# What to wear under a dress shirt



## subourbonite (Nov 13, 2008)

I have always preferred wearing a white cotton T shirt as an undershirt, but my wife insists that it is more appropriate to wear a... well, forgive the term since I don't know what else to call it... "wife beater". Which do you guys prefer?


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## JerseyJohn (Oct 26, 2007)

Neither. I prefer skin, unless it's a wool shirt.


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## TheWardrobeGirl (Mar 24, 2008)

I am surprised your wife prefers a "wife beater"...take it as a compliment - you must have some smokin' hot arms! 

One of the reasons to wear an undershirt is to protect the dress shirt from deodorant/perspiration...I think a wifebeater defeats that purpose...I recommend a crew neck, white cotton t-shirt


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## dfloyd (May 7, 2006)

*A tee shirt seen through a dress shirt is best described as tacky....*

I wear nothing under a dress shirt as Clark Gable did in his famous role in 'It Happened One Night". If you have a persperation problem, You should wear a good undershirt such as Zimerreli.


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## ThomasC (Nov 6, 2008)

*A-Shirts*



subourbonite said:


> I have always preferred wearing a white cotton T shirt as an undershirt, but my wife insists that it is more appropriate to wear a... well, forgive the term since I don't know what else to call it... "wife beater". Which do you guys prefer?


I agree with your wife as under any type of shirt I always wear a sleeveless undershirt (A-shirt or tank top). This type of undershirt is comfortable and functional while providing a classic, traditional look. Listen to your wife on this topic.


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## ChicagoMediaMan-27 (Feb 23, 2008)

TheWardrobeGirl said:


> I am surprised your wife prefers a "wife beater"...take it as a compliment - you must have some smokin' hot arms!
> 
> One of the reasons to wear an undershirt is to protect the dress shirt from deodorant/perspiration...I think a wifebeater defeats that purpose...I recommend a crew neck, white cotton t-shirt


This is what I do. And no, I don't have perspiration problems at all. I just like having an undershirt as the first layer against my skin.


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## TheWardrobeGirl (Mar 24, 2008)

By the way...not only don't I think a tee shirt looks tacky under a dress shirt, I actually really like the way it looks...

I do think the look of hair tufts coming over the top of a dress shirt is not a good look...


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## ChicagoMediaMan-27 (Feb 23, 2008)

TheWardrobeGirl said:


> By the way...not only don't I think a tee shirt looks tacky under a dress shirt, I actually really like the way it looks...
> 
> I do think the look of hair tufts coming over the top of a dress shirt is not a good look...


You mean you don't like the teen wolf look? :icon_smile:


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## TheWardrobeGirl (Mar 24, 2008)

ChicagoMediaMan-27 said:


> You mean you don't like the teen wolf look? :icon_smile:


(Insert puke face)

I could start a thread..."the Sartorial turn ons and turn offs of TWG"...ha!


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## Reddington (Nov 15, 2007)

I always wear a white crew neck undershirt. Always have, always will. Too old to change now. :icon_smile_big:

Besides, I like that it stops sweat from soiling the shirt and even jacket if it's hot enough.

Cheers.


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## Macleod (Feb 15, 2008)

I have always preferred no undershirt at all. It just feels like too much. If this does not suit you however, I have read that the best color for an undershirt is grey, because it does not reflect light the way that a white undershirt would and thus can not be seen through the button down. My brother has switched over to grey and he concurs that this is so.


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## LVP (Jun 28, 2008)

Macleod said:


> I have always preferred no undershirt at all. It just feels like too much. If this does not suit you however, I have read that the best color for an undershirt is grey, because it does not reflect light the way that a white undershirt would and thus can not be seen through the button down. My brother has switched over to grey and he concurs that this is so.


I am very pale so I am skeptical of this. Has anyone ever seen a nude undershirt? This would make the most sense. The nude bra is a savior to the stylish woman.


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## brokencycle (Jan 11, 2008)

I'm not a sweater, but I always wear a white, cotton crewneck under my dress shirts.


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## MBK (Sep 29, 2008)

I always wear a white cotton undershirt. V-neck if I'm going no-tie, v-neck or crew neck if I'm buttoned up. I don't sweat much unless it's hot out, but I don't want to show pit-stains on the chance I have to be a little physically active.

In my mind there are very few benefits to going without the undershirt, and quite a few problems that can arise when you don't have one!


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## mpcsb (Jan 1, 2005)

A-shirt - is fine, it will give you freedon of movement while still covering up enough hair to make sure your white shirt still looks white.


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## SlowE30 (Mar 18, 2008)

I generally wear a white crew undershirt. It's not just sweat I'm worried about - deodorant/antiperspirant can stain your nice shirts even if you're not sweating. I'd rather my undershirts take the brunt of that beating. 
If I know I'll only be wearing the dress shirt for a few hours, I'm going sans tie, and it's fairly cool outside, I skip the undershirt alltogether. 
I personally dislike "wife beaters" as undershirts because of the bra-like lines they leave and lack of armpit protection. I only wear them when I work out, in the yard, or around the house.


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## Andy (Aug 25, 2002)

Some info from the Underwear Chapter of The Encyclopedia of Men's Clothes:
A T-shirt absorbs moisture, protects your shirt from perspiration stains, and prevents your skin and body hair from showing through a dress shirt. It also keeps you warmer in winter, cooler in summer and generally just feels good against your skin.

A 1980 US Army study reports that a T-shirt worn under a shirt on hot days keeps you cooler. The cotton absorbs perspiration, which then evaporates which physicists call a cooling process.

*Undershirt Styles:* 

*T-Shirt *or* Tee shirt*, named for it's shape, is a short-sleeved, collarless undershirt with either a crew or "V" neck.

*Tank tops *or* A-shirts *have a U shaped neckline with wide shoulder straps. The tank top name came from swim wear (early indoor swimming pools were called tanks.) The "A" stands for "athletic".

If you must wear one, save it for workouts at the gym, and never wear a tank top under anything!! They are not practical for keeping your underarms dry and to protect your shirt since there are no underarms in an A-shirt!

*Henley *or* Henley-on-Thames --* A t-shirt style that has two or three button opening at the throat, named for a municipal borough of south-central England west of London. Henley is the site of a famed annual rowing regatta that was established in 1839. It's more common as a shirt than an undershirt.
​


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## stewartu (Jan 12, 2008)

*t shirt*

White cotton t shirt with sleeves. I find that hanes still makes a great product.


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## Alexander Kabbaz (Jan 9, 2003)

TheWardrobeGirl said:


> I am surprised your wife prefers a "wife beater"...take it as a compliment - you must have some smokin' hot arms!
> 
> One of the reasons to wear an undershirt is to protect the dress shirt from deodorant/perspiration...I think a wifebeater defeats that purpose...I recommend a crew neck, white cotton t-shirt


Vastly preferred (from our sales stats) is the V-neck.



TheWardrobeGirl said:


> (Insert puke face)
> 
> I could start a thread..."the Sartorial turn ons and turn offs of TWG"...ha!


OK ... I'm standing by my closet. Do the turn-ons part first ... and when can we meet?


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## cpac (Mar 25, 2005)

nothing under the shirt. it defeats much of the point of having nicer fabric shirts, and I dont find that my shirts get stained or otherwise ruined quickly.


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## Cruiser (Jul 21, 2006)

As was recently mentioned in another thread, a light grey undershirt will not show through a white dress shirt like a white undershirt will. I'm still not sure why this is, but it is.

Cruiser


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## Frank aka The Minotaur (Nov 12, 2004)

How tight and thin are these dress shirts that body hair and skin show through, not to mention the outline of a t shirt!?  I have a rather generous pelt of front hair, and I occasionally wear a t shirt (usually I don't). I have never had a shirt so thin or so tight that hairs or the outline of a t shirt were visible.


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## 3stylelife (Nov 9, 2008)

I personally prefer to wear an undershirt beneath the dress shirt. If the dress shirt is going to be fully buttoned, I typically go with white or gray. In more casual settings (with a few buttons undone, I often go with a contrasting color.

Also, this is a point where comfort is king, but there's no real reason to spend a lot of money on such an undershirt (unless you feel a huge difference in comfort).


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## BoX (Mar 29, 2006)

Nothing. 

I find the T-Shirts too restricting and like the feel of my nice shirts against my skin. I don't buy into the T-Shirt keeps you cooler idea, especially in the humid summers where evaporation doesn't happen and you just feel sticky because you have two layers of clothing sticking to your skin.

I used to wear a t-shirt because I was worried about the pit stains but I learned that the stains were really caused my the aluminum-based compounds in most anti-antiperspirants. I switched to Tom's of Maine and now no worries. This also solved my problem of wearing cashmere sweaters. I was afraid of getting them smelly and stained so I wore a t-shirt underneath, but what is the point of having fine cashmere if you can't feel it against your skin?

Box


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## Alexander Kabbaz (Jan 9, 2003)

BoX said:


> Nothing.
> 
> I used to wear a t-shirt because I was worried about the pit stains but I learned that the stains were really caused my the aluminum-based compounds in most anti-antiperspirants. I switched to Tom's of Maine and now no worries. This also solved my problem of wearing cashmere sweaters. I was afraid of getting them smelly and stained so I wore a t-shirt underneath, but what is the point of having fine cashmere if you can't feel it against your skin?
> 
> Box


 Tom's is the BEST!


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## Pipps (Dec 20, 2005)

A 'wife-beater' style vest is far more visible from the front than a proper undershirt. A vest is therefore a bad choice.

Choose a good quality, well-fitting, t-shirt, or 'undershirt'.


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## Miket61 (Mar 1, 2008)

Alexander Kabbaz said:


> Tom's is the BEST!


It's interesting how bad their toothpaste tastes the first time you try it, then how bad all the other brands taste once you've gotten used to it.


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## Alexander Kabbaz (Jan 9, 2003)

Miket61 said:


> It's interesting how bad their toothpaste tastes the first time you try it, then how bad all the other brands taste once you've gotten used to it.


And their mouthwash ... same thing. Now I'm addicted!


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## VincentC (May 23, 2008)

Is it the done thing to wear either a long sleeve henley or short sleeve henley under long sleeved dress or casual shirt/
Also are there items of clothing you could wear under a henley? I was in a shop the other day and they had a casual shirt under the henley on a hanger, which kind of seemed strange.


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## eagle2250 (Mar 24, 2006)

^^
Can't speak for others but, for me, I wear a white, V-neck T-shirt under everything, regardless of the design of the outer shirt.


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## Serenus (Jun 19, 2009)

If I'm going to be wearing a shirt with a tie, I wear a crew neck undershirt.

If I'm going to be wearing an UNBUTTONED shirt, it's a V-Neck.

This prevents the undershirt from showing through.


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## joenobody0 (Jun 30, 2009)

I always wear a white v-neck shirt under my dress shirts. I do so since I fear ruining a nice dress shirt with under arm stains, which seems well-founded since all my t-shirts get such stains. 

I'm always looking for a better undershirt though. I haven't yet been able to find a slim fitting, but comfortable, undershirt that isn't too thick. Does anyone have any recomendations beyond the Fruit of the Loom quality shirts?


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## WouldaShoulda (Aug 5, 2009)

Serenus said:


> If I'm going to be wearing a shirt with a tie, I wear a crew neck undershirt.
> 
> If I'm going to be wearing an UNBUTTONED shirt, it's a V-Neck.
> 
> This prevents the undershirt from showing through.


No, no, no, that's what an ascot is for!!


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## beherethen (Jun 6, 2009)

If I'm wearing tie , a regular tee shirt. If the collar is going to be open, a wife beater. Having reviewed this thread, I may invest in a few v neck tee shirts. I really hate underwear shopping though. I can never generate the same excitement shopping for underwear that I do for sweaters or shoes.


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## Jovan (Mar 7, 2006)

joenobody0 said:


> I always wear a white v-neck shirt under my dress shirts. I do so since I fear ruining a nice dress shirt with under arm stains, which seems well-founded since all my t-shirts get such stains.
> 
> I'm always looking for a better undershirt though. I haven't yet been able to find a slim fitting, but comfortable, undershirt that isn't too thick. Does anyone have any recomendations beyond the Fruit of the Loom quality shirts?


Our own Alex Kabbaz sells Zimmerli, which is supposedly the best underwear in the world, but they around $80 a pop.

RibbedTee has t-shirts that are made of the same ribbed fabric A-shirts are. They claim it evaporates sweat better. More importantly, they are form-fitting and long enough to stay tucked. They're also inexpensive at $18.50 for two.

Tommy John also sells t-shirts that are form-fitting and stay tucked, but they are $36 each. They are made of a modal/lycra blend.

All of these have gotten good marks from Andy. Be sure to go through the recommendations page at the top to get to these websites.


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## joenobody0 (Jun 30, 2009)

Jovan said:


> Our own Alex Kabbaz sells Zimmerli, which is supposedly the best underwear in the world, but they around $80 a pop.


$80 dollars each sounds a little rich for my current wallet, at least on a daily basis. Perhaps I'll purchase one and see if I can justify the cost (more like justify it to my wife!) of some additional shirts.

Thanks for the more affordable recommendations. I'll look into those as well.


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## VincentC (May 23, 2008)

Serenus said:


> If I'm going to be wearing a shirt with a tie, I wear a crew neck undershirt.
> 
> If I'm going to be wearing an UNBUTTONED shirt, it's a V-Neck.
> 
> This prevents the undershirt from showing through.


You dont want a t shirt to show through. I thought it was a good look. Its called layering in the fashion world isnt it?

But you often get long sleeve henleys with a fake t shirt sewn on the neck area to give the impression you are wearing a t shirt underneath. The item of clothing is usually a 2in1 type garment. Im not sure what others think of these kind of items of clothing. You also get knitwear with fake shirt collars. Which is for lazy people who like the look but cant be bothered to put a shirt on.


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## QuestForReason (Jan 9, 2009)

White v-neck for me. The visibility of it under a white dress shirt has never caused me any concern.


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## Jovan (Mar 7, 2006)

VincentC said:


> You dont want a t shirt to show through. I thought it was a good look. Its called layering in the fashion world isnt it?
> 
> But you often get long sleeve henleys with a mock t shirt sewn on the neck area to give the impression you are wearing a t shirt underneath. The item of clothing is usually a 2in1 type garment. Im not sure what others think of these kind of items of clothing. You also get knitwear with mock shirt collars. Which is for lazy people who like the look but cant be bothered to put a shirt on.


... huh?


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## GBR (Aug 10, 2005)

Skin is preferable.


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## VincentC (May 23, 2008)

Jovan said:


> ... huh?


Dont you know what i mean? Does this make it clearer?
https://www.burton.co.uk/webapp/wcs...category_rn=63412&productId=1340723&langId=-1

https://www.burton.co.uk/webapp/wcs...category_rn=63428&productId=1329975&langId=-1


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## Jovan (Mar 7, 2006)

I'm afraid I don't, even with pictures. The way you phrased it is very confusing!


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## VincentC (May 23, 2008)

Jovan said:


> I'm afraid I don't, even with pictures. The way you phrased it is very confusing!


Im afraid i dont know which bit is confusing you!


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## Pentheos (Jun 30, 2008)

VincentC said:


> Dont you know what i mean? Does this make it clearer?
> https://www.burton.co.uk/webapp/wcs...category_rn=63412&productId=1340723&langId=-1
> 
> https://www.burton.co.uk/webapp/wcs...category_rn=63428&productId=1329975&langId=-1


Wow. Just wow.


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## Jovan (Mar 7, 2006)

"But you often get long sleeve henleys with a *mock t shirt sewn on the neck area* to give the impression you are wearing a t shirt underneath."

"You also get knitwear with *mock shirt collars*."

???


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## VincentC (May 23, 2008)

Jovan said:


> "But you often get long sleeve henleys with a *mock t shirt sewn on the neck area* to give the impression you are wearing a t shirt underneath."
> 
> "You also get knitwear with *mock shirt collars*."
> 
> ???


Im not sure how to put it really. But i will try. You know Y neck henleys. Sometimes they make them with a fake/mock crew neck t shirt sewn into the neck area of the henley like in the burton link i gave you underneath.
https://www.burton.co.uk/webapp/wcs...category_rn=63428&productId=1329975&langId=-1

The same with jumpers or knitwear. Sometimes the jumper, has a fake shirt collar sewn into the neck area of the jumper like the burton link i gave again.
https://www.burton.co.uk/webapp/wcs...category_rn=63412&productId=1340723&langId=-1

The shirt in this burton link is fake. It is not a real shirt under the grey jumper.

I hope this makes a bit more sense. If not i will try explain again.


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## Jovan (Mar 7, 2006)

Ah, I see now.


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## ironmarshal (Sep 30, 2009)

I've heard quite a few people say that grey undershirts are the best, but I seem to have quite a bit of difficulty finding them. They don't seem to be too common.


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## Sean1982 (Sep 7, 2009)

I wear a simple white round neck short sleeved cotton undershirt from Marks and Spencers. I have always called them 'vests', but they are not, as they are slightly thicker and have arms. Very comfortable, no skin showing through the shirt (and no vest showing either), little or no sweat on ones shirt on a regular day, and no deodorant marks on the shirt.


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## Sean1982 (Sep 7, 2009)

ironmarshal said:


> I've heard quite a few people say that grey undershirts are the best, but I seem to have quite a bit of difficulty finding them. They don't seem to be too common.


If you were in the UK, Marks and Spencers has many types of vests and undershirts at the biggest branches, in grey, black and white generally.


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## Modernist (Oct 17, 2006)

Frank aka The Minotaur said:


> How tight and thin are these dress shirts that body hair and skin show through, not to mention the outline of a t shirt!?  I have a rather generous pelt of front hair, and I occasionally wear a t shirt (usually I don't). I have never had a shirt so thin or so tight that hairs or the outline of a t shirt were visible.


You must be wearing bed sheets as shirts. The neck/sleeve outlines of a white t-shirt will show through any white button-down.


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## Sufferable Fob (Aug 26, 2009)

Cruiser said:


> As was recently mentioned in another thread, a light grey undershirt will not show through a white dress shirt like a white undershirt will. I'm still not sure why this is, but it is.
> 
> Cruiser


For the, "I once was a art student" answer :

The grey (most likely) is a mid-tone, and closer to the same "tone" as skin (as opposed to white).

The white shows through since the shirt is slightly transparent - just like if you layer coats of paint - it can take more than one for the paint to look completely the colour it is supposed to be (think of painting white over a brown fence) - the white will not be extremely white until a few coats.


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