas in public.


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## SMARTBYCHOICE (Mar 16, 2007)

Frankly when you see a bra under a blouse nobody comments do they? if I saw a vest under a white shirt i agree that that vest is there fior a reason.

But...... if a shirt had a dence fabric on the sleeves then this would delete the need for wearing a long sleeven under garment.

You could also wear a pair of braces ro detract the eye.


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## A Questionable Gentleman (Jun 16, 2006)

SMARTBYCHOICE said:


> Frankly when you see a bra under a blouse nobody comments do they.


At least, not within earshot of the wearer!:icon_smile_big:


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## SMARTBYCHOICE (Mar 16, 2007)

A Questionable Gentleman said:


> At least, not within earshot of the wearer!:icon_smile_big:


your funny! Seriously though if the fabrics thin wear a sharp pair of braces!


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

A Questionable Gentleman said:


> At least, not within earshot of the wearer!:icon_smile_big:


Or if a guy happens to look in her direction.


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## sheermanus (Jan 11, 2006)

*Undershirt Under a White Dress Shirt*

Some of you guys are getting way too anal retentive to worry about your undershirt showing under your white dress shirts and even more so the sleeves of a t-shirt. Men have worn their undershirts under white dress shirts for years and there is no reason to feel it looks tacky. It's just a fact of life and of fashion that you need to wear an undershirt under all dress shirts including white and that it will show through. I've worn a-shirts for years and again it has never caused my to feel tacky if someone can see the outlines of my a-shirt showing through my shirt. Like another poster said women wear bras under their clothing and blouses and noone feels it's tacky because you can see it showing.

So just get a grip and worry about something more important and don't sweat the small stuff. Noone really cares if your a-shirt is showing through your dress shirt and if they do, that's their problem.


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## ronrex (Sep 13, 2006)

Hanro makes superb underwear. Extremly Silky and light but extremly durable. Try this brand I guarantee you will be very satisfied. I wear Hanro and I dont see any lines plus I forget that I have a dress shirt on. One downside though (1) t-shirt can run you about $70.00. Hey you only live once.


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## septa (Mar 4, 2006)

SMARTBYCHOICE said:


> Frankly when you see a bra under a blouse nobody comments do they?


_I_ certianly don't, but every woman I've ever dated has always worn bras that match thier skin tone under white blouses, and considered visable bras, unless clearly intentional, a faux pas.


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## lichMD (Jun 30, 2005)

sheermanus said:


> Some of you guys are getting way too anal retentive to worry about your undershirt showing under your white dress shirts and even more so the sleeves of a t-shirt. Men have worn their undershirts under white dress shirts for years and there is no reason to feel it looks tacky. It's just a fact of life and of fashion that you need to wear an undershirt under all dress shirts including white and that it will show through. I've worn a-shirts for years and again it has never caused my to feel tacky if someone can see the outlines of my a-shirt showing through my shirt. Like another poster said women wear bras under their clothing and blouses and noone feels it's tacky because you can see it showing.
> 
> So just get a grip and worry about something more important and don't sweat the small stuff. Noone really cares if your a-shirt is showing through your dress shirt and if they do, that's their problem.


Not that I've experienced the difference I'd have to say no to Hanro and advise you to go to Alex's site and order some Zimmerli t-shirts, most amazing cotton products I've ever worn.

As to the OP original question:
a) don't take off your jacket
b) if you do, who is looking?

cheers,


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

septa said:


> _I_ certianly don't, but every woman I've ever dated has always worn bras that match thier skin tone under white blouses, and considered visable bras, unless clearly intentional, a faux pas.


How is that a faux pas?


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