Men's Under shirt with open collar

[Nliedel]

Oh my heck! Tarheelfan you have it! My husband is 37 and graduated in '86. Right in the middle of the "If you wear a T-shirt you are a nerd" phase. Too funny and how marvelously observant of you.

[tarheelmjfan]

Nliedel,

He's my age exactly! ;) Tammy

[tumeroll]

You're right that my nephews wear a T-shirt under most shirts. This is the fad of the week. It has been around a few years, so I wouldn't be surprised to see that change any time now. .

 

The "trend" has been around for morethan a few years. It was the way to dress in the 1950's and the preppy/ country club set has never really changed. We just sail on with the same styles. Thank God for Land's End, Ralph Lauren and Brooks Brothers,

[LandLockedInAZ]

This thread really got me thinking. I went to a gathering this evening where there were probably about 12 grown men of varying ages. I made a point to look around the room. Some were dressed extremely casually and others had just come from work, so they were wearing a shirt and tie (in which case I could not tell) or business casual.

I would say the crowd was about 50/50 on whether they were or were not wearing an undershirt. That counts only those that I could tell for sure.

I also did an informal poll of the ladies I work with (four of them) who are around the country asking if the men in their lives wear undershirts (they probably think I'm weird now). Again, about 50/50, but I think this does relate to 1. Age and 2. geographic location. Seems the closer you are in age to late 30's through 50, and out west, the less likely you are to wear one. Older and further east, the more likely you are.

I find this whole thing interesting but would certainly never say that one way or the other is wrong or ill mannered.

[tarheelmjfan]

tumeroll,

My point was that with any "trend" it does come & go. This particular one skipped quite a few years after the 50's & possibly 60's (not sure about that decade). Like I said, I grew up in the 80's & was very into the latest styles in the 90's also. I didn't see guys start to wear undershirts again until 2000. My BIL, in his late 50's, always wears an undershirt, as did my dad. "Preppy" style is determined by the times. What one generation thinks is "preppy", another generation may have a very different view on. ;)

 

LandLockedInAZ,

I can't speak for the northeast, but I'm originally for North Carolina. Down in the south, we seemed to dress like they did in the west. I think age is the biggest determining factor.

 

I can just see you now going up to all these people asking about undershirts. They're probably thinking, "what kind of pervert is she?" :D The things we do for our Cruise Critic friends... :p

[Nliedel]

Oh my gosh I did mail my girlfriends about this one last night and am getting some interesting replies. Too funny! :D

[BlueHerons]

I am sorry but it is very presumptive and judgemental to make a statement insinuating my husband lacks manners because he neglects to wear the undergarments you deem acceptable. If he he covered and polite then it really is not anyone's business what he elects to wear under his clothing. He does not wear an undershirt, he does wear underwear. I find this logic baffling and laughable.

 

 

 

No, of course I don't think your husband lacks manners. My point of reference is have you ever been in a restaurant where the waiter has on a white shirt and no undershirt? After a while, he starts to sweat, yadda, yadda.

 

It is a personal thing with me. I do find it gross that if I can tell a man is not wearing an undershirt, he probably needs one.

[LandLockedInAZ]

No, of course I don't think your husband lacks manners. My point of reference is have you ever been in a restaurant where the waiter has on a white shirt and no undershirt? After a while, he starts to sweat, yadda, yadda.

 

It is a personal thing with me. I do find it gross that if I can tell a man is not wearing an undershirt, he probably needs one.

 

Or how about some deodorant?

[Jane110]

Now, on to my opinion.....

 

I agree 100% with TidePrideGA. Wearing an undershirt is absolutely what the trendy college-age guys are wearing these days. Doesn't matter with what - an undershirt even goes underneath a t-shirt!

 

So you still haven't given us your opinion. You've simply told us what many of the college-age guys are wearing.

 

I realize that's what many of them are wearing. However, the issue being debated here is whether it's "rude" or not "proper" for a man *not* to wear one.

 

I don't like to see chest hair peeking out from a shirt,(scissors or wax can help that problem) however, I don't think a man *must* wear an undershirt in order to be either well groomed or fashionable.

 

That's my opinion.

 

Jane

[Jane110]

 

So for the last cruise I bought him a V-neck to wear with his button down with-out a tie. He has a few wirey chest hairs, and he's so used to the crew neck, it just did not look right and he did not feel right. (I have nothing against chest hair if it looks nice, but his is sparse and wire) So now that I got him this Hawaiian shirt, I am wondering what to do.

 

 

How about scissors, razor or wax?

 

I'm used to the undershirt under polo shirt look, or undershirt under dress shirt look, however, an undershirt under a tropical print shirt, would look odd. It's too light and airy a look for that kind of layering, IMO.

 

To me, it's kind of like wearing hose with shorts. We wear hose with short skirts, but not with shorts....even though a skirt could be shorter than shorts. It's about our visual cues and sensibilities, if that makes any sense to anyone.

 

Jane

[TidePrideGA]

I agree most with what BlueHerons said: If I can tell a man's not wearing one, he probably should be.

[becca23]

Always wear an undershirt....

vee neck with open shirt...

crew neck when wearing a tie..

a matching color crew neck with an open collar is cool