The undershirt is worn in warm weather when you want to look more elegant than in a plain T-shirt. In this article I answer the question should guys wear undershirts under polos?
It is a good idea to wear an undershirt under your polo shirt to prevent sweat stains and odors from forming on your polo shirt. Under the polo shirt, the undershirt should have a V-neck to make it unnoticeable and should have padded underarms to absorb as much sweat as possible.
In this post you will find out everything you need to know about wearing a polo shirt. What type of undershirt is best, which materials to choose and how to wear an undershirt under a polo shirt.
Should guys wear undershirts under polos?
The undershirt is worn under a polo shirt for several reasons:
- Because they absorb sweat, they prevent sweat stains from forming on the polo shirt and the resulting odors,
- the undershirt wicks sweat away from the skin, thus ensuring that sweat does not accumulate on the skin and that we do not feel hot,
- even though we are wearing an extra layer of clothes, the undershirt keeps us cool and reduces perspiration,
- a compression undershirt shapes our body, so we look better in summer clothes.
A undershirt can boost self-esteem because it fits the body perfectly and gives us the feeling of a perfect physique. In addition, if we wear a good quality undershirt we know that sweat stains will not appear on our polo shirt.
Different types of undershirts to wear under polo shirt
There are several types of undershirts: tank tops, compression tops and short-sleeved undershirt. The undershirts also differ in the type of collar: crew and v-neck.
When wearing an undershirt under our clothes, we must make sure that it is not visible. By this I mean that the sleeves and collar are not visible under the polo shirt. It can also be the case that the undershirt is visible through the clothes, this is most common with white shirts where the sleeve hem is visible.
Under a polo shirt, it is best to wear a short-sleeved undershirt or a compression undershirt. I sweat a lot all over my body, so I prefer to wear an undershirt that absorbs sweat on my back, chest and underarms. Which is very important in hot and humid weather when I usually wear polo shirts. If you don’t sweat much under the underarms then you can also wear a tank top undershirt.
The color of the undershirt also plays an important role in the visibility of the undershirt through the clothing. Most undershirts come in white, grey or black, but the best color is the color of your skin. If you wear a white undershirt, the difference between the color of your skin and the color of your undershirt is too big and shadows are created, making the undershirt more visible.
Which undershirt material is best to wear under polo shirt?
The undershirt underneath the polo shirt should be made of comfortable and soft materials that absorb sweat and breathe well. The best undershirts are made of micro-modal, which has all these qualities and when you wear it you don’t even feel that you are wearing an extra piece of clothing.
The best materials for an undershirt under a polo shirt are micro-modal, rayon and cotton.
Micro-modal and rayon are the best materials for undershirts under polo shirt because:
- they are light and you don’t even feel that you are wearing them,
- they absorb sweat well and wick it away from the skin, so our clothes don’t get soak in sweat,
- they do not trap odors, so we don’t have to worry about smelling unpleasant despite the large amount of sweat,
- they are very breathable materials that keep us cool and therefore we start to sweat later,
- they dry quickly, so our skin and clothes stay dry for longer,
- these two materials have a silky soft feel when worn.
A cotton undershirt is not the best solution for hot and humid weather because it absorbs a lot of sweat (which is a good thing), but it gets soaked quickly and dries very slowly. Therefore, when a cotton undershirt gets wet it will stay that way for almost the whole day, especially in hot and humid weather when we sweat all day. As cotton is soaking wet, the sweat is transferred to the outer garment and the result is similar to not wearing the undershirt at all. If you sweat a lot you may notice a difference, but there will still be sweat stains under your armpits.
| Micro-modal/rayon | Cotton | |
| Breathability | Very breathable ✅ | Very breathable ✅ |
| Drying | Fast drying ✅ | Doesn’t dry fast ❌ |
| Absorbent material | Very absorbent – more than cotton ✅ | Absorbs sweat well, but not as much as micro-modal/rayon ❌ |
| Sweat-wicking material | Wicks sweat away from skin ✅ | Wicks sweat away from skin ✅ |
| Light and comfortable feeling | Very comfortable to wear, you don’t feel you are wearing it ✅ | Very comfortable to wear, but not like micro-modal/rayon ❌ |
| Odor resistance | Odour resistant ✅ | Odour resistant ✅ |
| Seasons suitability | Suitable for all seasons, especially for spring and summer. It works well in winter but does not provide the extra warmth as wool or cotton. ✅ | Suitable for all seasons. ✅ |
How to properly wear undershirt under polo shirt?
The undershirt is worn correctly under the polo shirt so that it is not noticeable that the undershirt is being worn underneath. The collar and the sleeves are the most important points of attention. When wearing a polo shirt, one or more buttons are unbuttoned, so wearing the undershirt with a crew collar is not an option. A deep V-neck undershirt is more appropriate.
Undershirts are more elastic and fit the body better than T-shirts, so you should not have any problems with the sleeves of the undershirt peeking out from underneath the polo shirt. However, if this happens, the sleeves of the undershirt can be easily rolled up to hide them.
The length is also very important when it comes to undershirts. The length of the undershirt should be long enough to stay tucked into the trousers all day. I suggest you read the simple guide on how to choose the right undershirt size.
Should guys wear undershirts under polos? – Conslusion
Guys should certainly wear an undershirt under a polo shirt, as this has many advantages:
- It absorbs extra sweat and prevents sweat stains and odors from forming on the polo shirt,
- the elasticity of the undershirt shapes our body and makes us look better,
- a polo shirt made of the right fabrics keeps us cooler and less sweaty.
There are three types of undershirt: tank top, compression and short-sleeved undershirt. If you don’t sweat much you can choose any of these. If you sweat a lot under your armpits, I recommend a compression or short-sleeved undershirt. A tank top will be sufficient to absorb the sweat on your back and chest. The best materials for a undershirt worn under a polo shirt are micro-modal and rayon.
When choosing an undershirt to wear under a polo shirt, it is very important to make sure that it is not noticeable when worn. Choose one that has a deep v-neck and is the right size to fit your body perfectly.