The great debate continues with an in-depth look at the pro’s and con’s of wearing an undershirt on its own
Introduction – Can Men Wear an Undershirt Alone?
The undershirt is an extremely useful article of clothing. They’re very light, they help absorb perspiration, they add an extra layer in cold weather, and they’re very comfortable. The can be worn under t shirts, sweaters, dress shirts, and many other articles of clothing. Although the traditional function of the undershirt is well-known, many have asked whether the undershirt can be worn alone – as in, not under anything. To better determine the answer of this question, I’ll look at the pro’s and con’s of wearing an undershirt alone and then give my take on the question that has many guessing.
gearpatrol.com
Reasons TO WEAR an Undershirt Alone:
- They’re very light
- Can be considered “casual”
- Requires minimal effort
- Will give a “clean” look
- Can be worn with nearly anything
Reasons NOT TO WEAR an Undershirt Alone:
- Undershirts are usually tight fitting – tighter than your average t shirt.
- They’re “under” shirts for a reason.
- Can’t wear an undershirt with them! (Sweat management issue)
- Display somewhat of a “rebellious” statement.
- May look disproportionate (ex. tight shirt with loose fit jeans)
My Take
I do not think men should wear undershirts alone, and here are my reasons why:
http://www.undershirtguy.com/
1) It wouldn’t be an undershirt if you didn’t wear it under anything. If you wear it with nothing, it simply becomes a t shirt – a very tight t shirt.
2) Undershirts are meant to be tight fitting so they hug the body. To wear one without anything else would demand, for one, that you have the proper physique to actually pull off a look like that. Someone of a thin and/or built stature would be in the minority of those who could actually wear it, but even then, it seems like a bit of a desperate attempt at attention seeking. It’s going to clearly show your body complexion and definition, but isn’t one of the points of wearing clothes to mask that a bit and leave some mystery to onlookers? Wearing an undershirt alone will bring attention to you, but probably in a negative way, as if you’re trying to flaunt.
3) Another issue with wearing undershirts alone is that you can’t wear an undershirt with them! If you’re going to wear one alone, the climate will have to be warm, maybe even hot, and if that’s the case there is a good chance that perspiration will find its way onto your shirt, once again drawing attention to yourself in a negative way. There’s almost nothing worse then having visible stains on your shirt, especially if they’re sweat stains – that has a way of simply ruining your whole day.
4) Another negative aspect of wearing an undershirt alone is the fact that it may manifest a disproportionate look within your wardrobe. Wearing a tight-fit shirt with a loose-fit pair of jeans might make your legs look bigger than you want.
Some may say that wearing an undershirt alone is a good look because it’s casual, light, clean and it requires minimal effort. I agree, but partly because the same thing could be said about a t shirt. If the shirt is not as tight as an undershirt, it’s a great look, but then it suddenly becomes a t shirt, no longer an undershirt. A looser-fitting, plain white t shirt is a great casual look, but at that point it’s no longer an undershirt. Undershirts, to my understanding, are meant to hug the body comfortably and tightly, so when they become looser, they’re not really undershirts anymore. Plus, another good thing about wearing a regular t shirt is that you can wear an undershirt or wife beater under it to help keep the sweat off the t.
Conclusion
Overall, part of me wants to accept the look of just an undershirt as ok because I am a huge undershirt fan – I wear one every day, no matter what, and I always wear one to bed as well. Although part of me wants that, the other part of me has to respect and agree with what the undershirt is – a shirt meant to be worn under something else.
About Antonio
