Audio: Listen to CCO Simon Kneen on when to wear your shirt tucked versus untucked>>
I really don’t have many rules for dressing. I have said before that when you are a firm believer in breaking the rules, as I am, then when it comes to menswear, I can hardly withdraw my claim when outfitting looks season after season. I mostly stay within menswear guidelines where personal touches abound, but maybe my school of taste is a combination of British, Italian and American. I always try to include something exceptional such as a great wristwatch, Italian footwear, a well-designed belt or even a piece of jewelry. However, I firmly believe that in dressing well, the rules of good taste should trump any sartorial rules in putting men’s attire together.
Whilst I am happy to share what I would do with a rack full of clothes, I am not always great at explaining the why. After years of outfitting both men and women, it just becomes more instinct with my trained eye capturing color, shape and cut, with an immediate understanding of how the outfit can come together. I may fuss with a belt or the line of a hem hitting correctly on that sockless loafer, but for me, putting outfits together is all about making a connection between the pieces and finding the connective thread that ties the whole look together.
I love an untucked shirt or knit for that modern, fresh sense of ease and comfort—especially in summer, with suggestions of sport and being on the go. For someone like myself with a rounder waist than I had in my twenties, the untucked look can be more flattering. I like to create a column silhouette without the interruption of a belt, which tends to cinch and accentuate in a most unflattering way.
A woven shirt with a softly turned cuff works wonderfully for summer when worn untucked over a pant. I like this look for date nights, brunch with friends, and those social moments when the weather or occasion means a sportscoat may be too much. If the shirt somehow connects through color to the pant, then this adds a touch of thoughtfulness that dresses up the look again for polished casual style.
With sportcoats, generally, I’m not too fond of woven shirts worn untucked. I feel they don’t come across as modern when worn this way, working on only very few people. A look involving a woven shirt is always more thoughtful when the shirt is tucked in, and a smart belt is on view. In some looks, I will combine woven shirts untucked with a sweater or layering knit, and occasionally with outerwear too. The shirt line peeking out from a hem of a sweater or knit can look nonchalant and really quite chic.
I do, however, love a knit—whether untucked or tucked in—under a sportcoat. The straight hem of a closed knit such as a polo or crew works very well under a sportcoat, and particularly when matched to a pant (navy on navy), can look great with the patterns and textures of our sportcoat collection this season.
The half-tucked look is a tricky one and somewhat borrowed from the preppy uniform. It is certainly the more modern alternative to a turned-up polo collar, which left the building in the 90’s. It should give the impression of a half-hearted attempt to tuck in the front hem, caught just off-center in the front waistband and left untucked for the rest. It’s nonchalant and stylish, but it takes a bit of practice to have just the right twist, so I would advise it only for the truly advanced untucked guys.
Golf is a different matter, of course, and most clubs rigorously enforce the tucked-in rule along with the requirement of a collar on your shirt – hence the tucked-in polo is perfectly correct in this case. Of late, we are seeing so much more care taken to design well-fitting golf shirts. Those old, big, baggy knits are thankfully disappearing, as they look awful tucked in with such a surplus of fabric that is awkward to arrange in the waistband of any pant. A well-tailored knit in one of our modern knit fabrics gives ample movement for players, and coupled with a well-fitting pant, is a silhouette that works just as well off the golf course.
No matter your shape or age, looking well-fitted is so much more flattering. This should always be the goal for any well-dressed gent, whether you’re wearing your shirt tucked in or not.
