Tucking in Your T-Shirt

The t-shirt is a staple of style since the mid-20th century. Its versatility has made it a popular choice. Wearing a tee-shirt to exercise or do chores is a great option. You can also dress up in it for a date.

I wear t-shirts every day. Most days I wear t-shirts when working from home.

Most of my life I have never tucked my tees in.

As many of my peers, I used to think that tucking your shirt in was only something your dad did or the dorky kids at school with no fashion sense.

I don't think there is anything that happens to your brain when you turn 40 and become like your father. But I have been tucking my t-shirt in more often these days.

It can be very stylish in certain situations. You can wear it even if you are not middle-aged, or someone's grandfather.

Here are some guidelines I use when I tuck in my shirt so that it has a more Marlon Brando vibe than a Bugle Boy vibe.

The Evolution of the Tucked-in T-Shirt

T-shirts were originally worn as underwear. Men would tuck in their t-shirts to their boxers or briefs because they were originally underwear.

During WWII the GIs often removed their uniform top buttoned and wore their undershirt along with their uniform pants. The tee was tucked into the trousers to keep a neat, uniform look.

Veterans continued to wear undershirts and trousers around the home after WWII. The veterans wore their t-shirts with the sleeves tucked because that was how they had done it in World War II.

From the 1950s, most American men wore their tees tucked in.

More and more men have stopped tucking their t-shirts in as the style in America has become more casual. Untucking their tee-shirts was a way for men to differentiate themselves from their more rigid parents. The fact that less men served in military after Vietnam War and didn't develop the habit of tucking in t-shirts while in service contributed to this trend.

In the 1990s there was a brief resurgence in tucked-in T-shirts, but it then faded away along with Beanie Babies.

More people, especially young people of both genders, are starting to tuck their t-shirts in again. Gen Z and Gen Alpha are nostalgic for the 90s, which is driving a lot of this trend. My 10-year-old girl tucks her t-shirts in (emblazoned Vans logo - didn't foresee that resurgence either). She loves the "90s vibe.

Why You Should Tuck Your T-Shirt In

Three benefits have come to me since I began tucking my shirt in more often.

Tucking in a tee will highlight your v shape. The masculine v shape -- broad shoulders tapering to a narrower waist -- is attractive. Tucking in your shirt will accentuate your masculine v-shape. It gives your waist definition and makes your shoulders appear wider.

Tucked-in shirt looks professional. A tucked in tee provides a neat line between the torso and legs. Untucked tees look a lot more sloppy, as they bunch and wrinkle when they drape over your waistband. Tucking in your shirt makes you look more professional.

Untucked tee shirts can be snagged by things around you. You don't have to worry when your t-shirt has been untucked. It's why I tuck my t-shirts in my gym shorts whenever I exercise.

How to Tuck in Your T-Shirt

Buy a T-shirt that fits properly. Untucked t-shirts that are too large will not look good. You'll look like a dorky early 1990s Bugle boy. It's also important to not go too tight.