The aesthetic difference between a shirt tucked into your pants and a worn out can be quite substantial. Even without changing the wardrobe in any way, it is possible to have a lot more class with this method. However, carelessly putting on your shirt can give the impression that you have a swollen belly. Don't settle - you have to give your all to look your best. Learn how and when to slip your shirt into your pants to start looking great right away.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Tucking the Shirt into the Pants in a Basic Way
Step 1. Pull the shirt as low as possible
To get started, put on your shirt and button it up. Grab the flaps and pull them down towards the floor. This way, you gather all the extra fabric at the bottom of the shirt and the fabric fits snugly to the chest, so you get a professional look.
Step 2. Put the pants on your shirt
If you haven't put them on yet, do so. Lift them up to the waist and tuck the bottom of the shirt inside them. Pull up the zipper and button them up. The bottom of the shirt should sit snugly against the waistband of the pants.
Step 3. Put on a belt
When tucking a shirt into your pants, it's almost always best to add this accessory, even if you don't need it to hold the garment up. When fastening the belt, align the buckle so that it sits in the center of the waist, just above the zipper.
Step 4. Pull the shirt out slightly
Grab the bottom side edges of the shirt and gently tug on them to give it a relaxed feel. Don't pull it too hard - you should leave about 3cm of fabric outside your pants. This way, the fall of the shirt is a little softer, so if you turn around or bend over, the flaps won't be pulled out of the pants.
It can be helpful to take care of this part in front of a mirror. If you accidentally pull too much fabric out of your pants, you risk being left with an additional, swollen section of fabric at the bottom of your shirt, which at times feels a little scruffy
Step 5. Line up the buttons of the shirt with the zipper of the pants
Finally, quickly review the entire final result. For a positive result, the line formed by the buttoned edge of the shirt should coincide with the line of the zipper of the pants. It's a pretty neat line; if on the one hand you don't always intend to devote time and effort to it to get a good result, it is essential for most professional combinations.
Since the belt buckle should be in the center of the body, the line should either intersect it or be in a fairly close position
Part 2 of 4: Tuck the Shirt into the Military Style Pants
Step 1. Slip the shirt into your pants as usual and unbutton them
For most formal or semi-formal occasions, tucking the shirt into your pants in a standard way is perfectly suited. However, if you can't avoid that annoying swollen part that often forms, fear not: the military method will do wonders. To get started, slip on your shirt as you normally would. Then, unbutton your pants. The fabric will need to be folded back on itself, so the pants need to have a slightly soft drop to give enough space to get the job done.
Step 2. Gather the fabric on the sides of the shirt with your hands
Bring your hands to the undersides of the shirt and use them to grasp the fabric closest to them. Pinch it between your index finger and thumb. Pull the fabric slightly away from your body until the shirt is snug against your chest.
Don't pull so hard that the shirt ends come out of the pants. It should remain tucked into your pants throughout the process
Step 3. Fold the fabric back on itself
Now, as you pinch the edges of the shirt between the sides of your thumbs and the fleshy part of your hand, push them forward. The fabric should fold in on itself, forming a new flap. Fold these flaps on the sides of the shirt. The fabric should now be taut and fully snug.
Step 4. Pull the shirt to make it snug and button the pants up
Finally, while keeping the shirt tight, button the pants again. If you have done this correctly, the shirt should look taut and smooth all over your midsection, with no swollen areas. Note that this method is unfortunately known to cause the shirt to leak, so you should practice the thumb movement needed to make it so you have a neat and tidy look.
Some prefer to keep their pants buttoned up while doing this method. In that case, you won't have a lot of work space, but you won't have to go to the trouble of keeping the shirt taut while the pants are loosened either
Part 3 of 4: Using the Method at the Right Time
Step 1. In general, slip dress shirts into your pants
While there are no absolute fashion rules, most formal shirts are designed to be worn this way. Therefore, if you want to have a flawless look, it is usually a good idea to tuck the shirt into your pants following one of the methods outlined above. There are numerous informal situations where you can definitely wear an unbuttoned, untucked shirt with a shirt underneath. However, it is difficult to look elegant with such an approach, while it is enough to tuck the shirt into the pants to obtain a clearly preferable result.
If a shirt goes over your hips, always tuck it into your pants. In these cases, the extra fabric can make the garment look more like a loose nightgown or dress, which is probably not the impression you want to make in most situations
Step 2. In general, do not tuck polo shirts and shirts into your pants
Just like dress shirts are meant to be tucked into pants, most polos and T-shirts require the opposite treatment. When fitted tightly, these designs should end exactly on the waistband or waist of the pants. You can tell by looking at the difference between the bottom of a polo shirt or shirt and that of a shirt. Polos and T-shirts have a flat bottom hem, while shirts feature long front and back flaps.
The exception to the rule is when you wear a particularly long t-shirt or polo shirt. In these cases, tucking in the additional fabric usually gives you a better effect. You can tuck in regular-length polo shirts and t-shirts too, but this can sometimes be overly tight
Step 3. Always tuck your shirt into your pants for formal occasions
When you wear a dress shirt, there are certain situations where it is always advisable to slip it into your pants. For example, avoiding doing so can be considered a breach of etiquette that borders on disrespect during many formal events or celebrations. Below you will find some examples of situations in which it is always convenient for you to tuck your shirt into your pants:
- Weddings.
- Degrees.
- Religious ceremonies.
- Funeral.
- Court citations.
Step 4. Slip your shirt into your pants for most business occasions
In the business world, certain situations almost always require you to tuck your shirt into your pants. Some of them are peculiar to certain jobs that require formal behavior, while others, such as professional interviews, are valid for practically everyone. Below you will find some examples of when to put your shirt in your pants:
- Job interviews.
- Meetings with new or important customers.
- Meetings with strangers.
- Major work events (layoffs, new hires, and so on).
- Note that for many professions, on normal working days it is necessary to tuck the shirt into the pants or even wear suits.
Step 5. Tuck the shirt into your pants for class events
It should be remembered that some events that are not particularly formal and not related to work may still require a shirt tucked into the pants. In these cases, if you don't, your behavior can be considered disrespectful, and more. In such situations, you need to look your best to look attractive or show that you take things seriously. Here are some ideas for when you should tuck your shirt into your pants:
- Visits to elegant clubs or restaurants.
- First dates.
- Serious parties, especially when you don't know many guests.
- Artistic performances and seated concerts.
Step 6. Don't tuck your shirt into your pants for casual moments
It is important to remember that you are not constantly forced to use this method. For example, if you are staying at home, going to a friend's house or dining at a casual restaurant, there is no point in tucking your shirt into your pants (and, in fact, even dressing up). Going out and other casual events where you won't be judged on your looks don't require this style, so unless you always want to look perfect, you can skip the procedure.
Part 4 of 4: Avoiding Small Accidents
Step 1. Don't tuck your shirt into your underwear
It is an innocent mistake that can lead to a humiliating situation, because the top edge of the briefs will protrude from the waistline of the pants. When you tuck your shirt into your underwear, any movement you make (such as bending over or turning around) that would normally cause the flaps to come out of your pants can cause your briefs to rise. If they rise excessively, this can be quite embarrassing.
However, some like to tuck their shirt into their underwear because it actually allows them to be pulled off easily. Opinions on this matter are mixed. For other people, this is the paradigm of fashion grossness
Step 2. Don't tuck the shirt into your pants without adding a belt
When going through the process, you should always use this accessory, even if you don't need it to keep pants on. Dress shirts are generally meant to be paired with belts, and look more professional when combined. If you are not wearing the accessory, the waistline can somehow seem bare and exposed, especially when you are wearing a shirt that contrasts greatly with the color of the pants.
If you really hate wearing the belt, there are alternatives. For example, the shoulder straps and side straps perform the same function to hold up the pants
Step 3. After tucking the shirt into your pants, do not take it off
Once you've made the decision to put it on, don't change your mind! Putting the shirt in the pants wrinkles the fabric at the bottom, because it collects on itself at the waist. After finishing, it is impossible to see such a result, because it is hidden by the pants. However, as soon as you take off your shirt, these creases become visible. They can be quite unsightly, especially when it comes to light-colored shirts, so don't move it.
Step 4. Do not tuck the shirt in half
If you have to do it, take care of it completely. Don't stop halfway. Tucking the shirt completely on the back, but intentionally leaving one of the front flaps out, usually doesn't make you look "pleasantly scruffy" or "rebellious and offbeat". Instead, it generally looks like you've forgotten to carefully tuck your shirt on or are trying to get attention. Unless you're a teenager who's going to be skating on a skateboard in the park or actually want to get noticed even if you risk looking uncluttered, stay away from this method.
