There are two types of men in this world: those who wear undershirts and those who don’t. I have been both.
As a youth, I never understood the need to wear one shirt underneath another shirt. Seemed silly. Too many layers. Too hot. And too much laundry.
My dad always wore an undershirt. White. Crew neck. And 100% cotton. He should have been featured in a Fruit of the Loom commercial. The weather or the outerwear of the day didn’t matter. Dad wore an undershirt. Always. We once had a conversation about long john underwear, and he stated how, once you start wearing them, you feel naked without them. He must have applied that same logic — and to an even greater degree — with undershirts.
As a young adult, I began to understand the undershirt code. It could have been a rite of manhood, or something like that. For me, it began when I started regularly wearing button-down dress shirts and had a desire to have a layer between me and that costly shirt. I rationalized that I could have armpit stains in my undershirt, but I didn’t want them on my dress shirts. That extra layer helps avoid the transparency issue that happens with some shirts, too.
Apparently, there are other reasons to wear an undershirt, too. The Tommy John website says you should do so because they absorb sweat, they protect your dress shirts, they keep you warm in winter, they hide body hair, they provide support, they help with body odor, they can be stylish, they are comfortable, they are easy to care for, and they are affordable. Fair enough.
My mother had a fascination with bleach, and our undershirts were soaked in it. If a white piece of laundry was being washed, bleach was used. It kept the whites white, she said. And our undershirts needed all the brightening they could get.
So, I wear undershirts, and I use bleach. When my white undershirts begin to turn a shade of grey, I buy a package or two of new ones. For some odd reason, I really look forward to those purchases.
I realize I am in the minority with this undershirt obsession, but I am not alone. Studies show that about 30% of men in the United States wear undershirts regularly to “enhance comfort” and “maintain a polished appearance.” Or, more than likely, because their dad wore them.
Have a great week, and thanks for reading.
Shane Goodman
President and Publisher
Big Green Umbrella Media
shane@dmcityview.com
515-953-4822, ext. 305 | 
