Leather jacket length and untucked shirts..

[Monitor]

It can look sloppy, of course, but some shirts are made to be worn untucked and if it's short and neat, it can be a very cool look. Okay, sure I do notice the horribly wrinkled shirt bottom hanging out under a jacket to ones knees...

 

[gtdean48]

No one looks good in the clothes they were wearing 20 years ago. ...

Been wearing Wranglers & Ropers for well over 20 years & don't intend to stop in the next 20 or more...

 

[GregO]

Ah, generalities. Love it.

The last thing I'll be doing is tucking in my henley under my black (or brown) racer, either on or off the bike. Sometimes I tuck, sometimes I don't. Depends on the shirt, the pants, the shoes, the destination and my mood. In my humble opinion, if one says you must always tuck, or says you must never tuck, its rediculous, and a style disaster waiting to happen.

 

[frussell]

I only tuck my shirt in if I'm going western. Riding a horse in an untucked shirt can be uncomfortable, as a long shirt tail sometimes gets sat on, making it harder to move. Plus, if I'm untucked, who's gonna see my cool hand-tooled (by me) belts, or my vintage buckles? Certainly not me, unless I look in the mirror. I grew a nice gut many years ago to keep myself from being blinded by my shiny belt buckles. Otherwise, I wear a lot of Dickies and other brand work shirts that have squared-off bottoms and are made to be worn untucked. I like to have freedom of movement. My most worn leather jacket is a Teamster, so it's long enough where I don't have much shirt hanging out. Wear what you're comfortable in. Frank.

 

[trapp]

Ah, generalities. Love it.

The last thing I'll be doing is tucking in my henley under my black (or brown) racer, either on or off the bike. Sometimes I tuck, sometimes I don't. Depends on the shirt, the pants, the shoes, the destination and my mood. In my humble opinion, if one says you must always tuck, or says you must never tuck, its rediculous, and a style disaster waiting to happen.

Right here with you.

It's a poor reference point to assume going untucked means a giant shirt-tail hanging down and covering the entire arse. Sure, you can dig up a photo of someone who looks like Lebowski in a leather jacket and conclude "see, everyone always needs to tuck." In reality, it's quite easy to achieve a neat look with an untucked shirt. It simply involves finding shirts that both fit well (for most guys this is a lot easier than finding jackets that fit well) and that end an inch or two below the belt with a squared off hem or subtle curve. One can find button downs, henleys, polos, or Ts that look neat untucked. Under a zipped jacket with a 25" length you might not even see the shirt, or see just an inch of the shirt - this to me looks fine. Unzip the jacket and it still looks fine. A snug sweater or layer that extends a bit beyond the jacket - looks fine.

Personally, I tend to tuck with everything except jeans. All my pants, denim or otherwise, have classic / high rises.

 

[nick123]

So for the past few days I've started wearing my jackets with my shirts tucked in (including jeans-nothing high waisted, though I think I have naturally high hips). I'm 24, in California (untucked shirt capital of the world), so it's a step off of a cliff to start tucking in, so there was/is still some lingering apprehension.

Some thoughts, standing in front of the mirror.

-MUCH cleaner look. It allows the jacket to be the focal point of your attire.
-Tucking in doesn't generate the "dorky" look I had in mind. Kind of the opposite. It actually looks pretty good. It adds a minute level of maturity/intelligence to my overall demeanor (hard to explain).
-Most importantly, I've realized I can now wear jackets with much shorter (up to 2 inches) lengths. Meaning the door to standard sizes (I'm tall) has opened, if I can learn to settle with shorter sleeves.

Probably what tuckers knew all along, but it's a bit of a revelation for me! Might end up saving me money avoiding going custom.

I still appreciate both sides of the coin.

 

[nick123]

Side note-wearing my shirts tucked in with jeans, cotton jacket, and a flannel kind of gives me a hair of 1970s Western look.I like it. Think Robert Duvall in the film "Tender Mercies". (Pretend the hat isn't there in the pic, also I couldn't find a full-shot. I'm 99% sure he tucked in in the film):

 

[Cyber Lip]

I think that's the problem right there!
It's not so much 'should I tuck a shirt or not with a leather jacket', but more 'tuck or not to tuck with jeans'. I never tuck with jeans, unless I am wearing wearing a jacket. But tucking with jeans can be dangerously uncool territory.

As a rule I never tuck with jeans, but conversely, I would never go untucked with chinos, or slacks

 

[Big J]

I agree with many of the comments above.

Avoiding generalities is impossible when writing relatively short comments.

As Lip says, always tuck with chinos and slacks, but jeans, not jackets, are the problem. I'm 42 years old, and most of my friends, wife's friends, and all of our associates are kind of around the same age, so whilst I might be ok doing my grungy shirt tails out of jeans thing when popping to the store, I don't want these people to see me and think I'm a bum. As I said before, now that I'm not in my 20's, I always tuck with jeans, and I agree with Nick that it is a more grown up look- more mature (and as Nick points out, 'mature' doesn't have to mean 'uncool'). It also looks less like I'm desperately trying to cling to my 20's by 'proving' I'm somekind of 'rebel' or something. After all, 20 year olds now don't dress the way I did when I was 20, so who am I kidding that I'm 'cool' with my 'devil-may-care, shirt tails out attitude'?

It does make the jacket look smarter, and make the jacket the focus.

But with jeans, I still worry that when I take the jacket off, and my flannel shirt is tucked in, that I look like my dad. I guess I just have to learn to be comfortable with middle-age.

 

[nick123]

I agree with many of the comments above.

Avoiding generalities is impossible when writing relatively short comments.

As Lip says, always tuck with chinos and slacks, but jeans, not jackets, are the problem. I'm 42 years old, and most of my friends, wife's friends, and all of our associates are kind of around the same age, so whilst I might be ok doing my grungy shirt tails out of jeans thing when popping to the store, I don't want these people to see me and think I'm a bum. As I said before, now that I'm not in my 20's, I always tuck with jeans, and I agree with Nick that it is a more grown up look- more mature (and as Nick points out, 'mature' doesn't have to mean 'uncool'). It also looks less like I'm desperately trying to cling to my 20's by 'proving' I'm somekind of 'rebel' or something. After all, 20 year olds now don't dress the way I did when I was 20, so who am I kidding that I'm 'cool' with my 'devil-may-care, shirt tails out attitude'?

It does make the jacket look smarter, and make the jacket the focus.

But with jeans, I still worry that when I take the jacket off, and my flannel shirt is tucked in, that I look like my dad. I guess I just have to learn to be comfortable with middle-age.

I just untuck the shirt right after taking the jacket off, as close to simultaneously as possible. lol

 

[Superfluous]

It also looks less like I'm desperately trying to cling to my 20's by 'proving' I'm somekind of 'rebel' or something.

Why can't it simply be a matter of what feels most comfortable, without any desire to relive one's youth or project an image of rebellion?

As I said on October 12:

Live and let live. If some feel more comfortable with their shirt untucked, there is no need to suggest that they are trying to relive their youth, nor that maturity will likely change their ways. There are plenty of well-adjusted 40-50 something guys who, for any number of reasons, elect to untuck their shirts.

I, for one, have no desire to relive my youth, nor to "cling to my 20s," nor to be a "rebel." Rather, when I leave the office and have down time, I seek to be as comfortable as possible. For me, an untucked shirt is considerably more comfortable than a tucked shirt (e.g., freedom of movement). Its that simple. I deal with company officers and directors all day long and, for that purpose, my shirts are always tucking in during work hours. After work, I exhale and relax.

Ironically, I am the first to ridicule much of the ridiculous clothing donned by teenagers. However, the untucked shirt is an infinitesimal component of teenage/rebellious dress, and wearing one's shirt untucked falls a country mile short of projecting youthful/rebellious style. No one is going to look at someone with an untucked shirt, who is otherwise reasonably well dressed, and think: "What a rebel!"

Frankly, I suspect some of the leather jackets discussed on this forum project a far more rebellious image as compared to an untucked shirt (e.g., a J-100 or D Pocket). In fact, I would be willing to bet money that, if you put a 50 year old man in a D Pocket with a tucked shirt next to a 50 year old man wearing a car coat with an untucked shirt, the majority of people would say that the D Pocket with a tucked shirt projects greater rebellion and looks more youthful.

I suspect there are regional components that also meaningfully impact the analysis. I live in a particularly casual part of the US. Moreover, many of my clients are in the entertainment industry, where casual dress is the norm, and many of the executives of my clients dress much more casual than I. Thus, wearing one's shirt untucked in my region is the standard operating procedure for a huge segment of the population, and is not associated with immaturity, nor rebellion, nor a need to relive one's youth.

Interestingly, in the above thread, those who elect to wear their shirts untucked with jeans are not posting negative references about those who tuck in their shirts. To the contrary, the majority of those who wear their shirts untucked have politely and respectfully posted their preference, without commenting negatively about those who proceed otherwise. Perhaps this is consistent with the more casual, live and let live approach espoused by many who wear their shirts untucked with jeans. Hmmmmmm.

 

[handymike]

I honestly only tuck in shirts for the photos I post around here, but I might start doing it once in awhile to mix things up.

 

[Monitor]

Both can look good or bad... Some people can pull off either, some plain can't.

 

[Grayland]

I grew up wearing my button-up shirts tucked in and everyone I knew did the same. I'm 50 now and still tuck most of the time as do most men I know of the same age. I often work around the house and do yard work in flannel shirts that I leave untucked. I will admit that untucked is a heckuva lot more comfortable to me. I would wear untucked much more often if the length of my shirts suited me better. Most casual button up shirts are meant to fit a wide range of heights, up to about 6'2. I'm 5'9 and the shirt tails can often cover the bottom of my back pockets on my pants. That length makes me feel a little self-conscious, so I usually tuck. I also feel that the length of the jacket can affect the look of of an untucked shirt. I don't mind the look with longer jackets even if the shirt tail sticks out a bit. I don't care for the way an untucked shirt looks when worn under a short half-belt or A-2. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Big J]

'Why can't it simply be a matter of what feels most comfortable?'

Because I have to worry about what other people think of me, because I care about the effect that has on my work, my wife's business, our income, our access to the good things in life that we get from having connections, and introductions.

'I, for one, have no desire to relive my youth, nor to "cling to my 20s," nor to be a "rebel."'

Neither do I, but that's not enough. For the reasons I mentioned above, I have to make sure that others know it too.

'Interestingly, in the above thread, those who elect to wear their shirts untucked with jeans are not posting negative references about those who tuck in their shirts. To the contrary, the majority of those who wear their shirts untucked have politely and respectfully posted their preference, without commenting negatively about those who proceed otherwise. Perhaps this is consistent with the more casual, live and let live approach espoused by many who wear their shirts untucked with jeans.'

Maybe, or perhaps the kind of people who are too lazy to tuck their shirts in, and don't care enough about how bad they look to others, are just too lazy, and don't care enough, to put up a strong case for their point of view? Maybe untucked shirts really are indicative of a lazy slob who doesn't care how bad he looks to others, because he will never value their opinions, because he's like some kind of a rebel in his own mind?

Just a counter-point.

 

[trapp]

Those all sound like excellent reasons for you to tuck in your shirt. If those are your worries and concerns, then it's the right move for you. Not always for me.

I don't remember reading anyone who doesn't tuck stating that the reason is they are too 'lazy'.

I second the observation above that those who always tuck are coming off a bit more didactic, intolerant, and generally emotionally invested in the tuck / untuck conversation, the importance of which is trivial at best.

 

[handymike]

How about a poll?

I actually like the point about the length of the shirt. If my t shirts were slightly shorter they would look "neater".

 

[IXL]

So, yesterday I grabbed my wife's 250cc scooter, donned a brown horsehide D-pocket, and rode to one of Oklahoma's Route 66 "must visit" travel stops. I'm 53 and don't remember if my shirt was tucked in or not: I'm so confused on how I should be dressing...........and whether riding a scooter should affect these choices......

 

[Superfluous]

'Why can't it simply be a matter of what feels most comfortable?'

Because I have to worry about what other people think of me, because I care about the effect that has on my work, my wife's business, our income, our access to the good things in life that we get from having connections, and introductions.

I get that . . . when at work. Hence the reason why I wear my shirts tucked when working. On the other hand, I cannot and do not worry about what people think of me outside of work hours/pursuits. Are you genuinely concerned that your, or your wife’s, business/employment/income might be negatively affected if a client or co-worker happened to see you walking down the street on a Saturday night with your shirt untucked? I have run into many clients and co-workers outside of the office, with my shirt untucked, without any negative repercussions – to the contrary, they too usually have their shirts untucked outside of the office. Perhaps it is different in Japan and elsewhere. As I said before, there are clearly regional components to this analysis.

Maybe, or perhaps the kind of people who are too lazy to tuck their shirts in, and don't care enough about how bad they look to others, are just too lazy, and don't care enough, to put up a strong case for their point of view? Maybe untucked shirts really are indicative of a lazy slob who doesn't care how bad he looks to others, because he will never value their opinions, because he's like some kind of a rebel in his own mind?

Yet another pejorative and disrespectful statement about people who elect not to tuck in shirts with jeans. Now, we are not only trying to relive our youth, and seeking to project a rebellious image, but we are also “lazy slobs who [don’t] care how [we] look.” Why do you feel the need to be so overtly hostile and demeaning simply because someone elects not to tuck in their shirt? Are you really that insecure that you need to disparage others in order to exalt yourself? Tucking in your shirt for business purposes will not overcome the negative consequences of your palpable insecurity, coupled with your disrespectful demeanor. Consider focusing less on how you look/dress, and more on your conduct and interpersonal skills.

"Just a counter-point."

I second the observation above that those who always tuck are coming off a bit more didactic, intolerant, and generally emotionally invested in the tuck / untuck conversation, the importance of which is trivial at best.

Well said.

 

[Superfluous]

Ps: I am must go to the office now -- shirt firmly tucked in.