If your wondering whether or not you should wear an undershirt, look no further.
Received this email from a writer, wondering what my take on undershirts is:
Hi Tug!
I’m a writer for MEL Magazine, working on a story about what the fashion status of the undershirt is today.
Do you have a moment to chat today about all things undershirt?
Curious what you find to be the appeal of them and what the best styles today are.
Thanks so much!
Joseph
The #1 Reason You Should Wear An Undershirt
Yo Joseph,
Good to hear from you buddy, and thanks for your email!
What’s the appeal of undershirts?
In one word: Confidence
In two words: Confidence + Comfort
While most know there is utility in wearing an undershirt, the underlying core benefit of wearing an undershirt, generally speaking, is about improving one’s confidence.
If you’re worried about getting visible sweat marks on your outer shirts, you’d likely be a bit worried or self-conscious.
Even if it’s a slight amount, it is still negatively affecting your confidence.
If you’re worried about chest hair showing or nipples showing through your shirt, or if the shirt fabric leaves you feeling slightly uncomfortable — guess what — that f*cks with your head, and your confidence.
With the simple act of wearing an undershirt, one that fits correctly, and aligns with your specific needs, it solves all that — and helps boost your confidence.
To put it into context, it’s like to trying to run a marathon barefoot. Could you do it? Possibly.
Would you feel confident and/or perform well? Not likely.
The moral of the story: Wear the right gear to feel more confident.
What are the best styles of undershirts?
That’s not easy to answer, because not everyone has the same need or preference.
I’d say the most popular types of undershirts right now are:
- Lightweight (90-140gsm). Check here for a list of thin, lightweight undershirts
- V-neck & deep v-neck (not as many folks wearing ties these days)
- Neutral colors* like tan & light or heather grey (less visible under white or light colored shirts)
- Cut longer (to stay tucked)
- Fabrics that absorb better than cotton, but dry faster (modal, micromodal, tencel, viscose, nylon)
*White undershirts are still the biggest sellers, but neutral colors are incredibly popular and growing in popularity very rapidly. For more articles about neutral-colored undershirt on my site, click here.
For those with true underarm hyperhidrosis (clinical excessive sweating; defined: Wikipedia), in addition to #5 above, they may need hyperhidrosis undershirts.
Alternatively, they can use a hyperhidrosis antiperspirant like Sweat Shield Ultra or SweatBlock, then wear an undershirt without the extra underarm padding.
To learn more about hyperhidrosis-related products, check out my Sweat Management article.
Other questions?
Hit me up (:
Best,
Tug
for white tshirts can you use them besides wearing under clothes. could i use them for pajamas. my son wanted to ask you.
hey michael — i’d recommend reading this article:
https://undershirtguy.com/undershirts-vs-t-shirts/
i’m not a big fan of wearing t-shirts as undershirts, but certainly some people do.
do you feel hot with undershirts during summer do you recommend the haines undershirts