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The Case FOR wearing an undershirt: Men have been wearing undershirts to soak up sweat forever. They’re your first line of defense against pit stains. And not just the darkened, wet pit stains you get on hot days when you perspire straight through your shirt, the yellow pit stains that your sweat can leave even after a good wash. Just go with v-necks so you can unbutton your collar or go tieless, and try to stick with grey t-shirts so you don’t have that visible line showing where the t-shirt sleeve ends under your dress shirt sleeve.
The Case AGAINST wearing an undershirt: A cotton undershirt just doesn’t make much sense. Aside from putting on another layer, when cotton gets wet, it stays wet. So if you start sweating and you’ve got an undershirt on it’s curtains for your pits. At least your dress shirt isn’t right up on your skin, so there’s more ventilation there and thus a chance your pits will dry out. Most guys wear undershirts when it’s hot because it’s just something they’ve always done. And as far as preventing pit stains, it’s not your sweat that’s causing those yellow stains on your shirts, it’s the aluminum in your antiperspirant. Those who just use plain deodorant (which you’ll still sweat with, but stink less than without) don’t have that issue. Switch to deodorant, take cool to cold showers in the morning on hot days, and lay off the caffeine. Spend a week without undershirts and your pits will feel less like the bayou.
Your turn guys. Do you swear by undershirts when it’s hot? Have you tried without, then gone right back? Or have you broken away from undershirts and never plan to return? Leave your take below. Top image via Nordstrom.
I still have trouble deciding between undershirt or no undershirt. I feel like when it’s not sweltering, no undershirt is fine. But it has gotten pretty damn hot down here in bayou country, and I show my sweat very easily, even in plaid (Which I always figured was good for hiding it). I still don’t know what to do. I do sweat more than the average bear, though.
I used to have really sweaty pits until a couple months ago. Because of this I’d replace undershirts frequently due to stains. I decided to do a little research and found Odaban. It’s an antiperspirant that you apply several times a week at night when you sleep until you get it under control. After that it’s just maintenance every so often. I’m not sure if there are issues related to not sweating but it certainly helped me and I no longer wear undershirts. Not a single one. My issues passed after applying it for a few nights.
If you also have smelly pits you’ll need a separate deodorant. This stuff is just for sweating.
So (light?) grey v necks are the most versatile undershirt?
Certain Dri worked for me. I started using it several years ago and eventually stopped using any anti persperant / deodorant all together. The wife has explicit instructions to inform me of any odor problems. So far so good.
I was going to try that if Odaban didn’t work. That’s great that you don’t have to use anything anymore. I’ll have to see if Odaban does the same thing for me down the road. If not then Certain Dri it is.
Deodorant and ribbed tank top. That’s the way to go. I’m not too big on the Tshirt under a collared shirt because it gets too hot. You also never have to worry about the vneck or not because it doesn’t apply. That being said, I did not wear one this past weekend and it was very liberating. So I may be sporting them less since the heat down south has been turned on a little lately.
No undershirt ever! If you dress and prep properly, no need!
definitely go with an undershirt….major help against sweat stains…
There was a post like this last year that recommended going chest-commando. I tried it with poor results, I just sweat too much for all that. At least when I suit up for work I stick w/ v-neck undershirts.
I may try the antiperspirants, but my problem is that when I overheat, my back/chest sweat at least as much as, if not more than, my underarms…
That’s why I dont use cotton undershirts. If you change to micro modal or even fine merino wool, it makes a huge difference.
Yeah, I sweat way too much to go sans-undershirt. I need an antiperspirant to help maintain it. Certain-Dri is great, but I found it does very little about the stink. I prefer using Gillette Clinical Strength in Advanced Solid with a light grey American Apparel v-neck.
Never
Ribbed tank or nothing for me. Down here in the south, another full layer of cotton would make me overheat just that much quicker. During the week, a tank under my OCBD’s, and on the weekends nothing under polo’s or short sleeve light cotton/linen button downs.
Ribbed tank or nothing for me. Down here in the south, another full layer of cotton would make me overheat just that much quicker. During the week, a tank under my OCBD’s, and on the weekends nothing under polo’s or short sleeve light cotton/linen button downs.
Also, it’s more the humidity then the actualy heat that will have you dripping down here.
Anyone know of a ribbed tank top, A shirt, muscle shirt with high arm holes? Seems full undershirts help heat us up with the 2nd layer but they also soak up the sweat. I thought Ribbed tank may be the alternative but all the ones I tried are cut well below the armpit?
Undershirt all day every day. In addition to the aesthetic appeals of not having visible sweat stains (whether freshly wet or old yellow) on your armpits (or back, shoulders, etc) during the day, there’s also the cost-saving measures. A pack of 5 undershirts is like $10. My favorite dress shirts cost about $55. By wearing an undershirt, I don’t have to wash my shirts after a single wear, and can thus prolong the life of my dress shirt. Additionally, old undershirts make great rags for things like polishing shoes and various other household chores.
Cotton is pretty good but there are materials to combat moisture
I wear them when it is cool. I recently converted to not wearing them when it is warm. I much prefer it. I think I stay cooler and actually sweat through clothes less.
I don’t wear undershirts the majority of the time, but if I’m wearing a nice dress shirt in any kind of heat, you better believe I’m going to have one on. The slightest bit of sweat and dark spots will start showing.
Undershirt all the way. That annoying chest sweat dribble isn’t going to show up on your shirt, and your shirts won’t take damage from your preferred underarm product. There’s more than just cotton out there; you can get moisture wicking undershirts if you don’t mind throwing down a few more dollars.
Some men can go without – more power to them – but I feel much better with an undershirt.
I live in Miami… Where the weather is Hot and Hotter with a touch of Humid or Swealtering…. So Yes!! I still wear undershirts. But I might try the Aluminum free Deodorant trick and see how that plays out…
the yellow is from the anti-antiperspirant. if you just use deodorant, nothing will ever be yellow. let that sweat flow, its natural folks.
I’m in Texas where it’s hot as hell starting in April, and it doesn’t let up until October. I do the undershirt thing every day, primarily because I often have to walk to multiple meetings throughout the day. In the event I’m caught out in the sweltering heat for longer than planned, I can easily swap out a damp undershirt for a fresh one if need be, and hop on to the next meeting. Nothing worse than showing up to the 4th or 5th meeting of the day with a stained and damp dress shirt.
my 2 cents:
a. under a t-shirt, almost never
b. under a buttoned up dress shirt, crew neck
c. under an unbuttoned dress or casual shirt, v-neck
d. under a light-colored outer shirt, go with heather grey – it doesn’t show through as much
e. during the summer/hotter seasons, combined with a good antiperspirant, i will add ribbed tank tops into my undershirt rotation and wear them more often
f. during the cooler months – pretty much anything goes
if you’re a heavy sweater, i always recommend staying away from moisture wicking undershirts because they will transfer more moisture to your outer shirts more quickly. there are a good number of sweat-through resistant undershirts now available too.
as for the type of fabric, well that’s really not as cut-and-dry as it sounds. not all cotton undershirts are created equal (different weights, blends, knitted weaves, kinds). so a lightweight cotton undershirt with not feel or get as saturated as a thicker one.
lenzing has some great fabrics such as modal, micromodal, tencel, etc. which are more absorbent, but they aren’t the ultimate solution either.
if/when wearing an undershirt, the best option to choose is something form fitting. no added bulk, and no dripping sweat.
Linen shirts, no undershirt.
aside from sweating/stains, undershirts make men look like they work at a printer ink convention. I lived in Miami as well and never wore an undershirt because who wants two layers when it’s 100° at 9 in the morning?!
Undershirt Guy, glad you weighed in on the subject!
I read this as the colour of the shirt, not the undershirt … but then again some “ladies” like wearing red undergarments under white shirts …
Undershirt Guy has most of the positives of wearing undershirts. I actually feel cooler with the undershirt on.
A few additional key reasons:
1. My chest hair is visible through many dress shirts. Additionally, with many materials, the coarser hair actually pokes through unless I wear an undershirt..
2. “Moobs”. Many women have told me how they hate to see men’s body parts through a guy’s shirt.
3. My shirts seem to lay smoother on me when I wear a t-shirt underneath (I am not skinny like 25 years ago so my shirts lay on me instead of hanging). Makes for a much more polished look (and, yes, I have quality shirts which fit me well).
+1 for certain dri — game changer in my opinion. Peep the amazon reviews.
The DC area gets very hot and humid so I wear Under Armour v – neck undershirts. http://www.underarmour.com/shop/us/en/pid1230361-100. There a bit more expensive but it’s much cheaper than replacing a BB shirt.
A couple weeks ago I got a possible melanoma removed from the base of my throat, an inch or so above the collarbone. I wore nothing but button-ups, with the top few buttons open and no undershirt underneath, for the 10 days between the surgery and the suture removal.
Prior to that, I’d been a solid undershirt guy. I have to say… going without the undershirt is certainly comfortable (especially when you’ve got a wound and nine stitches sticking out of your neck), but it’s not without its downsides. Even the slightest amount of sweat would start soaking through the pits of the shirt. Plus the tails of the shorter, more casual shirts would flap around in the wind, threatening to expose my furry gut to the public. Bare midriffs = not ok.
Overall I think the benefits of the undershirt far outweigh the downsides. But I might start wearing shirts sans undershirt in some extreme casual situations this summer (hanging out at the lake, etc.).
If you’re wearing a white shirt, then a white undershirt will show. A grey undershirt will not show. It’s all about the contrast with your skin under your shirt.
I never wear undershirts, but I’m one of the lucky few who don’t sweat badly enough to ever have it show. I don’t really see how this is a debate. I say if you need an undershirt due to staining then go for it because the alternative of not wearing one is worse. But take the advice from the article and use v neck t shirts only! I’m not sure if it’s just me, but a man in a suit with an open collar and undershirt showing just looks unprofessional.
Oh man! Sounds like you’ve had quite the stretch recently!
What about pit stains?
If you’re really worried about sweating during the summer, wear an appropriate-style cotton undershirt (non-wicking) and bring extras in a bag. If you end up getting the undershirt drenched for some reason, go to the changing room, cool yourself down, and change.
V-necks go with open collars and crew necks go with closed ones. The obvious white shirt just says that you’re oblivious. And imho, don’t unbutton your collar or roll up your sleeves with a tie on. Just because Obama tries to rock it doesn’t mean you should, as well.
V-necks every day. I like to launder/iron my clothes as little as possible.
i always sweat through…so the debate makes no difference.
It’s a debate because undershirts might be more the source of a problem, than a solution. I think plenty of guys would be surprised if they just tried wearing a dress shirt without an undershirt on a hot day. Cotton really does soak up and hold sweat in your pits. And for a lot of us, once that happens, it’s game over.
I’d really encourage guys who are (probably overly) concerned about having the armpits of their shirts a little darker from time to time thanks to sweat, to just give undershirt-less a try once. It really can make a big difference if you’re using deodorant instead of anti-antiperspirant which is the root source of the yellow staining.
But for many, it’s a total and complete comfort issue, and that’s absolutely understandable.
Can you elaborate more on the reason behind switching from deoderant/antiperspirant–> deoderant only? I thought antiperspirant was crucial in controlling sweat..are you saying the undershirt replaces the antiperspirant role?
The antiperspirant ingredients in your antiperspirant/deodorant is what’s widely believed to cause the permanent yellow pit stains in clothing. So the general idea is that if you switch to a solo deodorant, you will still smell fine but your shirts won’t get stained as badly.
And for dark-skinned people like me, white will show through any light-colored shirt. Gray works much better.
I always wear an undershirt or a t-shirt of some kind. And it’s always a round neck, not a V-neck. I don’t like my chest hair showing at all.
Possibly off-topic, but the best way to get out pit stains if you do have them is:
Mix 1/2 cup dawn (dish soap) with one cup hydrogen peroxide. Pour onto stains and allow to sit for one hour before washing normally.
I don’t know if it’s a security blanket for me, but I’ve always felt more comfortable with a crew neck t -shirt because I still get chest acne and I feel better knowing that isn’t exposed by my open placket or unbuttoned shirt.
Well I looked for myself and the white sleeve under white in definitely more noticeable
I quit wearing undershirts for the most part about 2 years ago and never looked back. The only time I consider them is when its particularly cold out and the extra layer could help. I’m a moderate sweater, but it only flares up on long walks through the hot sun (I live in Florida). I find that an undershirt is useless because I’ll probably sweat through it anyway, and once I’m inside my regular shirt dries out a lot quicker than if I was wearing a soggy undershirt…
also, as long as your wearing regular deodorant as opposed to an aluminum based antiperspirant, a little sweat won’t hurt a shirt.
Joe makes convincing arguments for both sides. Perhaps the solution is a half shirt? http://svajian.com/home/2010/4/4/return-of-the-half-shirt.html
If aluminum is the culprit behind pit stains, what’s making my collars go yellow?
Tell me about it. x_x
This all leads me back to the great summer suit debate. I myself am preparing to go to an August wedding and after trying on the Rugby Newbury Chino Suit in store recently (which you featured a couple days ago) I’m having second thoughts about it’s summer suit capabilities… it fit great but felt really thick. Is the LL Bean New Traditional Twill this heavy? Don’t know if no undershirt would help (although I was wearing one) as I broke a sweat in the fitting room just trying it on! Help!
Agreed – small of the back is nearly as bad as the pits for me.
LL Bean Traditional Twill is on the heavy side and frankly only so-so looking anyways (I own in it khaki). Look for a linen blend suit instead.
haha terrible
Since everyone sweats differently (anxiety, during minor exertion say outside on a humid day, heavy exertion, very little, or just all the time), I doubt there is even a majority-vote answer. I have my own experiences (used to be a heavy, heavy sweater, but now my pits do nearly nothing).
I like the some have mentioned about having an extra layer when it’s cold. I agree with this, as I live in a widely-ranging midwest state.
I’m sometimes intrigued by the question of shirt transparency. For instance, does anyone get strange about nipples through a white shirt? Or is there any aesthetic difference between being able to see the color or outline of a tank or SS shirt under a dress shirt?
Personally, I tend to go with no undershirt except in the winter months, or unless I know I’ll be doing something that calls for some exertion.
The LL Bean Signature is really casual and it’s not the lightest thing in the world. That said, there are heavier chino suits out there.
Rugby hasn’t shown up yet. The BR Chino/linen did (not the wool/linen they’re offering) but you can barely tell it’s linen. Also surprisingly thick. Was hoping and thinking it’d be a little breezier.
Wish the J. Crew Irish Linen suits weren’t so expensive. Love their grey one. Will continue to search for lightweight summer suits this year.
Have you had it tailored in at the sides yet? Makes a huge difference. They are, admittedly, pretty casual.
I usually wear one during colder months, but I ready about not wearing one on here, I think in the hotter months. I found myself always sweating like a pig on the way home from work so I gave it a shot. Honestly, it made a huge difference. I would have thought I’d needed the undershirt to soak up the sweat, but without one, I really didn’t sweat because there wasn’t that extra layer for my body to get rid of the heat through. I’m a believer of 80 degrees + not wearing an undershirt with my polos. Button downs are a different story as I want to keep them as nice as possible for as long as possible. Polos however should be w/o the undershirt IMO.
Also, isn’t the aluminum in anti-perspirants a possible carcinogen? It seems it would be unhealthy to completely stem the flow of natural sweat from your armpits.
If you aren’t already aware, Under Armor makes “loose gear” tshirts that are not only good at soaking up sweat, but also dry fast. It probably won totally eliminate a soggy pit, but it’ll definitely perform better than cotton at keeping you dry. Only thing im not sure about is if they make a v-neck model.
Seeing a guys nipples through his button down dress shirt when he is at the office is gross. I’d rather see pit stains than dark man-areolae.
I’m in the southwest, and I still do white v-necks under dress shirts. I’m always comfortable in the summer, although I am in an air conditioned office most of the time. :]
Get down to the low latitude, sub-tropical climate, where any antiperspirant and deodorant simply rendered useless. You know you cannot live without an undershirt. In fact, couple days ago, i ran out of clean undershirt and headed out wearing just a dress shirt. Just 15 outdoor (ever under the shade), sweat started building up n dripping all over, not just the underarm, but the back the shoulder, the waist. It cannot help but hopping on to a cab and buy 2 cotton undershirts.
In the Army an undershirt is required at all times. After leaving the Army I never stopped. It works for me so I recommend that guys try a few different things until they find that works for them.
Second this.
Picked up Certain Dri on Sunday.
Monday, I had a little sweat. Tuesday & Wednesday, nothing.
I just use some old spice body spray and I’m good scent-wise.
Try it.
it depends on the situation. If a tie is to be worn, yes. In more casual settings, no.