Here is the deal. I’m not an overly “hairy” guy (although I do have a full head of hair) but I do have a “fair” amount of chesthairthat goes quite high, almost to my neck. [sub](To those that are dying to know, I do NOT have a hairy back)[/sub]. My normal office attire is dockers type pants and a golf shirt. A golf shirt (in the way that I am talking about) is a short-sleeved, non-button shirt except for 3 buttons on the front off of the collar. I think they are also called Polo shirts.
ANYHOW - I like to do the bottom 2 buttons up but I often leave the top one undone. If I do, my collar gets a little to tight for comfort and kinda looks weird. I’m not alone either, I’ve noticed that most men top button undone (if not 2).
However, when I do this some of my chest hairs poke out. Not Austin Powers “rug” style, but they are there and noticable.
So - In cases like this - is it acceptable to have chest hairs poking out? Or is it “cheesy” and make me look like some pseudo lounge lizard?
Opinions - Pick one and elaborate if you wish:
Leave the top button undone. A few chest hairs poking out looks fine and is perfectly acceptable.
Chest hairs? Ick! For the love of god, do all 3 buttons up. Please! If not for me, do it for the CHILDREN!!!
I also have a hairy chest and wear polo shirts…what I do is I shave my neck right down to the throat-dimple (I don’t know what else to call it), and trim everything that’s visible over my collar. Not too much, but enough that it doesn’t get caught in the buttonholes.
YMMV
#1, regardless of your chest hair situation. If you button up the top button, you look like a freakin’ nerd, geek, dweeb, dork. If your chest hair is really long, you may want to trim it, but probably not. I definitely wouldn’t shave it, unless you’re planning to shave your whole chest. That being said, leaving two buttons undone would probably be a little too lounge lizardy, unless the second button is pretty high up.
–Strainger, who regularly has chest hair poking out of the top of his shirt at work, in front of co-workers, customers, God, and everyone
Because if a stanger thinks it’s gross, there are no repercussions, but at work it could affect how you are perceived by various people, including your manager and other potential managers.
I have a fair amount of chest hair (as well as back hair, [tmi, right?]) and I wear a lot of henley shirts. I always leave the top button open and hair does show up. At my job it’s no big deal, but I can see that at some offices it might be considered a little too casual.
Obviously this office is casual or he wouldn’t be wearing a polo shirt. He shouldn’t have to dress differently because he has chest hair. And chest hair is not meant to be shaved. That’s just wrong. Definitely #1.
Now, back hair is a different story. You guys need to discover the joys of waxing before you pull out that beach gear. I’ve been creeped out just walking near a hairy guy in a tank top.
1 button sounds perfectly appropriate for work. Unbutton it to your navel anywhere else, as long as you get the responses you want!
And no, chest hair is not gross. It is what it is, and I don’t think it’s either gross or sexy. If you have it, then I’ll bet it looks fine on you.
However, I once saw a woman with several big, thick, wirey and very noticable BLACK HAIRS poking out of her chest (and she wore a low-cut dress) and I found that utterly revolting. (Scarred for life, scarred for life, I tell you!)
