Keeping Your Shirt Tucked: 5 Simple Solutions

Unless you want to wear a leotard, the laws of physics state that your shirt will come untucked sometimes. When it does, you look less than put together — and you won’t impress prospective partners or clients.
Here are five solutions for keeping your shirt tucked without resorting to wearing onesies. 

1. The Military Tuck

You never see a member of the United States Marine Corps (USMC) looking anything less than crisp and polished. What’s the top-secret military 411 on maintaining a tidy appearance when in dress uniform?

You don’t want unsightly belly bulges to add to any padding at your waist, nor do you want pleats interrupting your sleek frontage. Start with a buttoned shirt and unbuttoned pants.

Gather the material at the seams, pulling it nearly taut across your belly. Then, fold it back neatly and hold it in place as you zip up your drawers. Voilá. Your front and side view no longer looks like you have a makeshift parachute around your waist.

Do your careful folds come undone when you twist and shout to crack your back? You don’t need much of a crafty knack to use a small piece of velcro tape to hold that pesky fold in place. Keep in mind that if you use glued-on versions, your secret will spill if you later go untucked. 

2. The Garter Method

If garters only make you salaciously visualize burlesque shows, you need to up your style game. These devices aren’t only for half-naked ladies and wedding rituals. They also work wonders for keeping your shirt tucked.

You have several style choices, so experiment and opt for the one that makes you most comfortable. Fortunately, you won’t have to shell out a ton of cash unless you go designer — why bother unless you plan an, er, interesting date night show? 

• The stirrup: As the name implies, you’ll feel like riding a pony all day — but your shirt will stay put. This version wraps around your foot and clips to your top’s bottom. 
• The sock-grabber: These come in both Y-shapes and straight arrows. They have an attachment at each end to snap your shirt to your socks — discreetly beneath your pants. 
• The leg lover: This model resembles a lady’s garter belt most — only instead of pulling stockings up, they tug your shirt downwards. They fit around your upper thigh. 

3. Clip-Ons Aren’t Only for Ties

 

Garters provide substantial security — but it can feel odd having straps running the length of your legs all day. While many men adapt with no problem, some sensitive souls might want something less cumbersome.

Remember when you couldn’t master a necktie knot and opted for a clip-on version? You can use the magic of similar metal gadgets to keep your shirt in place. A small piece of elastic with a clip on either end attaches your top to your underdrawers.

For the most stylish results, use this method in combination with the military tuck above. You’ll maintain a much slimmer-looking waistline. 

4. It’s Magnetizing 

Have you seen shirts with tiny magnets sewn into the seams? This addition wasn’t a design fluke. When your underwear also contains one, you have the ideal method for keeping your shirt tucked.

What if your favorite dress shirt didn’t come equipped with polarity? Employ a little DIY action. You can even use refrigerator magnets — no one will see them hidden inside your clothes. 

5. Designer Drawers

Some people argue that tucking your shirt into your underdrawers is hopelessly dorky. However, relatively few women slide dollars into men’s garters, either — it’s a bit of a toss-up which look wins the Nerd-of-the-Year award.

Enter specially designed underwear with cutouts where you can tuck in your shirt without the bottom edges developing wrinkles that no iron will touch. While these cost a bit more than your typical boxer-briefs, you can DIY these, too. Start as if you will sew a pocket with your pattern, but instead of affixing extra fabric, cut it out and reinforce the seam. 

Keep Your Shirt Tucked and Your Look Polished 

Keeping your shirt tucked matters to a polished appearance, but you do move throughout your day. Help your attire manage each transition while staying crisp with the five methods above.