# Men: Do You Wear an Undershirt? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 18, 2003, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-do-you-wear-an-undershirt/149368 "2003-01-18T01:52:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-do-you-wear-an-undershirt/149368/1 "2003-01-18T01:52:42Z")
While in theory an undershirt is to absorb sweat, I wonder (a) if it is more of an old-fashioned practice, and (b) doesn’t it make you feel warmer to just sweat more…? Lastly, do you wear one? And if so, Tank or Tee? - Jinx ---
**Author:** ![skot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b782af/32.png) [@skot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/skot)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-do-you-wear-an-undershirt/149368/2 "2003-01-18T01:55:52Z")
In the winter I always wear an undershirt, more for warmth than anything else. 100% cotton heavy T-shirt works fine. ---
**Author:** ![dwc1970](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a183cd/32.png) [@dwc1970](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwc1970)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-do-you-wear-an-undershirt/149368/3 "2003-01-18T01:57:53Z")
I never wear one underneath my regular shirts no matter what the weather. I do wear one to bed, though. I always wear tees. ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-do-you-wear-an-undershirt/149368/4 "2003-01-18T02:11:13Z")
Always. If a t-shirt isn’t the only shirt I am wearing, I always wear one underneath my flannel or sweatshirt. Almost all my t-shirts are of a racing theme too. But today, I wore my [Viking kittens](http://www.rathergood.com/vikings/) t-shirts. Immigrant Song by Led Zeppelin is heard through the day at work when I wear it. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-do-you-wear-an-undershirt/149368/5 "2003-01-18T02:11:14Z")
Always. If a t-shirt isn’t the only shirt I am wearing, I always wear one underneath my flannel or sweatshirt. Almost all my t-shirts are of a racing theme too. But today, I wore my [Viking kittens](http://www.rathergood.com/vikings/) t-shirts. Immigrant Song by Led Zeppelin is heard through the day at work when I wear it. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-do-you-wear-an-undershirt/149368/6 "2003-01-18T02:16:43Z")
Mr. S wears one only when he’s wearing a thin dress shirt, so the chest hair doesn’t show through. But he doesn’t wear dress shirts very often. His preferred winter casual wear is soft flannel or chamois shirts, or sweats once in a while – no undershirt needed. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-do-you-wear-an-undershirt/149368/7 "2003-01-18T02:29:00Z")
Never. Haj ---
**Author:** ![sunstone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunstone/32/3372_2.png) [@sunstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sunstone)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-do-you-wear-an-undershirt/149368/8 "2003-01-18T02:52:17Z")
Never. ---
**Author:** ![verbenabeast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/c4cdca/32.png) [@verbenabeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/verbenabeast)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-do-you-wear-an-undershirt/149368/9 "2003-01-18T02:52:37Z")
only under a dress shirt (which means extremely rarely) in that case a tee always. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-do-you-wear-an-undershirt/149368/10 "2003-01-18T02:56:54Z")
Never wear undershirts and also fail to understand why anybody would even want to. For that matter, I never even wear… …Possible TMI ahead… …any undergarment at all. Don’t even own any. I just fail to see the necessity for this kind of thing. ---
**Author:** ![drm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e57/32.png) [@drm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drm)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-do-you-wear-an-undershirt/149368/11 "2003-01-18T03:03:21Z")
No undershirt for me. ---
**Author:** ![Murcielago](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/da6949/32.png) [@Murcielago](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Murcielago)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-do-you-wear-an-undershirt/149368/12 "2003-01-18T03:04:57Z")
What are these “undershirts” you speak of? ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-do-you-wear-an-undershirt/149368/13 "2003-01-18T03:10:51Z")
Nope. ---
**Author:** ![EasyPhil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e47c2d/32.png) [@EasyPhil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EasyPhil)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-do-you-wear-an-undershirt/149368/14 "2003-01-18T03:12:08Z")
I wear them, but these days they aren’t cotton, but either silk or some other quick drying, wicking, wonder fabric like Coolmax. I wear them for warmth and also as a buffer when I perspire. I also seem to think that they make my form fitting shirts look better on me. It also masks my chest hair which looks a little weird under certain shirts. ---
**Author:** ![OxyMoron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9a140/32.png) [@OxyMoron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OxyMoron)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-do-you-wear-an-undershirt/149368/15 "2003-01-18T03:13:38Z")
Depends on when and with what. I live in New York and walk about 2/3 mi. to work, which in high summer can be close to insufferable. If I don’t wear a t-shirt, my shirt ends up showing sweat; but if I do, I go insane from the heat. My compromise is an A-shirt (“wifebeater”), which I can live with - deep scoop cut that doesn’t retain too much heat, but which keeps the regular shirt from getting too sweaty. The rest of the year I wear a crew-neck shirt of some kind, either a true undershirt or a colored t-shirt that works with the color of my sweater or shirt. ---
**Author:** ![g8rguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7cd45c/32.png) [@g8rguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/g8rguy)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-do-you-wear-an-undershirt/149368/16 "2003-01-18T03:14:13Z")
Another who only wears them with dress shirts. I wear a lot of sweaters/sweat shirts/flannels as well, at least in the winter, and wear a tee shirt underneath, too, but I’m not sure that really counts. ---
**Author:** ![japatlgt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df705f/32.png) [@japatlgt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/japatlgt)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-do-you-wear-an-undershirt/149368/17 "2003-01-18T03:31:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Murcielago \* > \*\*What are these “undershirts” you speak of? \*\* Exactly! However, I do usually wear a tee when I’m wearing a shirt and tie and of course as additional insulation during the cold. Other than that undershirts are for the birds. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-do-you-wear-an-undershirt/149368/18 "2003-01-18T03:31:44Z")
Rarely, and only with something it would look stylist with. ---
**Author:** ![Arcite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/67e7ee/32.png) [@Arcite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arcite)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-do-you-wear-an-undershirt/149368/19 "2003-01-18T03:44:09Z")
Always under long-sleeved shirts; never under short-sleeved shirts. ---
**Author:** ![Splanky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b2d939/32.png) [@Splanky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Splanky)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-do-you-wear-an-undershirt/149368/20 "2003-01-18T03:51:16Z")
Always. It keeps you warmer in the cold, it looks good under a nice (or even just a T) shirt, and stops those nasty sweat stains from showing up on your shirt. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-do-you-wear-an-undershirt/149368.md?page=2)