Visible T-shirt is acceptable workplace style

Q. Two co-workers were arguing today over T-shirt choices with an open button shirt. Since I wear a tie, they didn’t know my preference and asked me. I said that V-necks look too ’70s to me, and the idea that nothing shows implies you are not wearing a T-shirt. So I insisted the collar of the T-shirt should show. Was I right?

A. I wish there were a clear-cut rule to answer your question, but there isn’t because current fashion enters the picture.

Many, if not most, rules that apply to men’s dressing do not change from year to year. A lot of rules do not change from decade to decade. And some don’t even change from generation to generation. But a few do change with the swing of the fashion pendulum.

Occasionally, new styles enter the tricky realm of propriety. Awhile back, if a man wore a sport shirt or a business type-shirt open at the neck, his T-shirt was never exposed. Since it was considered to be underwear, it was a fashion nono. Today, exposing too much chest hair or too much bare chest is the no-no; now it’s a dated, Saturday Night Fever look that may appear foolish.

In recent years, wearing a visible crewneck T-shirt under an open-collar shirt has become an accepted style — a trend related to today’s more casual way of dressing. It is now OK and doesn’t look unprofessional. It looks “dress casual.” It is a “look,” a look that I rather like. It works with most types of open shirts, from Oxford cloths to plaid flannels. Nevertheless, it is a “style,” and one that not every man is comfortable with. If you feel the look is too juvenile, too casual, or too something else, do not wear it.

For those men who do not want their T-shirt to show under an unbuttoned shirt, a V-neck T-shirt is the answer. But the type of V-neck is important. Some of the newest ones have a very high V and, therefore, would show at the neck. The problem is that when they show, they look crooked. To sum it up: If you want the T-shirt to show, choose a crewneck. If you don’t want it to show, choose a V-neck that is not cut too high. Important note: When a T-shirt does not show and part of the chest is exposed, be careful not to open too many (more than two) buttons.

Between the two looks — that is, showing or not showing the T-shirt — showing it is the more casual look; not showing it is the dressier, more “club-dressing” look. Recently, a nonconventional men’s style has become popular. Many men are going tie-less with dress shirts discreetly open at the neck while wearing a suit (as opposed to the old accepted style of going tie-less only when wearing a sport jacket). This new trend makes your question especially timely. To further clarify: If you can see yourself dressed in the cool suit-and-no-tie look, do not allow your T-shirt to show.

On the other hand, it is crucial to remember that when your T-shirt is visible, it must be more than just clean. It must be spotless white, in pristine condition, and without a hint of a stretched-out neckband. Even though it is actually an undershirt, it must be treated as part of the outfit.

What you did not ask, but I feel compelled to mention, is the subject of when to buy new T-shirts and to discard old ones. No woman would be caught dead wearing ratty underwear (we were all brought up fearing that unplanned trip to the emergency room wearing unacceptable underwear). But men somehow seem compelled to hang onto their old, holey T-shirts well past their acceptable “expiration date.”