Master the art of the tricky T-shirt tuck with a few simple guidelines.
When should you tuck in a T-shirt? It’s a question that doesn’t have one straightforward answer. If it did, this article wouldn’t exist!
Knowing when to tuck in a T-shirt isn’t all that intuitive, either. It makes perfect sense in some scenarios, but in others, it’s nothing but confusing.
Moreover, tucking in a T-shirt is different from tucking in other kinds of shirts. A dress shirt should almost always be tucked in — that makes sense. But a T-shirt?
There’s a surprisingly large amount of factors to consider here, so let’s get started.
Ways to Tuck in a T-shirt
Broadly, there are three main ways to tuck in a T-shirt. You can either wear the shirt untucked, half-tucked, or fully tucked. Each method is stylistically different.
The untucked shirt is casual but not too messy. The partial or half tuck is a bit more devil-may-care and is often even more casual than an untucked shirt. Finally, fully tucked shirts are more formal and look neater.
Generally, the tighter the tuck, the more formal it will look. If you’re after a really laid-back look, go for a looser tuck. (Just make sure there’s not too much excess fabric billowing out.)
Really, tucking is a strategic way to dress an outfit up or down. Want to add a bit of formality to a more casual outfit? Tuck in your shirt. Want to dress down a more upscale jacket? Go untucked.
Of course, these are general rules to follow, but there are plenty of different combinations to think about here.
How to Tell if a T-Shirt Should Be Tucked In
First, think about how you’re wearing the T-shirt. This is a major consideration that will help you understand when you should tuck in a T-shirt.
We’ll go over the three main ways of wearing a T-shirt: as an undershirt, on its own, and as a layer.
Should You Tuck in an Undershirt?
If you’re wearing a T-shirt as an undershirt — that is, if the T-shirt is completely hidden below other layers — then tuck it in.
You might be able to get away with an untucked undershirt if your other layers are long. However, this doesn’t mean you should try to get away with it. Tucking in any kind of undershirt is always best since it’s the neatest option.
When to Tuck in a Solo T-Shirt
Most of the time, if your T-shirt is the only top layer you’re wearing, you should leave it untucked. This generally looks the best because it allows the T-shirt to fall naturally on your frame. As long as your T-shirt fits well, this will look good.
That said, there are a couple of instances in which you can wear a solo shirt fully or partially tucked.
Wearing a T-shirt completely tucked in is a preppier and more sporty look. Depending on what you’re wearing, it can also look upscale. If you want a refined touch to a casual outfit, then the solo tucked tee might be right for you.
You can also go for a partial tuck. This is a slightly messier look but also communicates an easygoingness.
If you go this route, experiment with different ways of tucking. A good starting point is to tuck in one half in the front and leave the other half untucked.
The T-Shirt Layer
Now let’s look at wearing a T-shirt as a layer within an outfit.
Layering often looks best when the layers go from thinner to thicker. Often, this also means that any internal layers should be the neatest.
In addition, T-shirts will rarely go under two open or unbuttoned layers. The simple reason is that having more than one unbuttoned garment just doesn’t look that good. (Picture an unbuttoned Oxford shirt and an unbuttoned topcoat on top of that — it feels wrong!)
With all that in mind, you typically want to tuck in your T-shirt if you’re wearing it with other layers. This will result in the cleanest look.
Leaving a shirt untucked is a more casual vibe, and this is a legitimate stylistic choice. However, if you do untuck your shirt, make sure it is a deliberate style statement and not an oversight.
As a rule of thumb, if you’re wearing a more formal layer over your T-shirt, tuck in your tee. For example, if you’re wearing a suit with a T-shirt, you should probably tuck in your tee.
If you’re wearing a more relaxed outer layer like a chore jacket, then you can wear your T-shirt tucked or untucked. It all depends on the level of formality you want to achieve.
As mentioned before, if you want a more relaxed look, you can go with a loose or partial tuck.
If you’re going for an extra relaxed look, then you can wear your T-shirt untucked.
This is best for extremely casual styles like athleisure.
Should I Tuck in My T-shirt Into Jeans?
Tucking a T-shirt into jeans often evokes images of cowboys, but this look is more versatile than it might seem.
In short, you can tuck your T-shirt into your jeans. Since the tucked T-shirt is more formal, you’ll want your jeans to be on the formal side. In other words, go for a slim or straight fit.
Tucking a white T-shirt into jeans is a bit of a fifties greaser look, and that’s especially true if there’s no other top layer. However, you can tone that vibe up or down depending on what you wear.
Adding a leather jacket will put you firmly into The Outsiders territory, but wearing a minimal jacket will make it look more modern.
If you wear a loose T-shirt tucked into light-wash bootcut jeans, you’ll definitely look like a country singer. Unless that’s the specific look you’re going for, you should avoid this combination.
Utilize the Tuck
The decision to tuck in your T-shirt or leave it untucked seems almost insignificant at first. However, it can really transform an entire look.
Now that you know exactly how tucking affects an outfit, you can experiment with it as a styling technique. Find what works with you and roll with it!
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