Anonymous wrote:Not PP, but also British -- and yeah, the American undershirt fetish is weird. British people wear a vest in WINTER for warmth. Not in summer, which in Britain = "anything over 65." My American husband wears an undershirt in summer and then complains about the heat. Sure. It's 95 and I'm wearing a tank top, and I'll put a jacket on when I get to the office. Dress for the weather!

Not british guy - British PP's are kind of right. I used to wear wifebeaters (sorry for the term on this board) or v-neck undershirts before 25 when all of my dress shirts were either poor quality or off-the-rack (which here in the US is kind of boxy).

Once I started to buy very high quality, properly slim cut dress shirts, I ditched the wb's and undershirts - no need for them.

That said, I do really like wearing these under my non-white dress shirts:

http://store.nike.com/us/en_us/pd/pro-cool-compression-tank-top/pid-10276914/pgid-10967919

I find that the UA or Nike pro compression wb's to be perfect year round. Add a little warmth in the cold season and keep you cool in the summer. I find that i'm less tired when I wear these as a baselayer just for work purposes after a 12 hour day at the office.

I've swapped my underwear for work with these: http://store.nike.com/us/en_us/pd/pro-hypercool-compression-three-quarter-tights/pid-10341578/pgid-11184110

Yes I work in a suit&tie environment.

Anonymous wrote:Certainly not. A gentleman wears a quality dress shirt. I am British and had never encountered such vulgarity before coming here.

But this is NOT Britain. As they say when in Rome...

So what do you wear under non "quality" thin shirts like from Gap? The type of casual shirt to wear with jeans? Without an under shirt, the image I'm getting is not that classy.

Anonymous wrote:Not PP, but also British -- and yeah, the American undershirt fetish is weird. British people wear a vest in WINTER for warmth. Not in summer, which in Britain = "anything over 65." My American husband wears an undershirt in summer and then complains about the heat. Sure. It's 95 and I'm wearing a tank top, and I'll put a jacket on when I get to the office. Dress for the weather!

In the summer I keep a sweater in my office. Which is air conditioned to frigid arctic conditions.

Not PP, but also British -- and yeah, the American undershirt fetish is weird. British people wear a vest in WINTER for warmth. Not in summer, which in Britain = "anything over 65." My American husband wears an undershirt in summer and then complains about the heat. Sure. It's 95 and I'm wearing a tank top, and I'll put a jacket on when I get to the office. Dress for the weather!

Anonymous wrote:Certainly not. A gentleman wears a quality dress shirt. I am British and had never encountered such vulgarity before coming here.

Then why do Brits have something called a vest? Which is an undershirt. Moron.

Certainly not. A gentleman wears a quality dress shirt. I am British and had never encountered such vulgarity before coming here.

No undershirts, ever.

Anonymous wrote:Quality shirtings don't require an undershirt. They are thick enough so the fabric doesn't reveal hair or anything else. Undershirts can require a shirt that doesn't fit as well around the armhole meaning a big sail of a shirt instead of one fitted properly.

Dress shirts should be white, pale blue, pink, or acru. They can have stripes or patterns but they should be light in color. Dark colors may be shirts w button fronts but they are not dress shirts.

Agreed with everything, other than ecru/ivory. I've worked for decades in top tier banks and law firms (really) and no one wears ecru. It makes the whole thing look dingy. Same thing with short-sleeved dress shirts. JUST DON'T. And have your husband match his belt with his shoes (black/black, preferably).

As a DH late to this conversation, I have to say that it is very endearing to hear the kind DWs talking about men's undershirts. (I mean that sincerely, not sarcastically.)

I work in a traditional "suit and tie" field and have worn undershirts for 30 years. (Yikes!) A few more thoughts:

(1) white undershirts help protect your dress shirt and suit/blazer from the effects of sweat/deodorant-caused yellowing. Much better to stain an undershirt than an expensive dress shirt. When an undershirt gets yellowed, I soak it for a few days in OxiClean (not bleach) or throw it out. I buy a lot of undershirts, as my wife loves to wear them (at night and on casual weekend mornings).

(2) wearing a white undershirt also makes your white and blue dress shirts seem much brighter when they're worn, and the benefit goes up as the man's skin gets darker.

(3) I have a good collection of V-necks and crewnecks, depending on whether I am wearing open neck or a tie. With a thin summer-weight white shirt and tie, I don't like wearing a V-neck, as the V shows through.

Even more on the undershirt -- the Clark Gable legend:
http://www.snopes.com/movies/actors/gable1.asp

Next conversation -- the benefit of over-the-calf black dress socks!!!

Anonymous wrote:Yes mine wears a basic white t from Hanes under his shirts.

Yup. Mine likes v-necks so you can't see them if he has hit top button undone.

DH here wearing a white crew neck undershirt under most shirts, simple,cool and traditional

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Quality shirtings don't require an undershirt. They are thick enough so the fabric doesn't reveal hair or anything else. Undershirts can require a shirt that doesn't fit as well around the armhole meaning a big sail of a shirt instead of one fitted properly.

Dress shirts should be white, pale blue, pink, or acru. They can have stripes or patterns but they should be light in color. Dark colors may be shirts w button fronts but they are not dress shirts.

Which brands are thick enough so they don't require undershirts?

Get an oxford cloth or royal oxford. They will be thicker material w some texture. Thin flat cotton is by nature thinner. Herringbone and other woven cloth is also going to be thicker and opaque. I could give you brands of cloths but that's going to help you. Thomas mason, Monti, Anderson, acorn. Shirt tailors will know them. But you don't need to have shirts made to get oxford cloth. Brooks brothers features them as their button down collar shirts since they founded.

Anonymous wrote:I'm surprised by the V neck supporters. DH is very tall and skinny and he looks awful in V necks. My best friend said he looks like a European pedophile in one!

The OP wanted to know if men wear undershirts under their dress shirts, not as outside shirts. V-necks are generally worn by men when they are wearing an open collared outside shirt. That way you don't see the undershirt collar. Crew neck undershirts are to be worn under dress shirts when wearing a tie. That way you can't see the undershirt collar through a white or light dress shirt. Any man who wears an undershirt--V or crew neck--as an outside shirt looks stupid and tacky. Period.

For those of you who (like me) have a DH that runs hot, the Jockey Staycool undershirts actually help shed heat and are very comfortable. My DH was a not an undershirt wearer until he got a few of these.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm surprised by the V neck supporters. DH is very tall and skinny and he looks awful in V necks. My best friend said he looks like a European pedophile in one!

Another V-neck hater here. I think all you V-neck proponents are really on the wrong track.

I think the Vnecks are not necessarily intended for wear (although DH wears basic vneck tees as do most of my male friends- again 30s) if you don't like the look but they are intended so that if you have the top button open, you don't see a white ring or shirt sticking up. That just looks dated to me, or very high school/ young.

To me its the male equivalent of wearing a thick strap tanktop under a tank dress that is cut lower or with thinner straps. I've had to do it for the playground and running errands, but I definitely know its not as polished a look as if I could get away without it!

+1. The v-neck undershirt isn't supposed to be seen. That's why it's an undershirt!

DH wears a tie daily so no one sees the top of the shirt he wears underneath. Does your DH not wear ties to work?

Oh god no. He works in a STEM field- lots of engineers, lots from all over and lots who just don't give 2 craps about style, he's practically a model walking around that place just for wearing what most of us downtown would call business casual.

With a tie I don't think it makes a difference, since you can't see. I guess I am thinking about wearing a shirt opened at the top (not low! just the top) and pants or jeans to dinner or something- the crewneck under it makes it look old school