Do You Wear An Undershirt With A Tuxedo?

We all know how iconic and enduring the tuxedo is. The rules around wearing one can often be difficult to figure out, however. The question is, do you wear an undershirt with a tuxedo?

Though not common, it’s totally acceptable to wear an undershirt with a tuxedo. As long as it’s an appropriate color, style, and fit, it’s unlikely anybody will even notice. An undershirt will help keep you warm and prevent sweat and deodorant stains from appearing on your main tuxedo shirt. 

That’s the short answer, but there’s plenty more to it than that.

Let’s get into that now. 

How To Know Whether To Wear An Undershirt With A Tuxedo

You won’t find too many people wearing another layer beneath their tuxedo dress shirt because it’s not really necessary in most instances. 

Often, the additional shirt can cause you to feel restricted in your movements and overly warm. 

There are, however,  certain factors that may require you to decide to don an undershirt with your tuxedo – let’s explore those in more detail now. 

1. Temperature 

One of the main factors to keep in mind is temperature. Tuxedo dress shirts are thin and won’t keep you warm during a cold night. If you fancy adding an extra layer to your outfit, then wearing an undershirt is a great idea. 

A toasty undershirt will help keep you warm for the entirety of the event you wear it for. You won’t need to worry about shivering or trying to shelter from the cold too much thanks to your third layer. 

Before departing to your event, make sure you check the weather forecast and ask if it’s taking place inside or not. 

2. Choice Of Deodorant

Another reason why you may decide to wear an undershirt is because of deodorant stains. Tuxedo dress shirts are often delicate and expensive, so getting stains on them can cause you unwanted hassle and money. 

To remedy this problem, you may decide to wear an undershirt on this occasion. This will protect your tuxedo dress shirt and ensure any sweat stains are kept off your main outfit. 

Some deodorants leave fewer stains than others, so make sure you pick a subtle one suitable for your smart outfit. A thick, heavy deodorant is much more likely to leave stains than a lighter one. 

3. What Others Are Wearing

Nobody likes to feel left out at a social function. Before you decide to push the envelope and wear a tuxedo with an undershirt, ask other people if they are wearing one. 

If they say yes, due to a cold temperature and an outdoor setting, then you’ll be much more at ease wearing one rather than being the only one doing so. 

Asking what others are wearing will give you a feel of whether an undershirt is necessary or not. 

4 Tips For Wearing Undershirts With Tuxedos

If you’ve decided to take the leap and wear an additional undershirt with your tuxedo, it’s vital that you look as inconspicuous as possible doing so.

These tips will help see you through.

Check The Color

Perhaps the cardinal sin in this instance is wearing an undershirt with a bright, garish color. This will be visible through your dress shirt and ruin the aesthetic element of your outfit. 

Tuxedos are famously fashionable and suave, so don’t ruin this by wearing an undershirt that can be seen through your main shirt. It will defeat the purpose of wearing one altogether. 

Make sure you keep the color neutral so nobody will be able to tell you’re wearing a third layer. Whites and grays are your friends here because they’ll blend in a whole lot better than a green, red, purple, or orange. Black is another no-no as this will be highly visible. 

No Branding

Similarly, it’s essential that you go with an undershirt with no branding on it whatsoever. 

A prominent design or logo could, once again, be easily seen through your shirt and turn your tuxedo into a gaudy eyesore. 

For best results, go with an undershirt free from designs, patterns, and logos. 

Check The Fit 

You’ll most likely be wearing your tuxedo for several hours so it’s vital that all of your clothes are well-fitting and comfortable. 

If your undershirt is too baggy, it’ll stick out from under your dress shirt, making you look untidy. On the other hand, if your undershirt is too tight, then it’ll cause you problems with your movement and lead you to feel constricted. 

Make sure that your undershirt fits well and take as much time choosing one as you would for any other part of your tuxedo outfit. 

Never wear a tank top as an undershirt. This will completely defeat the purpose of keeping you protected from sweat as your armpits will be exposed. 

V-neck undershirts are the best option if you’re going to sport an open collar look. The lower neckline will hide your third layer from the view of others. 

Compliment The Other Items

You don’t want to wear an undershirt that clashes with your outfit. We’ve already covered color, design, and fit, but there’s another essential element you need to consider – the material. 

If the material is too thick, then it could possibly be seen through your dress shirt and clash with your outfit. This could be the case even if the shirt has no designs and is of neutral color. 

Furthermore, the wrong material could cause you massive discomfort. Therefore, it’s vital you pick the right undershirt and check it won’t clash with your appearance or affect your comfort. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some frequently asked questions on this subject to allay any concerns you may have. 

Can I Wear A Long-Sleeved Undershirt With My Tuxedo?

You can wear a tuxedo undershirt with long sleeves if you wish, but this isn’t the most desirable. If the sleeves of your undershirt are longer than those on your dress shirt, then they’ll poke out from the sides and be visible to others. 

This will make your elegant tuxedo outfit look slightly disheveled and messy. 

It’s most advisable to wear short sleeves. This will ensure that nothing pokes out from your arms and your armpits are still protected from perspiration. 

Will People Notice My Tuxedo Undershirt?

It’s unlikely people will notice your undershirt if you’ve followed the steps above in this article. 

If your shirt is an appropriate fit, color, length, and material, it will probably go entirely unnoticed during your event. However, it’s not the end of the world if somebody finds out. You may not even be the only one there who has done so. 

As long as your undershirt doesn’t clash with your outfit, it’s unlikely to raise any eyebrows from others. 

Conclusion 

It can definitely get complicated deciding what to wear with your tuxedo, and hopefully, this article has cleared things up for you. Remember to keep the color neutral, the neckline low, and avoid tank tops. 

So there you have it – everything you need to know about whether or not you need to wear an undershirt with your tuxedo.