Which shirt-types can be worn "untucked"?

[Traveller]

Hi2all,

I did a search prior to posting & yes, someone in an unrelated topic did mention that an untucked shirt should be "cropped", but I've seen men wearing all sorts. Of course, most of them probably don't hang out @SF so that doesn't say much, lol

Having lived many years in Miami, I own a few Cuban guayaberas which are cropped, but I have a few stunning shirts that I'd love to wear un-tucked that aren't cropped (have tails - assuming that's the right term). Generally I estimate an uncropped shirt feasible if it's not too long.

Finally, I'm more flexible with uncropped shirts when I wear them open over a (usually solid-color) t-shirt.

So I guess my questions boil down to:

• Can you wear un-cropped shirts untucked?
  
• How long is too long?
  
• Are certain tail-types more acceptable than others?

Thx for your comments and/or advice up front

p.s. great site - I've already learned quite a bit, thanks to the SF community

 

[Doppler4000]

Originally Posted by Traveller

Finally, I'm more flexible with uncropped shirts when I wear them open over a (usually solid-color) t-shirt.

Yes... when it comes to button-ups, stick with this in my opinion.

Real dress shirts should never be worn untucked. You might get away with a casual oxford type button up untucked, but I finally decided that most of them are still too long and sloppy to pull off (unless, of course, you are young and want to look like every single other frat guy in the bar... then fine). You can have casual shirts altered and shorten the length, but the usual result is that the bottom shirt hem is shorter than the sleeves.... which is then out of proportion and looks wierd to many people.

 

[Eason]

Tailor the hems to be just a couple inches below your belt level, and get rid of the curved hem if you want to wear them untucked.

 

[whodini]

I can't imagine wearing a guayabera in Austria.

 

[Traveller]

Originally Posted by whodini

I can't imagine wearing a guayabera in Austria.
Lol, I can appreciate how that may sound, but Vienna has no less than five prominent Latin ("salsa") clubs and the Summers are quite hot, particularly when you factor in the lack of air conditioning in most venues, not to mention homes...

Fwiw, the best place to wear your guayabera in Vienna is at Herrmann's beach bar...

 

[Traveller]

Originally Posted by Eason

...just a couple inches below your belt level...
Wow, that's amazingly short - unless you're talking low-rise jeans...

I mean most of the shirts I'd wear untucked are about the same length as my sleeves. I have a designer shirt I picked up in New Delhi that's even an inch or two shorter than the sleeves, but that's about the shortest. Do they even sell "OTR" shirts that short...?

 

[bbaquiran]

Originally Posted by Eason

Tailor the hems to be just a couple inches below your belt level, and get rid of the curved hem if you want to wear them untucked.

IMO it depends on how curved the hem is. Dress shirts usually have a very deep, almost semicircle curved hem. Western shirts (the ones I've seen) have a shallower curve and are usually OK to wear untucked.

Originally Posted by Traveller

Wow, that's amazingly short - unless you're talking low-rise jeans...

Not really. It's about as short as a well-fitting t-shirt or polo.

 

[dfagdfsh]

I think that straight hems are ugly. Well executed curved hems a la Band of Outsiders rule

 

[Robert]

IMO it also depends a bit on the pants you're wearing them with.

 

[dano]

My general rule of thumb is if you lift the arms, the shortest part of the shirt tail (the sides on a curved hem) should be no more than an inch above the belt. I also have really long arms so this makes my sleeves longer than my shirts. This may be a nono, but everything is out of proportion with 37'' sleeves.

 

[dfagdfsh]

untucked shirts should be button down collar with the sleeves rolled up.

 

[Robert]

Hmm... I think it's fairly common sensical, isn't it?

Tucking your shirt in, in certain situations, can be a bit...for lack of better terms...dorky. For example, if I'm meeting an important client or standing in front of people giving a presentation or whatever, my shirt is always tucked in. (But then I would be wearing a kind of shirt that is "tuck-in-able," meaning a dress shirt with dress pants.)

But, when I go out for drinks with friends on friday night, my shirt--even if it's a dress shirt--is untucked. I would feel really dorky in a very casual bar with my shrit tucked in. Generally. An exception would be if I'm wearing a sweater or a blazer over it--I think untucked shirts in those cases look "dorky." It would also depend on the bar--if it's a formal country club kind of place, obviously you want to look more dressed up, so tuck in.

It's all very situational. It depends where you are and who you're with.

 

[Robert]

I also believe, generally, that it depends on the types of shirts we're tucking:

Tshirt and Jeans = Never tuck them
Polo shirt and Jeans = Never tuck
Polo shirt and Chinos = Tucked or untucked is okay--though I personally think untucked is much better. But that also means your polo can't be too long.
Casual Dress Shirt w/ flat bottom and Trousers = tucked or untucked are both okay. (I have a great white SS shirt with a flat bottom that I think looks great untucked and might feel pretty dorky tucked in)
Dress Shirt and Trousers = Always tucked. Unless you're getting juiced up around the pool table.

 

[Joffrey]

Any shirt that is cropped (shorter than normal) can be worn untucked. BUy any button up shirt and then if it's a bit too long (it looks funny worn untucked) take it to be altered and ask for it to be shortened or "cropped" a few inches. While you're at it have it taken in at the sides as it'd probably be too baggy too. If you have an extra $15 lying around ask for darts to be put in the back. Voila you have a Band of Outsiders shirt!

 

[MiniW]

Originally Posted by Traveller

Wow, that's amazingly short - unless you're talking low-rise jeans...

I mean most of the shirts I'd wear untucked are about the same length as my sleeves. I have a designer shirt I picked up in New Delhi that's even an inch or two shorter than the sleeves, but that's about the shortest. Do they even sell "OTR" shirts that short...?

yes they do make OTR shirts that are short. i have two from Raf Simons, one from H&M, and I am always trying to find more. I made the mistake of shortening a beautiful Polo Ralph Lauren white oxford by telling my tailor to follow the original curve, but just 3 inches shorter. It looks ridiculous in the fact that the sides show some skin when I put my arms overhead (I don't wear that shirt, it is ruined). Anyways instead of only buying $100 and up designer shirts that may or may not be much better quality, I do plan to have some of my more casual shirts hemmed but I definitely will try to use the Raf shirt I have as an example and have more of a square, flat bottom, as opposed to the normal curved bottom. I love the untucked, casual oxford shirt look when I am in a bar or other not formal situations. And if you plan to wear it untucked, I don't think you should worry about the length in proportion to the sleeve length as much as how long it looks compared to your torso. I think ideal length is somewhere down to around midway down the front rise of your jeans or slightly shorter. I hope this helps.