" data-orig-src="http://blog.forthefit.com/wp-content/uploads/shirts-428599_1920-300x199.jpg" alt="Tucking a shirt or leave it untucked" width="300" height="199" /> Do your shirts never seem to tuck in right? Or have you all but given up trying the casual untucked shirt style due to several fashion faux pas? Fear not, friends – I’ve got all the info you need to ensure that you look great in your shirts, whether they’re tucked in or untucked. Read on and learn…
When to tuck / untuck
Generally speaking, it depends on how formal the occasion is, as to whether you should wear your shirt tucked or untucked. For instance, events like weddings and black tie dinners demand formalwear, so it’s pretty essential that you tuck your shirt in unless you want to make a wild fashion statement. We have some new Dress Shirts available which would be perfect for an occasion such as a wedding, to shop our new shirt arrivals, click here. 
" data-orig-src="http://blog.forthefit.com/wp-content/uploads/shirts2.jpg" alt="ForTheFit.com Shirts" width="484" height="173" /> Conversely, in most other situations, an untucked shirt would be fine. One exception may be your workplace, but depending on what your job is, an untucked shirt could even work there, as more and more of our offices become increasingly relaxed in their attitudes to employees’ attire. Certainly, when heading to the bar with your buddies or attending a family dinner, an untucked shirt would be perfectly appropriate. The key is to judge the dress code for each occasion – many parties or evenings out will require a smart/casual dress code, when either a tucked in or untucked shirt could work. ‘Smart/casual’ can be a little vague, so if in doubt, smarten up an untucked shirt with a sharp, fitted jacket and a pair of well-fitting jeans. It’s always better to look slightly overdressed than sloppy.
How to wear an untucked shirt
" data-orig-src="http://blog.forthefit.com/wp-content/uploads/person-601564_1920-300x188.jpg" alt="Wear an untucked shirt" width="300" height="188" /> In days gone by, an untucked shirt meant that you looked slovenly. And the reason for this may well have been that men who wore untucked shirts didn’t purchase different garments – they simply wore their regular shirts, but didn’t tuck them in. And oh boy, is that a fashion mistake! The problem is that shirts that are designed to be tucked in, are too long to wear untucked. The end result looks baggy, and more than a little like an old fashioned nightshirt. These days, lots of shirts are designed to be worn untucked, which eliminates this problem. The shirt should fit well around the torso, but not be too tight – this can cause difficulties with the shirt bunching up where it meets the pants. In terms of length, an untucked shirt should end at around the middle of your backside, or the middle of your zipper. Any longer than that is too long, and your shirt is likely to billow in the breeze – and we’re not preparing you for a 90s boy band music video! Be careful, too, not to go too short with your shirt length. A good test for this is to try the shirt on, and lift your arms above your head. If you see skin, then the shirt is too short in the torso. You need to be able to move around freely in your shirt without worrying about flashing your belly button. We have lots of more casual shirts, available for both men under 5’9 and men over 6’0. You can shop this now, here – for shorter men and for taller men.
How to wear a tucked shirt
" data-orig-src="http://blog.forthefit.com/wp-content/uploads/man-601539_1920-300x202.jpg" alt="Wear your shirt tucked in" width="300" height="202" /> With a shirt that is designed to be tucked in, extra material is a good thing – it helps to keep the shirt secure and straight. You should aim for your shirt to end just below your backside. With a tucked shirt, you can afford to go for a slimmer fit in the torso, as you won’t need to worry about getting the bottom of the shirt over the top of your pants. So, if you’re going for a razor-sharp, stylish look, then a tucked shirt is your best option. If you’re a little large around the tummy section, then it may be a good idea to go longer in the shirt length to ensure that you have plenty of material to tuck your shirt in securely. There are lots of tips and tricks that can help to ensure that your shirt looks good when you tuck it in. Antonio Centeno over at Art of Manliness offers plenty of advice in this post, where he talks you through the basic trouser tuck, and the military tuck – as well as a few style sins that you should avoid!
Conclusion
It can be difficult to find shirts that are of an appropriate length for your particular measurements – especially if you are taller or shorter than the average. That’s why here at ForTheFit, we offer a wide range of shirt lengths (from extra-short to double extra-tall), sleeve lengths, neck sizes… in fact, pretty much every part of the shirt is adjusted to ensure we have just the right size for you personally. When do you think it’s appropriate to wear untucked shirts? Which style do you prefer? Let me know in the comments!
