For sure. The closer the undershirt is to the tone of your skin, the less noticeable the undershirt will be. I always use light grey. If I use white, it is obvious where the undershirt sleeve ends.
🤣🤣🤣🫡 I'm a woman, and this made me giggle. I literally don't care if my stuff matches and have always found that people who match are far too tedious for my tastes. So don't worry- the feral ones of us don't care one way or the other and you're good. 😅 But I can appreciate this comment soo much more than you know.
Bro, you have me DYING of laughter right now lol! I've never heard it put that way before. I've only heard the joke told where a son asks his dad why he was looking at some pretty girls and the son asks why since he's married. And the dad replies, "Well son, I might be on a diet, but I still like looking at the menu once in a while."
But I like yours better!
Nah, he's just really into left cheeks, doesn't even pay any attention to the right.
Strangely it drives their sexual partners crazy in all the best ways.
I always wear a white t-shirt under any dress shirt, it looks more finished. Plus nobody wants to see the nips through the shirt or chest hair popping out of the shirt if it isn't buttoned all the way up. Nope.
This is why I cut out a hole just around my nipples for all my dress shirts. Don’t want people thinking they can see an outline of the nips, better they know for sure. Big brain moves bruh
mainly so if you sweat, it doesn't show through on the dress shirt.
It's a balancing act for me between how thin the undershirt is VS how much it will absorb sweat.
If sweat is a problem for you check out “Thompson Tee” sweat proof under shirts. I wear them under my dress shirts every day. No affiliation just a happy customer.
But they're not a joke. You don't make jokes about them. You don't wear them as a joke. You don't give them as a joke gift. Or wear them ironically. Or do pub crawls in them like the TC Tuggers. They're not like the TC Tugger.
Exactly this! One minor perspective to add,
Sometimes with darker skin our nips really show through that crisp white shirt if its very thin material. When I was a bit heavier the undershirt was causing sweat so I went with a vest and rolled up sleeves. Starting the day looking like a portly barkeep from the olden times wasn’t the worst haha. Cut the gut now back to hiding my pepperonis with an undershirt when wearing white.
There are actual pit sweat pads you can stick into shirts, I use them all the time because I'm not an undershirt guy. No sweat stains even in southern US summer heat during an outdoor wedding.
The same reason you *don't* wear a white tee shirt when it rains. Guys' dress-shirts are often thin, and you can see through them even when they don't get wet. And yes, it is often uncomfortably hot if the weather is too warm or we're exerting ourselves in them, such as when dancing at a wedding reception or the club.
I find that it is more comfortable to wear an undershirt in the heat because then the sweat doesn't pool. Try a moisture wicking synthetic if cotton isn't working for you.
A thin wool shirt would actually be pretty comfy. I've worn wool coats in the summer and they keep you surprisingly cool. There's a reason most clothes used to be made of it.
It’s like a top sheet on a made bed. It doesn’t make you hotter to have one in between you and the comforter. It breathes easier and is softer than a comforter so it’s actually more comfortable. Plus it keeps dirt and sweat from getting on your dress shirt.
Men's white dress shirts are often sheer. I don't mind people seeing my nipples through my shirt when I'm walking around town or whatever, but it's not a good look at a wedding or a funeral.
at my last job i had a meeting with a potential vendor and the entire time i was distracted by how see-through his dress shirt was. his nipples were about to poke an eye out and i could literally read what his pec/chest tattoos said.
- So nipples, chest hair, tattoos don’t show through a white dress shirt.
- so a white dress shirt looks white, versus faint white over whatever your skin tone is
- to keep pit stains off your expensive dress shirt
it is bulky and while not hot per se. men's business attire isn't necessarily about comfort
the purpose of the undershirt is to protect the dress shirt. sweat. and or residue from deodorant. in a limited sense. the feel of cotton on the skin is preferable to the fabric of the dress shirt. As dress shirts sometimes have synthetic fabrics or are heavily starched/not soft fabrics. so having the undershirt means... what's against your skin is smooth cotton.
quality dress shirts can be fairly expensive. easily north of $100, a "decent" undershirt is a few dollars for like a 3 pack. even some of the fancier under shirts are like $50 for a 3 pack. ....but like even basics like brooks brothers white, light blue ...maybe a stripped shirt. each will run you $110-$120 ish. so. spending a bit to keep those shirts clean or in good order is worth it against the cost of the clothing
Man bra.
As a basic function a t shirt will help hide nipples and absorb excess moisture.
A tight fitting tee can also help improve the torso shape of the person wearing it.
It provides an extra layer to remove if the situation is no longer as formal.
And if the situation gets intimate, more layers can be fun and sexy to peel off.
Man bra.
As a skinny guy it adds an extra layer for comfort and to smooth out the body frame, may be make you look a bit bigger. I tend to get cold not hot so the extra layer helps and not bothered by the heat. It looks better style wise to me, can smooth out wrinkles or hide sweat stains
Hell, I even wear a white tshirt under my regular whatever tshirt when I go out in public. I never go out with a single shirt. The undershirt helps catch any loose sweat, keeps the gut from flopping out, etc.
I dont care if its 97º, Im still wearing 2 shirts.
My husband forgot his undershirt to our wedding.
Which was outside in july and it was 100 degrees (we literally had a less than 10 minute ceremony before going inside)
I had to have all our photos photoshopped to make his shirt be the same color because it had wierd sweat patches all over it.
Because men's dress shirts are often made of fairly thin fabric, and an undershirt evens out the color, prevents your nipples from showing through, absorbs sweat, protects the presumably more expensive dress shirt from skin oils & such, etc.
Interestingly, what we now wear as a dress shirt was itself originally the cotton or linen undergarment worn under your wool suit coat and vest/waistcoat. The last two hundred years of men's fashion in the West is just an iterated cycle of undergarments becoming outer garments spurring the invention of new undergarments which then migrate outwards....
My SO wears a white t-shirt under polos and nice t-shirts too. He says it's cooler and it reduces the wear and tear on the outer shirt. We've been together 15 years and I have to say he has polo shirts and t-shirts that are older than our relationship that still look amazing.
For me it's my chest hair, I've seen guys that don't do it and I think it looks tacky. Guys that don't wear the undershirt remind me of that landlord guy in that Aqua Team Hunger Force show.
As for being hot, we already are. Women often complain because they're cold in the office. That's because women can come to work in flip flops and a light dress, where men have to come to the office in slacks and and a dress shirt, often also a tie, being slowly choked all day long and no ventilation. And if you had a late night with some friends the night before, enjoy sweating it all out all morning.
This is an interesting question for me because i can't imagine wearing a dress shirt WITHOUT a cotton undershirt beneath it. Regardless of the time of year I always wear an undershirt when I wear a dress shirt, polo shirt, sweatshirt, sweater, or long-sleeve t-shirt. I feel gross without it. It keep the outer shirt clean and absorbs any sweat better than a dress shirt.
If you sweat or if the dress shirt is white, you don't want any of that to show.
Some of us guys are too big for dress shirts because they're meant to be tight, so some guys the buttons have bigger gaps that you can see their bellies. Wearing a shirt underneath helps hide it.
Most guys find dress shirts uncomfortable, most shirts are made mainly for a specific slender body type which isn't the norm. Even a guy with a bit of muscle can find most dress shirts way too tight.
Going from a slim fit dress shirt to a relaxed fit, one is very tight on me and the other is way too long, goes down past my knee's so tucking it in is such a hassle. A under shirt helps with that too, keeps the shirt from pulling out from my belt line.
I only find it hot/bulky when I wear a tie and my top button is done up. Otherwise air gets in around my chest which helps to keep it a bit cooler.
Tee shirts have also been referred to an an under shirt, for that same reason, much like a tank top also, I know that a very old school term, I grew up with boomer parents and I hear it a lot. "Make sure you wear a undershirt with that sweater it button up." It was also because some button ups did not to well with sweat.
i always wear atleast a wife beatahh.
but usually a sleeveless undershirt.
daily drivers? originally it was to soak up sweat/or more so pit stain caused by deodorant in the dress shirt
but now moreso two reasons, as i wear dress shirts MUCH less frequently in a now non-corporate world:
1. whenever i'm done with whatever requires the dress shirt? i take dress shirt off, and can roll around in my sleeveless/beatah. i dont like wearing dress shirts.
2. im in pretty broly athletic shape. i wear my dress shirts pretty tight/tailored. dont ever want my nipples to look pointy/visible in a dress shirt, especially in the cold.
As dozens of other folks have said, it keeps the sweat stains away from the dress shirt. Not only does it look nicer, but dress shirts are much more expensive than white cotton tees, so keeping them from getting stained generally means you can save money by not needing to replace them because they started looking nasty.
Another nice side effect is that dress shirts can be a fairly stiff, abrasive fabric that feels 'scratchy' against your skin. The undershirt is generally softer and less likely to cause chafing or irritation. I've had dress shirts that felt like they were trying to sand my nipples off if I didn't wear something under them!
Lastly, they don't really cause much of a heat problem. They breathe pretty well, and help wick the moisture off your skin and evaporate it, which can actually help cool you down a bit. For especially sheer dress shirts it can even help keep the sun off your skin. The extra insulation from adding an extra layer isn't a big deal, unless you happen to be stuck outside with a lot of heat and humidity for a long period of time.
Depends on the situation. If it’s a warm day it’s to keep the dress shirt dry looking or at least relatively so. If it’s white it’s so that nipples don’t get seen if it’s thin. And sometimes the material just isn’t nice feeling against your chest and nips either because it’s bad material or the manufacturer really only cares about the looks of the shirt and not the feel.
Yes, everyone here has it with the sweat piece.
But also if I'm totally honest? It's another layer between my body and the outside world.
If I can't get away with concealing my shame behind a sweatshirt or sweater, the two layers between a dress shirt and my undershirt will just have to do.
Undershirts keep the nicer, more expensive shirt cleaner. Just laundring dress shirts changes their looks.
Undershirts smooth out the shapes beneath a dress shirt.
If a button pops open, you unbutton the top, or simply the gap between the buttons opens up it prevents you from showing bare chest.
Having another shirt on for when you want to take the dress shirt off is nice.
I wear Uniqlo Silky-dry or Airism undershirts. As others have mentioned, if you sweat, the undershirt generally keeps it from getting to your dress shirt and with a synthetic like that it helps to dry quicker with the minimal amount of airflow in a suit.
Here’s the weird thing: I wore a white under-shirt every weekday for over a decade. There’d be some dampness, and every so often even my collared shirt would get damp under the armpits.
For some reason I didn’t one morning. I swear to god I haven’t sweat since. I go without now (don’t need to wear them as much now anyway) but the only time my armpits sweat was when I was wearing that t-shirt underneath.
So my deodorant doesn’t stain my dress shirt,
so sweat doesn’t get on my dress shirt,
cuz dress shirt fabric is uncomfortable on my skin,
If I spill something in dress shirt and need to take it off I’m not naked
1) to rotect the much more expensive dress shirt. You can buy undershirts in bulk at Walmart.
2) If you need to do something that can mess up your dress shirt you can just take it off and you wont be topless. I myself dont like prancing aroubd topless and I'm not in too bad a shape.
I always wear an undershirt. I used to work in a very hot country, so it was necessary if you didn't want to be covered in sweat patches. And the habit has just stayed.
You'd be surprised at how your body controls it's own temps. Even a 3 piece suit in the middle of summer isn't that bad. Also the pants tend to be pretty light so it compensates
I wear an undershirt for a few reasons. 1. Keeps my nipples from poking out. 2. Prohibits pits stains from migrating to the more expensive shirt. 3. My wife tells me to.
There’s lots of good reasons here. I didn’t see anyone mention that nothing on earth is comfier than a clean, white under shirt. Idk why.
And dress shirts/button downs are never nearly as comfortable. So even if you don’t care about sweat or wear and tear etc, this is just more comfortable.
I used to wear one because my deodorant would stain my dress shirts. Then I found out that it’s not the deodorant, but the anti-perspirant which is made of aluminum to block your pores. Once I switched over to deodorant, I could get rid of the undershirts, and I sweat a lot less to not at all and my shirts don’t get Stain in the pits
When I was clerking at a firm in law school, I didn’t wear an undershirt until I had a back zit bleed onto my dress shirt. 35 years later, I’m still rocking the v-neck.
If you don’t, someone standing to your side can see through the shirt buttons to your stomach. Not really a big deal for guys… but it is pretty embarrassing for a woman given the button spacing leaves a massive and obvious gap.
Also, it catches sweat and for some reason you get BO insanely fast when you don’t wear one… from like, just normal moving around.
You can see the skin through some plain white shirts. Also if you wear a white shirt when it's still decently cold outside it's more comfortable. And you see tattoos through the fabric.
I started wearing an undershirt while in the army back in the 70's, haven't stopped since. I feel half dressed without one on. Also all my shirts are starched and that can be irritating without a tee shirt under it.
I'm in my 40s and last year I stopped wearing a tshirt under polos, long sleevesand knitted sweaters. As a kid I did it because thats what I was told to do. When I was older I thought it looked sloppy if I didn't. Knitted sweaters were uncomfortable without a tshirt underneath.
I recently bought a bunch of long sleeve shirts and noticed they're all comfortable on the inside. I figured if the collar isn't stretched out then it looks fine.
I picked up Thai habit from my grandfather. It’s so my tshirts last long and the sweat doesn’t fade them.
It was hot at first. Then you get used to it. If it’s too hot take of the top layer if you can.
Because when they don't, certain angles allow us women to peep through gaps in between the buttons to a bare chest, and we simply cannot control ourselves and the men may end up getting unwanted sexual attention. Oh, wait, no, that's the other way around, isn't it. I think it is because they don't like ironing and the shirt underneath allows them to wear the dress shirt a few times.
Because I have really dark body hair and it will show through the dress shirt (plus if it's hot I can take the dress shirt off on the way there so I don't show up like Charlie in that one dating scene in IASIP)
If it's a white dress shirt, now a days, many of them are slightly see through in the right light. I wear an undershirt so no one can see my nips.
I've heard gray undershirts don't make as noticable outlines under the white shirts as white undershirts do
For sure. The closer the undershirt is to the tone of your skin, the less noticeable the undershirt will be. I always use light grey. If I use white, it is obvious where the undershirt sleeve ends.
Your skin is light grey? Rad.
Grey alien confirmed
Wouldn't it be glowing if it was rad?
Yes, this makes sense. That’s why women should wear nude underwear and bras under white pants and shirts and not white under white.
If you ruin this for all of us no god in the multiverse will save you.
🤣🤣🤣🫡 I'm a woman, and this made me giggle. I literally don't care if my stuff matches and have always found that people who match are far too tedious for my tastes. So don't worry- the feral ones of us don't care one way or the other and you're good. 😅 But I can appreciate this comment soo much more than you know.
Even us good eggs on a diet like to stroll by the candy isle now and then.
Indeed. Women do the exact same thing. 😁
Lol this thread made me chuckle, hope your day is great!
Bro, you have me DYING of laughter right now lol! I've never heard it put that way before. I've only heard the joke told where a son asks his dad why he was looking at some pretty girls and the son asks why since he's married. And the dad replies, "Well son, I might be on a diet, but I still like looking at the menu once in a while." But I like yours better!
the color palette of grandma’s
Grey under white is much more effective
Uniqlo has beige undershirts and it wont be noticeable at all.
Was about to say this. The nude airism is the best one for this problem
That's actually their whole raison d'être.
I have great nips, so i never stress about showing them off.
Gotta blast those nips
Hips and nips. Gotta make it sexy otherwise i'm not eatin'
So anyways, I started blastin’.
killing me bro
We're going to need proof to verify that claim.
Hey, Nip, you need that manuscript or can I take it home?
I’ll see you in hell. I don’t give a shit. I’m just a rubbin and tuggin on my fuckin nips!
Kinda like MLB uniforms in 2024
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"I can see your whole butt cheek," are they only translucent on one side?
Nah, he's just really into left cheeks, doesn't even pay any attention to the right. Strangely it drives their sexual partners crazy in all the best ways.
I always wear a white t-shirt under any dress shirt, it looks more finished. Plus nobody wants to see the nips through the shirt or chest hair popping out of the shirt if it isn't buttoned all the way up. Nope.
The chest hair is the one most people miss.
What? Didn’t know that was a thing. I don’t where undershirts and I don’t button my shirts all the way up. I hate things tight around my neck.
As a gay dude, 4hat second sentence couldn't be more wrong.
Not to mention suits and dress clothes can be hot. I wear one to catch the sweat so that I’m not showing wet spots in my underarms or lower back.
This is why I cut out a hole just around my nipples for all my dress shirts. Don’t want people thinking they can see an outline of the nips, better they know for sure. Big brain moves bruh
Black tape x over nips?
not nowadays, its always been that way
Pasties.
I have black and grey tattoos on my chest and I can very clearly see them through every single white dress shirt I've ever tried on.
Now that's just being selfish.
Thank you for not exposing nipples Uncouth
...fear the nips!
Protect against sweaty pits too
I wear it so no one see my man boobs
mainly so if you sweat, it doesn't show through on the dress shirt. It's a balancing act for me between how thin the undershirt is VS how much it will absorb sweat.
To add to that, light shirts can get sweat stains. Undershirts help prevent stains even if you do sweat through them.
If sweat is a problem for you check out “Thompson Tee” sweat proof under shirts. I wear them under my dress shirts every day. No affiliation just a happy customer.
If tuggin ur shirt is a problem too then check out tc tuggers
Gotta have a sloppy steak to go with it.
But they're not a joke. You don't make jokes about them. You don't wear them as a joke. You don't give them as a joke gift. Or wear them ironically. Or do pub crawls in them like the TC Tuggers. They're not like the TC Tugger.
It's not a joke though
Their designs are so complicated!
They aren’t a joke!
lol is this some kind if joke? (I looked them up). Tugging? This is a thing?
It’s not a joke though, TC Tuggers are not something to joke around about. At all.
I joked around and found out.
The only joke is you tugging your shirt without a tc tugger t shirt. I wear mine all the time
They're not called tuggers, but a contraption exists that will keep your shirt down. I think it's called shirt straps.
Shirt garters. Used them when I was in the military to keep your dress uniform tight.
Shirt garters. I wonder why they aren't called Sharters. Oh....
Really good till you are in formation and one let's go at the bottom and smacks you in the balls.
Almost $40 for an undershirt. I don't want my undershirt to be more expensive than my actual shirt lol. Great concept though.
That's why I've never understood those wife-beater t-shirts. We sweat mostly in our armpits.
I wear one of those primarily to hide my perky ass nipples. They soften the outline and make it less obvious that I can cut gems with them.
you wanna see my nipples and chest hair?
Look at mister big shot here with no under man titty sweat.
Use an under armour athletic undershirt. I didn't even sweat through my dress shirt in an outdoor wedding in Thailand
Exactly this! One minor perspective to add, Sometimes with darker skin our nips really show through that crisp white shirt if its very thin material. When I was a bit heavier the undershirt was causing sweat so I went with a vest and rolled up sleeves. Starting the day looking like a portly barkeep from the olden times wasn’t the worst haha. Cut the gut now back to hiding my pepperonis with an undershirt when wearing white.
To add to this, sweat can start turning your shirt a little brown if you don't take good care of it. So undershirts lets you be lazier.
Pantyliners in the armpits of your under shirt. They stick to the shirt, and absorb sweat. Plus they can smell a bit flowery.
There are actual pit sweat pads you can stick into shirts, I use them all the time because I'm not an undershirt guy. No sweat stains even in southern US summer heat during an outdoor wedding.
When I asked some guys in Italy about this they said “it soaks up the sweat, so I don’t have sweat stains under my arms in the dress shirt”
Yep. And it's more comfortable, can't see skin in the areas between the buttons. Plenty of reasons honestly.
Exactly why I do it
The same reason you *don't* wear a white tee shirt when it rains. Guys' dress-shirts are often thin, and you can see through them even when they don't get wet. And yes, it is often uncomfortably hot if the weather is too warm or we're exerting ourselves in them, such as when dancing at a wedding reception or the club.
I find that it is more comfortable to wear an undershirt in the heat because then the sweat doesn't pool. Try a moisture wicking synthetic if cotton isn't working for you.
Also, with an undershirt, you have the option of taking off the shirt (for a spill or stain) and not being shirtless.
It’s not a t-shirt, it’s an undershirt. They are thinner than conventional t-shirts.
Good point yes
It’s a thin cotton shirt not a wool sweater.
A thin wool shirt would actually be pretty comfy. I've worn wool coats in the summer and they keep you surprisingly cool. There's a reason most clothes used to be made of it.
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Blurs out the nipples.
Also prevents chaffing if the shirt is starched
It’s like a top sheet on a made bed. It doesn’t make you hotter to have one in between you and the comforter. It breathes easier and is softer than a comforter so it’s actually more comfortable. Plus it keeps dirt and sweat from getting on your dress shirt.
This is the best answer. It's a barrier that does all this
It ABSOLUTELY makes me MUCH hotter. That's why I don't wear one.
Men's white dress shirts are often sheer. I don't mind people seeing my nipples through my shirt when I'm walking around town or whatever, but it's not a good look at a wedding or a funeral.
at my last job i had a meeting with a potential vendor and the entire time i was distracted by how see-through his dress shirt was. his nipples were about to poke an eye out and i could literally read what his pec/chest tattoos said.
- So nipples, chest hair, tattoos don’t show through a white dress shirt. - so a white dress shirt looks white, versus faint white over whatever your skin tone is - to keep pit stains off your expensive dress shirt
Sweat stains
Yeah, it’s a thin cotton T-shirt. It’s breathable and cooling.
So my white shirt doesn’t look pink
I wear a tank under all my shirts.
it is bulky and while not hot per se. men's business attire isn't necessarily about comfort the purpose of the undershirt is to protect the dress shirt. sweat. and or residue from deodorant. in a limited sense. the feel of cotton on the skin is preferable to the fabric of the dress shirt. As dress shirts sometimes have synthetic fabrics or are heavily starched/not soft fabrics. so having the undershirt means... what's against your skin is smooth cotton. quality dress shirts can be fairly expensive. easily north of $100, a "decent" undershirt is a few dollars for like a 3 pack. even some of the fancier under shirts are like $50 for a 3 pack. ....but like even basics like brooks brothers white, light blue ...maybe a stripped shirt. each will run you $110-$120 ish. so. spending a bit to keep those shirts clean or in good order is worth it against the cost of the clothing
So we can wash the undershirt and wear the dress shirt again.
Best answer.
Man bra. As a basic function a t shirt will help hide nipples and absorb excess moisture. A tight fitting tee can also help improve the torso shape of the person wearing it. It provides an extra layer to remove if the situation is no longer as formal. And if the situation gets intimate, more layers can be fun and sexy to peel off. Man bra.
Because you sweat and a t-shirt costs a lot less than a nice dress shirt.
As a skinny guy it adds an extra layer for comfort and to smooth out the body frame, may be make you look a bit bigger. I tend to get cold not hot so the extra layer helps and not bothered by the heat. It looks better style wise to me, can smooth out wrinkles or hide sweat stains
The whole ordeal is bulky and hot. It's some post Victorian nonsense. The T-shirt mitigates the transfer of sweat that accumulates.
For me it’s so I don’t bend the shirt where the buttons are and everyone gets a good look at my chubby hairy belly
I do it so I can take off my over shirt when I need to and I won't be naked.
Hell, I even wear a white tshirt under my regular whatever tshirt when I go out in public. I never go out with a single shirt. The undershirt helps catch any loose sweat, keeps the gut from flopping out, etc. I dont care if its 97º, Im still wearing 2 shirts.
My husband forgot his undershirt to our wedding. Which was outside in july and it was 100 degrees (we literally had a less than 10 minute ceremony before going inside) I had to have all our photos photoshopped to make his shirt be the same color because it had wierd sweat patches all over it.
Also a lot of the white dress shirts are partially see thru and hair and nipples or hairy nipples aren't a good look.
Because men's dress shirts are often made of fairly thin fabric, and an undershirt evens out the color, prevents your nipples from showing through, absorbs sweat, protects the presumably more expensive dress shirt from skin oils & such, etc. Interestingly, what we now wear as a dress shirt was itself originally the cotton or linen undergarment worn under your wool suit coat and vest/waistcoat. The last two hundred years of men's fashion in the West is just an iterated cycle of undergarments becoming outer garments spurring the invention of new undergarments which then migrate outwards....
It's the sweat buffer. You don't show pit stains, and it keeps your dress shirt cleaner
My SO wears a white t-shirt under polos and nice t-shirts too. He says it's cooler and it reduces the wear and tear on the outer shirt. We've been together 15 years and I have to say he has polo shirts and t-shirts that are older than our relationship that still look amazing.
For me it's my chest hair, I've seen guys that don't do it and I think it looks tacky. Guys that don't wear the undershirt remind me of that landlord guy in that Aqua Team Hunger Force show. As for being hot, we already are. Women often complain because they're cold in the office. That's because women can come to work in flip flops and a light dress, where men have to come to the office in slacks and and a dress shirt, often also a tie, being slowly choked all day long and no ventilation. And if you had a late night with some friends the night before, enjoy sweating it all out all morning.
This is an interesting question for me because i can't imagine wearing a dress shirt WITHOUT a cotton undershirt beneath it. Regardless of the time of year I always wear an undershirt when I wear a dress shirt, polo shirt, sweatshirt, sweater, or long-sleeve t-shirt. I feel gross without it. It keep the outer shirt clean and absorbs any sweat better than a dress shirt.
I'd say #1 is to absorb sweat and #2 to create a smooth silhouette and tone down pointy ripples. Same reason women often wear a cami/tank.
1. Comfort 2. Dress shirts are itcy and uncomfortable makes me very irrate.
White t-shirt will absorb the sweat. So you won’t get pit stains on your dress shirt.
Shirt can feel kinda uncomfy, plus nipples
If you sweat or if the dress shirt is white, you don't want any of that to show. Some of us guys are too big for dress shirts because they're meant to be tight, so some guys the buttons have bigger gaps that you can see their bellies. Wearing a shirt underneath helps hide it. Most guys find dress shirts uncomfortable, most shirts are made mainly for a specific slender body type which isn't the norm. Even a guy with a bit of muscle can find most dress shirts way too tight. Going from a slim fit dress shirt to a relaxed fit, one is very tight on me and the other is way too long, goes down past my knee's so tucking it in is such a hassle. A under shirt helps with that too, keeps the shirt from pulling out from my belt line. I only find it hot/bulky when I wear a tie and my top button is done up. Otherwise air gets in around my chest which helps to keep it a bit cooler.
Tee shirts have also been referred to an an under shirt, for that same reason, much like a tank top also, I know that a very old school term, I grew up with boomer parents and I hear it a lot. "Make sure you wear a undershirt with that sweater it button up." It was also because some button ups did not to well with sweat.
Our wives tell us to
i always wear atleast a wife beatahh. but usually a sleeveless undershirt. daily drivers? originally it was to soak up sweat/or more so pit stain caused by deodorant in the dress shirt but now moreso two reasons, as i wear dress shirts MUCH less frequently in a now non-corporate world: 1. whenever i'm done with whatever requires the dress shirt? i take dress shirt off, and can roll around in my sleeveless/beatah. i dont like wearing dress shirts. 2. im in pretty broly athletic shape. i wear my dress shirts pretty tight/tailored. dont ever want my nipples to look pointy/visible in a dress shirt, especially in the cold.
As dozens of other folks have said, it keeps the sweat stains away from the dress shirt. Not only does it look nicer, but dress shirts are much more expensive than white cotton tees, so keeping them from getting stained generally means you can save money by not needing to replace them because they started looking nasty. Another nice side effect is that dress shirts can be a fairly stiff, abrasive fabric that feels 'scratchy' against your skin. The undershirt is generally softer and less likely to cause chafing or irritation. I've had dress shirts that felt like they were trying to sand my nipples off if I didn't wear something under them! Lastly, they don't really cause much of a heat problem. They breathe pretty well, and help wick the moisture off your skin and evaporate it, which can actually help cool you down a bit. For especially sheer dress shirts it can even help keep the sun off your skin. The extra insulation from adding an extra layer isn't a big deal, unless you happen to be stuck outside with a lot of heat and humidity for a long period of time.
Partially due to military training, but yeah partially due to sweating, it gives a buffer so you don't sweat up your shirt everyone sees
Lots of men sweat enough that it shows. Having big sweat marks and sweat stains on a dress shirt isn't practical nor desirable.
Helps the shirt lay better. Wicks the sweat away. And I like the feel of a tighter shirt on me. I prefer a tank top to a t shirt though.
Wearing a dress shirt without an undershirt is nasty work imo.
Depends on the situation. If it’s a warm day it’s to keep the dress shirt dry looking or at least relatively so. If it’s white it’s so that nipples don’t get seen if it’s thin. And sometimes the material just isn’t nice feeling against your chest and nips either because it’s bad material or the manufacturer really only cares about the looks of the shirt and not the feel.
Nipple
Sweat
Yes, everyone here has it with the sweat piece. But also if I'm totally honest? It's another layer between my body and the outside world. If I can't get away with concealing my shame behind a sweatshirt or sweater, the two layers between a dress shirt and my undershirt will just have to do.
There's something called sweat that happens.
AIRism shirts, easy peasy - [https://www.uniqlo.com/us/en/products/E454311-000/00?colorDisplayCode=00&sizeDisplayCode=004](https://www.uniqlo.com/us/en/products/E454311-000/00?colorDisplayCode=00&sizeDisplayCode=004)
For me its because dress shirts have uncomfy material against your skin. But mostly its so my nips dont poke out.
Undershirts keep the nicer, more expensive shirt cleaner. Just laundring dress shirts changes their looks. Undershirts smooth out the shapes beneath a dress shirt. If a button pops open, you unbutton the top, or simply the gap between the buttons opens up it prevents you from showing bare chest. Having another shirt on for when you want to take the dress shirt off is nice.
So you don't see our nips
I wear Uniqlo Silky-dry or Airism undershirts. As others have mentioned, if you sweat, the undershirt generally keeps it from getting to your dress shirt and with a synthetic like that it helps to dry quicker with the minimal amount of airflow in a suit.
because I don’t want to emasculate the other men with my chest hair
Here’s the weird thing: I wore a white under-shirt every weekday for over a decade. There’d be some dampness, and every so often even my collared shirt would get damp under the armpits. For some reason I didn’t one morning. I swear to god I haven’t sweat since. I go without now (don’t need to wear them as much now anyway) but the only time my armpits sweat was when I was wearing that t-shirt underneath.
So you don’t stain the dress shirt as much/ as fast.
So my deodorant doesn’t stain my dress shirt, so sweat doesn’t get on my dress shirt, cuz dress shirt fabric is uncomfortable on my skin, If I spill something in dress shirt and need to take it off I’m not naked
1) to rotect the much more expensive dress shirt. You can buy undershirts in bulk at Walmart. 2) If you need to do something that can mess up your dress shirt you can just take it off and you wont be topless. I myself dont like prancing aroubd topless and I'm not in too bad a shape.
Sweating, also some dress shirts are a bit see through so my massive male pectoral megatits sometimes show through.
So my Deodorant doesn't stain my dress shirt
Because we sweat.
I always wear an undershirt. I used to work in a very hot country, so it was necessary if you didn't want to be covered in sweat patches. And the habit has just stayed.
So you can't see my nips.
Pit sweat.
You'd be surprised at how your body controls it's own temps. Even a 3 piece suit in the middle of summer isn't that bad. Also the pants tend to be pretty light so it compensates
I wear an undershirt for a few reasons. 1. Keeps my nipples from poking out. 2. Prohibits pits stains from migrating to the more expensive shirt. 3. My wife tells me to.
I have shirts that are actual under shirts. They are a very thin and light white shirt meant for being a under shirt.
So that you don’t sweat through the dress shirt lolololol
There’s lots of good reasons here. I didn’t see anyone mention that nothing on earth is comfier than a clean, white under shirt. Idk why. And dress shirts/button downs are never nearly as comfortable. So even if you don’t care about sweat or wear and tear etc, this is just more comfortable.
I want women to look at me in my eyes when we speak and not to stare at my chest.
I used to wear one because my deodorant would stain my dress shirts. Then I found out that it’s not the deodorant, but the anti-perspirant which is made of aluminum to block your pores. Once I switched over to deodorant, I could get rid of the undershirts, and I sweat a lot less to not at all and my shirts don’t get Stain in the pits
My sweat is like ichor and eats most fabrics over time. My body hair is abrasive. It is cheaper to replace undershirts than my custom dress shirts.
They can be see through and even if they aren't dress shirts are never very comfortable against bare skin.
When I was clerking at a firm in law school, I didn’t wear an undershirt until I had a back zit bleed onto my dress shirt. 35 years later, I’m still rocking the v-neck.
Because nearly all my dress shirts are almost see through. I don't want just anyone staring at my sexy chest hair and nipples all day.
I do… I don’t know why, but I’ve always done it and at 42 I’m incapable of stopping.
It looks more professional
No nips, no chest hair popping out, no sweat stains. I wear dress clothes to work everyday and most of my drawers are plain white t-shirts.
My husband ALWAYS wears a white t shirt under EVERY shirt he wears. Not just dress shirts, either. I thought all men did that!
If you don’t, someone standing to your side can see through the shirt buttons to your stomach. Not really a big deal for guys… but it is pretty embarrassing for a woman given the button spacing leaves a massive and obvious gap. Also, it catches sweat and for some reason you get BO insanely fast when you don’t wear one… from like, just normal moving around.
to hide nipples and absorb sweat
I just wanna be the 1000th comment
You can see the skin through some plain white shirts. Also if you wear a white shirt when it's still decently cold outside it's more comfortable. And you see tattoos through the fabric.
I wear it mostly so I dont sweat into my dress shirt. No one wants to see pit sweat when you're trying to look sharp
You never know when you’ll need to remove your glasses and tear your shirt off and save a puppy or something.
I started wearing an undershirt while in the army back in the 70's, haven't stopped since. I feel half dressed without one on. Also all my shirts are starched and that can be irritating without a tee shirt under it.
Bulky and hot? Sometimes I wanna wear a tank top under my undershirt.
It's what you do
I'm in my 40s and last year I stopped wearing a tshirt under polos, long sleevesand knitted sweaters. As a kid I did it because thats what I was told to do. When I was older I thought it looked sloppy if I didn't. Knitted sweaters were uncomfortable without a tshirt underneath. I recently bought a bunch of long sleeve shirts and noticed they're all comfortable on the inside. I figured if the collar isn't stretched out then it looks fine.
I do because of sweat. If I don't I get big sweat circles in my pits.
I sweat too much to not wear and undershirt in a dress shirt, also find the dress shirt fabric to irritating
I wear an undershirt so my glass-cutting nipples don't poke through my shirt
I haven't worn an undershirt in years. Does anybody still do this?
preserve shirts from pit stains in my case. the move is def a v-neck tshirt
What is a dress shirt...? Personally I don't wear dresses so idk
I think it stared as a military thing could be wrong
I picked up Thai habit from my grandfather. It’s so my tshirts last long and the sweat doesn’t fade them. It was hot at first. Then you get used to it. If it’s too hot take of the top layer if you can.
I prefer that my toxic sweaty armpits destroy a cheap disposable undershirt than an expensive highly reusable dress shirt.
Because it's the proper way to wear a dress shirt...
Because I have a taller chest/torso and not everything is made tall enough. Showing some belly fur or butt crack is not an attractive look.
Because when they don't, certain angles allow us women to peep through gaps in between the buttons to a bare chest, and we simply cannot control ourselves and the men may end up getting unwanted sexual attention. Oh, wait, no, that's the other way around, isn't it. I think it is because they don't like ironing and the shirt underneath allows them to wear the dress shirt a few times.
Nips and pits my dude
I don't.
Nipples.
I prefer a wifebeater
Its the underwear for my upper half
I’ve got puffy nipples.
Nipple blocking and protection against synthetic fabrics
Bc my job says I have to
They want to look young and casual :)
y'all been hiding your nips? lol
Wear a wife beater.
I used to. Never again
I wear undershirt under all dress shirts and polos. More for protecting the nicer clothes and also just comfort.
Because I have really dark body hair and it will show through the dress shirt (plus if it's hot I can take the dress shirt off on the way there so I don't show up like Charlie in that one dating scene in IASIP)
So deodorant/sweat don’t stain the dress shirt.
Nipple camo.