Tuck in Your Shirt and Put on a Belt

April 08, 2011, By 42 comments

Tuck in Your Shirt and Put on a Belt

A few months ago fellow Man of the House writer P.K. Lassiter wrote a piece called "4 Reasons Men Should Not Tuck In A Shirt," and for some reason it has really stuck with me (and with 240 comments and counting, apparently it's not only me). While I appreciate his point of view that tucking in your shirt can make you look nerdy, old fashioned and (shudder) fat, I think there are far more occasions when a man should tuck in his shirt than not.

Before I get too deep into this debate, I want to mention a problem I see all the time with the way men dress. Guys, it's not 1985 anymore. A man should ALWAYS wear a belt. If your pants (or shorts, or whatever you're wearing) have belt loops, then you should be wearing a belt. Always. If your pants have waist adjusters or are made for suspenders then you are off the hook, but otherwise put a belt on. Even if your shirt is out and covering your belt loops, you should be wearing a belt. Trust me. Not wearing a belt makes you look like you don't care about your appearance and like maybe you should go back to exclusively wearing drawstring sweatpants like you did in college.

Generally speaking, a shirt is supposed to be tucked into your pants, and in fact the majority of shirts are designed to be tucked in. Every time a man doesn't tuck in his shirt it's a choice--a deliberate choice--and is usually made by someone younger than the average Man of the House reader. It's OK, and sometimes appropriate, to not tuck in your shirt, but know that by doing so you're making a choice.

Here's a rundown…

1. The button-down Oxford and/or "dress shirt."
Since P.K. was talking about social situations only, I'll just agree with him and reiterate that in any formal or business situation, your shirt must be tucked in whether your boss wants you to or not. But even if you're going out and wearing just a shirt without a tie, it really should be tucked in. If you have a regular physique like most of us (which is to say you aren't exactly sporting a six-pack in the abs department) then you may have to do a little extra work to find a shirt that fits you properly. I realize most guys hate shopping, but with a little effort you can find the shirt perfect for you. Often sizes and cuts will vary even within the same store, so you have to try things on to make sure they fit. Choose a shirt that's not so tight the buttons pucker under the strain of your gut but isn't so baggy that it looks like you're swimming in it. The cuffs should end just barely past your wrists, and the seam at the shoulder should end at your shoulder, not halfway down your arm.

If you get a shirt that fits you right and it's tucked in behind a belt (and your pants also fit and are not pulled up too high) it will always look sharp. Remember, it's not the shirt that makes you look fat; it's your fat that makes you look fat. But even the most portly of us can find one that looks good. Leaving your shirt untucked is OK in some situations, like if the shirt is particularly decorative or if it's cut to not be tucked in (the same length at the hips as in the front and back). But it's a lot easier for it to look sloppy than cool, so take special care.

2. The t-shirt.
Maybe this is a clarification, but a t-shirt should always be tucked in when it's not the outermost piece of clothing that you're wearing. Any t-shirt underneath another shirt, sweater, pull-over sweatshirt (or even a hooded sweatshirt you don't intend to take it off) should be tucked in. Always. Having two untucked layers always looks sloppy and in my opinion is also kind of uncomfortable.

When you're wearing just a t-shirt with jeans or shorts and nothing else over it, then I'm in full agreement. A tucked-in t-shirt makes you look as lame as you're trying not to look. It's almost as bad as socks with sandals. Again, just make sure that the t-shirt isn't baggy. Just because you're in a casual situation doesn't mean you have to look sloppy.

NEXT: The Jersey

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Comments (42):

Joe B. sexy: photobucket . com / albums / v28 / Simo9852 / dsadsa . png - 01/09/2012
Chris T. im 23 and i prefer to wear dress shirts tucked in on a night out. sets me apart from the rest of the crowd. walk into any club/bar these days and the majority of men are wearing plain/printed t-shirts and jeans or an uninteresting button shirt. i like the look of having it tucked it, gives a better V shaped torso. although i work out and im quite muscular its not as noticeable with an untucked shirt. it also makes me look rich and classy, which i am anyway. i tend to look better in bright colours, so i usually buy shirts in blue or red/orange. the belt is also important when the shirt is tucked in. i like a plain black leather belt with a silver buckle. works well with almost everything. having said all that i never tuck in a t shirt or polo shirt. it just makes me look like Urkel - 01/09/2012
Alexandra G. If you have belt loops, and you are a man (and not a little boy), wear a belt. It won't be old farts looking at you funny if you don't; you'll be getting judged by girls who also wonder what else you are clueless about. The author of this post is right on about everything. Listen up. - 11/16/2011
First L. men having to wear a belt is your personal opinion. and an old fashioned, old fart opinion at that. a belt is used to keep your pants up or to hold tools. if you dont need the belt then there is nothing wrong with it not being worn... unless its you... because you are so mentally weak you have to wear a belt simply to make sure no other old farts would judge you harshly. its pretty sad. i dont care if anyone thinks i dont care about my appearance. i will dress and act however i want to. the only person i want to impress with my appearance is my girlfriend. im sorry that you feel you must impress every person you walk by. i NEVER... EVER tuck my shirt in. and i have never ever chosen not to tuck my shirt in... because im not somone who tucks them in. it never even crosses my mind. so again... youre wrong. its not a choice. its YOUR choice everyday to tuck it in and look like the stuck up old fart that you are. so know that every time you tuck in your shirt... youre making a choice. people like you is exactly why that other article was make. im just waiting for all the idiotic old fashioned old farts to die out. then maybe we can get rid of all the republican presidents and ****ing TUCKED IN SHIRTS! and if youre thinking. look at this stupid whipper snapper. im not going to take any of his views seriously because he is obviously a moron for not punctuating his sentences. not only do i not care about what old farts like you think of my dressing... i also dont care about what grammatical bigots care about my laid back writing style. - 11/16/2011
Beezap B. Tucking in is for dress shirt occasions only, like a wedding, going to church or synagogue, maybe the dorkier office jobs. It's dorky as hell for casual, it looks plain retarded, I don't care what the shirt was designed for, that's how I wear it. F that. - 11/02/2011
D C. Polo shirts? God, you probably will offer advice next on how to mix and match Garanimals, for Christ's sake! - 10/24/2011
Ken G. Okay, a couple notes. Polo-Shirts with long pants: a must tuck. Its just like saying, "I just don't care anymore." Polo-Shirts with jean shorts: Jean Shorts? Seriously? Polo-Shirts with other types of shorts: To tuck, or not to tuck? Yes, that is the question. - 10/13/2011
Stephen D. I love all the generalizations made in the post and in the comments. Particularly J.A.'s about people not progressing in their careers if they don't tuck in. It really depends on the situation. I work for a large communications company in Georgia that is headquartered in Atlanta. I wear jeans that fit me well, casual shoes, or nice clean sports sneakers, and one of many polos I own (often with the company's logo on the breast, and always discarded if the collar gets malformed) over a plain white T. I tuck in the T but usually leave the polo out. Why? Because the majority of people here do, including the upper level unless they're interviewing someone or showing a customer around the facility. I'd look out of place and feel uncomfortable otherwise. Sometimes the important thing is to fit in with your company's culture. - 09/22/2011
Michael C. Here in Seattle we have a lot of young guys in the tech industry who all dress exactly the same for work: Sneakers, blue jeans (now usually with a fancy pattern on the pocket) , and an untucked patterned shirt. It's hilarious because they all look the same and you can tell that they're all afraid to wear anything other than THE UNIFORM. Guys should definitely be dressing at least business casual in the workplace (and yes, that means tucking in your shirt, but no tie). At home or in casual settings untucked shirts are fine, but an undershirt should definitely be tucked in, whether in shorts or jeans. Most of the time guys who don't tuck their shirts in look sloppy, not relaxed, so keep that in mind depending on where you're going. - 09/05/2011
James L. I agree with almost everything in this except when it comes to shorts. Put a belt on with most shorts and tuck in your shirt and you might as well add the matching pocket protector, dark socks, and velcro sneakers. If you are wearing shorts to something so dressy that you need to add a belt and tuck in your shirt, you probably shouldn't be wearing shorts. Perhaps it a regional thing, but if you need to look so neat that you need a belt and your shirt tucked in, its time to put on your big boy pants. - 08/20/2011
J. A. I hope that those of you who say you never tuck your shirts in are either still in high school or retired. Certainly there is nothing wrong with an untucked shirt after work/business hours , at home or on the weekend. But surely you are not suggesting that you would wear untucked shirts to your place of employment after high school! If you are suggesting that it is appropriate, I can assure you that 99% of you will advance very little in your careers. As unfair as it may seem, your superiors notice. How you dress/look counts for a lot more then you realize. First impressions in today’s fast paced world are extremely important and with little time for someone to access your personality, looks leave a quick and lasting impression. Your dress/look not only sends a message about your attention to detail but also what kind of worker you are………careless? Sloppy? Good enough? Having owned my own business for more the twenty years, there have been plenty of interviewees I have eliminated right from the start simply by the way they dressed for the interview. I would also like to add that if your shirt is tucked in and your pants have belt loops, you better have a belt under the loops! - 08/19/2011
Ray A. Tuck in your oxford with a suit and/or tie. The rest of the choices get the look of the old guy with no idea as to look and fashion except the look from his yearbook. Most fashion looks should be avoided unless you have a 30-34" waist and a 40+ chest. Unfortunately real fashion is for the fit. PK was and is right about the tuck. The complainers are old and living in the past, let them have their look they deserve it. - 08/16/2011
Thom H. I'm of the opinion that the only reason a shirt should be tucked in is to contain body heat in cold climates OR to avoid misguided judgement from outdated fashion dogma in the workplace. Like ties, especially in the warm US climates, shirt tucking no longer makes any functional sense. And if fashion isn't at first functional, it is failed. - 07/28/2011
Pnw D. To sum up.. You nerds can tuck.. I'll be the guy with the untucked shirt and the hot women.. get a clue.. women with fashion sense like a guy with fashion sense.. i actually read some rediculous article that said a man should show up with plain dark jeans and a sweater vest to a first date if he wants to make a good first impression.. I think i'd still be a virgin if i dressed like that.. most men worry about what other men think about them more than what women think about them.. just come out of the closet already.. - 06/30/2011
Mike B. Who are these snobs that write these articles? t shirt? never tucked in.. plain jeans are boring.. all the women i know.. the pretty women that every straight man in the world would love to know.. love the distressed jeans.. and shirts untucked.. unless you're wearing a suit.. I have 70 suits.. I know style.. again I ask the question.. who are the tards writing these articles? They sound like they think we are still living 200 years ago.. I'm sure they condone white powdered wigs if you really want to be proper.. yikes - 06/30/2011
John G. Due to a physical condition as a result of multiple surgeries, I cannot wear a belt. Therefore, I never tuck in shirts and will only wear suspenders under my shirts to keep up my pants. I look good! And, most importantly, I feel relaxed and comfortable! - 06/27/2011
Chris U. OMG, this guy sounds like my mom. Of COURSE, I'm making a conscious choice. And that choice is to be comfortable and not to spend time and effort shopping for a shirt that will look good tucked in. I plan to wear my button down shirts out, my jersey to church tucked in, and remain content, ignoring your disapproval. - 06/22/2011

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