How Can You Keep Shirts Tucked Neatly?

121 Comments

1. I sometimes tuck into my undies – not in the typical way, but I go down around the underwear on the outside and tuck “up” into it (to avoid the embarrassment of someone seeing my shirt tucked into my underwear if I bend over).

   1. What a great idea!! I always tuck my first right into my undies, but then I’m worried that this might be revealed when bending over. I’ll have to try it! I’ve also found that in the winter, tucking shirts into my tights works quite well because they have an even strong elasticity.

      http://cubiclechicblog.com

   2. Anyone think about safety pins??? I used to pin the sides of my shirt to my slip under my skirt. I would wear my shirt over the slip and pin them on each side. works well, and no issues in the bathroom.

   3. Try the Shirt Lock works great look it up

2. I would have to be in a pretty desperate place before I would start wearing shirt garters, lol! Am not much of a tucker though, can see how it would grate on your nerves. Maybe under a slip, if wearing a skirt? Though I feel like you’d run the danger of having the slip show, far worse than coming untucked.

   (Am actually laughing remembering a conversation in law school when we realized that you could tell the conservatives from the liberals by their tuck status – the (admittedly few) conversatives were all tuckers)

3. I do not tuck in my shirt anymore because I’ve come to realize that it just doesn’t look good on me. I have a short torso and wearing shirts tucked in does not make me look proportionate.

   Back in the days when I used to tuck, I would tuck in my shirt into my pantyhose, assuming I was wearing a skirt that day.

   1. ditto — short torso = no tuck for me.

      The only time I tuck a shirt is is if it sticks out under a suit jacket. Other than that, I live in a no tuck zone.

   2. same here! I have a very short torso and it took me a long time to figure out that is why tucking looked so weird on me. Plus, I find it annoying to retuck everything everytime I go to the bathroom (or sit down and stand up for that matter). That being said I do tuck some shirts in when I wear a suit or sometimes with a longer cardigan because that distracts from the short torso thing. But I find it annoying.

   3. Agree — Tucked in shirts make me look tubby/totally disproportionate.

      1. Short waisted hourglass here – tucking makes me look “all boobs”.

         So I pick shaped/fitted shirts and no more tucking!

         For blouises, I pick wraps/faux wraps/ fitted ones and make sure they hit no longer than hipbone. Otherwise I get them shorted by the seamstress.

         I cannot remember the last time I tucked! I do manage to look neat and professional, which is the key thing.

         1. AN (and other short-waisted hourglasses), have you found any petite brands that work for you? I’ve been experimenting with that — have found that it’s hard to find a petite sized blouse that also accommodates the bosom.

            1. I’m 5″4 so not sure if that’s petite or not?

               I buy dress shirts from Alain Figaret. I don’t live in the USA but am sure they have stores there. Pricey – but they will last forever and the fabric (I love their cotton sateen ones) & great cut make each $ worth it.

               Also try BB fitted shirts – they have worked for me. No need for alterations for these 2 brands so far…except that I get metal snaps put in between the top few buttons to prevent ‘gaping boob syndrome’.

               RL oxford shirts have also worked for casual days. They carried a slightly puffy short sleeved slimfit variation this year that I loved.

               Hope these help!! Above are for shirts…but for blouses, pretty much anything that is a faux wrap, cowl neck, v neck etc works for me. I size up and get it altered if needed.

4. I tuck directly into my stockings. It has the additional benefit of keeping a smoother line under my skirts.

   1. I do this too! One of the few redeeming features of wearing stockings. I wear control top nylons every time I wear skirts – the advantages of being able to tuck in shirts without having visible bunches and not getting the dreaded, inner leg chafing far outweigh the additional heat for me.

5. I’ve worn enough leotards in my life. Now I just buy “long” sizes if it’s something I need to tuck in.

6. Men’s shirt garters are hilarious. Just read about them yesterday in the Washington Post.

   http://www.shirtgartersinc.com/

   1. My husband wears them! I call them his “sock garters,” but he insists the term is “shirt stays.” Either way, I think they are required (or at least strongly recommended) by his branch of the military. I laugh at his garters, but he retaliates by laughing at my Spanx.

      1. Lmao. My husband is also in the military and I remember the first time I saw his shirt stays… They look absolutely ridiculous when you see them on him but they do keep his shirt neatly tucked in and wrinkle free…

         1. My husband is in the military and wears shirt stays, too! That’s why they always look so put-together in their uniforms. I remember thinking what a novel concept the shirt stay was when I first learned about it. I’ve often thought whether there was a female equivalent…

            1. I was in ROTC in college and the shirt stays weren’t just for the guys! We women used the same things to try to keep everthing put together. Not a very easy task when the very nature of being female past puberty means breasts and uniforms attempt to make everything smooth.

               The first time I tried to wear shirt stays my roommate came home just as I was getting dressed. She laughed for hours.

            2. My boyfriend wears them too — he is not military but a former cop. The first time he got dressed at my house in the morning, he was like, okay, don’t laugh . . .

               So funny, but they do work!

7. I’m not a tucker (and happen to be conservative) because my shirts either don’t stay tucked or do the “blouse” above the waistband. Ew. Maybe if I had a smaller waist and/or wore higher-waist pants?

   So I just do the sweater or vest with shirt-tails peeking out under my suits, which irritates my mother to no end but as long as the “tails” aren’t too long, it doesn’t look unpolished to me.

   1. Small waist here and my shirt always untucks or blouses too. It’s inevitable!

8. Ditto corporate tool. And I’ve been known to use my underpants when I’m not wearing stockings.

   As a fairly short woman with a small waist but pretty wide hips, I have to tuck most non-petite blouses or tees, as they come down too far and make me look waistless.

   1. Interesting – I’m also a short woman with a small waist and wide hips, and I just don’t buy anything that needs to be tucked in. Tucking is the fastest way to make my hips look like they need their own zip code!

9. In my personal opinion, a cami under a blouse helps keep it tucked in. Something about the friction I guess.

   I also think you have to buy the shirts you want to wear tucked with that purpose in mind. I have a few button-down blouses that can only be worn untucked because of their styling. When I buy blouses for court, I specifically check their length and, if needed, size up to ensure enough tail to tuck.

10. I have no problem tucking into suit skirts, which are usually more highwaisted, so I usually save my button-downs for those. I have no idea how to get them to stay in when wearing pants, although I agree with others that wearing them with a cami underneath does help a little.

11. I’m a tucker. I’m tall with a long torso and don’t like pants much. I wear my skirts at my natural waist to balance everything out, and have never had much of a problem tucking in tops. This is with skirts only, though, and I find that I usually have enough room with blouses and tops so that they have plenty of room to not escape. I’m no help when it comes to pants, I only have one pair of “professional” slacks that are gathering dust in the back of my closet…

12. I look terrible when I’m wearing a button-down shirt that’s not tucked. I think it’s because: (1) I look young anyway, so if i’m not ultra-put-together I tend to look a bit like a sloppy teenager; and (2) with my body shape/size, even fitted and properly-sized shirts float away from my waist/hips a bit too much and look a little sloppier than I would like. Beyond that, I’m petite, but not super-short, so I have a couple of petite shirts that fit perfectly in the chest/shoulders, but are just a tad too short to reliably stay tucked in.

    The solution you described sounds perfect, I imagine something like mitten clips might work. Or maybe upside-down, infant-sized suspenders? I just searched for “mitten clips” in amazon and there were a couple of results that look promising.

13. What I do is that I wear some spanx (I use assets by AT LOFT). they are usually low rise so I can tuck the shirts in them and 1) they keep the shirt from peaking out, and 2) they prevent the little bulging of extra fabric
    I hope that helps

14. When I wear a skirt with the shirt tucked in, I wear the biker short style “Asset” brand shapeware from Target (they’re faux Spanx) and tuck my shirts into the shorts. They come in nude and black–I wear the black with black skirts and nude with everything else. This has the side benefit of also providing a smoother line under my skirt than I can get if I just tuck my shirt into the skirt.

    This will defeat one of the best benefits of wearing a skirt in the summer—so much cooler than wearing pants–but it also takes care of the problem.

15. I don’t really tuck often, but when I do I gather my shirt toward the back, and then make 2 half-pleats with it along the back waistband of my pants. It has the effect of making the shirt look more fitted than it is.

    However, as with many of the posters above, I go untucked if at all possible.

16. I can only do the “tuck” if I either a) wear spanx that day or b) wear nylons/tights/panty hose. So that leaves me to only tuck shirts in with skirts or some times I need a place to tuck camisoles in. Since I have a fairly large chest, I have to wear camisoles under EVERYTHING; including button downs sometimes so I don’t get the dreaded gapping.

    Us women have to put up with so much crap!

    p.s. I used to rock the body suit in middle school!! :) What a great invention!

17. I am a tucker. If you have a big spread in your waist to hip ratio, you will undoubtedly look thinner if you tuck your shirt in. Leaving it untucked hides your waist and creates an artificial food baby in my profile and makes my waist look as wide as my hips when looking at me straight on. Not good at all.

    Something I’ve tried is fashion tape, either sticking the shirt to my pants or underwear…but this usually gets ruined about halfway through the day. Maybe one of those invisible belts they sell at Ricky’s would work?
    http://www.amazon.com/Unknown-Invisibelt-Clear-Belt/dp/B001KWALPG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=shoes&qid=1271960280&sr=8-1

    1. artificial food baby. that’s a great phrase.

    2. This. I have a small waist and large hips, and I’ve noticed how much better my figure looks with a tucked shirt. I tuck whenever I think it’s going to look polished (am tucking today, actually) but that’s not often because I don’t know how to solve the coming untucked problem. I’ll try some of these ideas, though.

18. Tucker here. I can’t believe that so many of you don’t tuck! I always thought that an untucked top looked unprofessional, but clearly I missed the boat on that one…

    I think if your clothes fit properly, you shouldn’t have an issue keeping the tuck, well, tucked. It’s fair to say that if a shirt is too short or pants too low, they shouldn’t be worn to the office anyway.

    Kudos to those of you who date to tuck into your nylons or underpants…thats certainly one take on it :)

    1. I agree that untucked looks less unprofessional, but I just don’t look good with a tucked shirt, so, I have given up on button down shirts and just wear knits or a shell underneath a jacket. A tucked shirt looks fabulous for those who can pull it off.

       1. Sorry, I meant less professional, not less unprofessional.

       2. This is exactly what I do, too. I just don’t buy shirts with buttons anymore.

          1. I too think untucked looks less professional. Every couple of years or so I buy a shirt with buttons and try to tuck because I like the look. The problem is that I can never acheive the look. The blouse, even if well tailored, always bunches up when I sit down and I am adjusting it all day. I only wear knits and shells.

             1. I just realized that I subconsciously thought untucked is less professional… I am job seeking, and when I really want to impress I go with the button-down, tucked, white blouse for interviews. When I am not so excited about the position, I wear a shell!

    2. I’m tall with a short torso, but I’ve got an hourglass figure, so untucked shirts have to be very long, or I look like I go straight from boobs to legs. I actually have a couple of the VS bodysuit buttondowns, and they’re fabulous. My one gripe is about the buttons on the shirts – they’re plastic, which is fine, but my blue button down has black plastic buttons…. not my favorite. Tucking into pants with a bodysuit is risky though, unless you have high rise pants or wear a belt – they can still ride up, and then you end up with the thong part of the bodysuit sticking out the back of your pants. Speaking of pants, does anybody know a place that makes suit pants in reasonable lengths? I love Theory suits, but their pants are nowhere near long enough to wear heels with, even if I let the hem out as far as I can (I wear a 33″ inseam in flats).

19. I am a huge tucker (and a liberal). I freely admit that I always tuck into my underwear. I’m not sure why so many are avoiding it . . . what is wrong with it? I find it to be pretty comfortable, and it leaves me with no lines. I don’t get the balloon effect mentioned above, probably because most of the shirts I am tucking in are form fitting (like a tight-ish camisole or work-appropriate t-shirt or sweater). I am thin but muscular, so most shirts make me look much bigger than I am without a tuck. That said, some shirts (like the one I am wearing today) are just not designed to be tucked in, so I roll with it when that is the case. But button downs, camisoles and longer t-shirts inevitably find their way into my underwear. Thongs work better than bikinis or briefs, because the band is higher/tighter. My husband thinks it’s a riot.

    1. I love the tucked look ( I have a long torso) but fear tucking into underwear/stockings because the one time I did it my stockings ended up showing in the back.

20. I’d also like to add that mitten clips or the like seem to me like they would add unwanted bulk and bumps. And if you are wearing underwear with the leotard, don’t you have the same pantyline issue as tucking into underwear?

21. This might be more hassle than it’s worth for some, but…for any pairs of pants/skirts which really need to have the shirt tucked in, I sew a couple little snaps into the lining and the side-seams. Then I sew snaps on the matching locations of any shirts which need to be tucked in. It won’t hold against vigorous movement, but normal running-around-the-office and sitting down don’t dislodge the shirt. You can get packs of plastic snaps for very little at any crafting store.

    1. I had a roommate that would sew the same type of clips that garter belts use into the lining of her suit skirts. I never tried it because I look like I’m all chest when I’m tucked, but she swore by it.

       I would guess it would take some trial and error – I may experiment with a cheap skirt or pair of pants – to make sure that everything is in the right place.

       1. I’m trying this one as well!

    2. Genius! I am going to try this!

22. For all you pear/triangle/bigger on bottom shaped ladies, I thought this article on how to dress our shape to be very, very informative (no affiliation with this site, I swear!)

    http://youlookfab.com/2010/04/22/how-to-dress-the-pretty-pear-body-type-2010/

    1. thanks for this site – I do most of these, so it was good to get the confirmation, and also picked up a few tips. (still don’t think I can do the skinny jeans/pants look though!)

       for the record, I’m not a tucker. I usually wear knit tops/cardigan sets, so I rarely have on anything that needs tucking.

       1. I tuck knit tops. I have ginormous hips, but a flat stomach and biggish boobs, so tucking makes me look more hourglass. I think. Untucked just makes me look sloppy, although I love the shirt-tails look on others.

    2. thanks for this site on body shape – I do most of these, so it was good to get the confirmation, and also picked up a few tips. (still don’t think I can do the skinny jeans/pants look though!)

       for the record, I’m not a tucker. I usually wear knit tops/cardigan sets, so I rarely have on anything that needs tucking.

       1. SORRY about double-post – it looked like the first one failed!

    3. Here is a post from the same site entitled “To Tuck or Not to Tuck.”

       http://youlookfab.com/2009/08/26/to-tuck-or-not-to-tuck/

23. No advice on tucking, sorry — it looks terrible on me.

    I just bought this dress from Talbots, my first purchase from this store ever. I think it’s gorgeous, and the neckline suits me because I’m quite small chested. Has anyone bought this yet? It’s only available online.

    http://www1.talbots.com/online/browse/product_details.jsp?id=prdi24558&rootCategory=cat70008&catId=cat80018&sortKey=Default&section=Regular&conceptIdUnderSale=cat70008

    1. Love that dress…I’m not sure I could decide among the green, pink or blue! That said, what in the heck is “mercerized cotton?”

       1. I have absolutely no idea but I will let you know once I get it! When I click on the large picture, it almost looks like jersey material.

          I love the blue, but I chickened out and got the black. I don’t have a good black work dress and thought this might be a good one to try out.

       2. Talbot’s mercerized cotton is very very pretty — it’s got a sheen to it. It’s like t-shirt material, but finer, more glossy (but not shiny), and with more body. Let us know what the dress is like!

       3. Apparently it’s a process to make the cotton look more lustrous: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercerized_cotton

          that being said, I still have no idea what the weight of that fabric is going to be. Pretty dress, though. Let us know if the fabric works for work.

          1. It’s lovely cotton – softer and with a lustre. T shirts in mercerized cotton look amazing (very polished), so your dress should be great too.

    2. I have noticed this dress too. Would love to get it (though am somewhat chesty and your comment made me think that maybe the neckline would not suit me) . . . Anyway, my hesitation was over the fabric too. When you get the dress, can you please follow up & let us know if it’s substantial enough for work of more of a t-shirt thin material? Thanks!!

       1. Sure, will do. Re: chest size and the neckline, my sense is that people who are large chested tend not to like the boat neck style because it gives them “uniboob”. But, I have no idea, as I’m a very small B cup size.

          I also like the neckline because boat necks generally help balance out larger hips.

    3. What a pretty dress! And for less than $100.00? Fabulous! That could go as is, with a cardigan, with a blaze, a belt, etc etc. Love it.

       1. Love the dress and can’t believe it’s only $69 (I clicked on the link fully expecting a dress in the 300-400 dollar range). I would love it in pink, but although I am petite, I have a pretty big chest – perhaps that’s not a good style for me?

          Also, haven’t bought anything from Talbots in ages, how is the sizing? I think I remember someone here saying it runs big like Ann Taylor?

          1. My sense from others on this site is that Talbots sizing is generous. I am normally a size S/size 4 in most dresses and I ordered the XS in this dress. I’m hoping it works out.

    4. Talk about disappointed! I bought FOUR of these dresses (sizes medium and large each in the blue and green, with the idea of keeping both colors in the best size) and didn’t get past the medium. I’m a 10/12 and it fit…properly…but just looked TERRIBLE on!! (I know the large wouldn’t have been any better, just baggy.) It doesn’t have that nice waist shaping shown in the (back-clipped?) picture, is more like just a long t-shirt. I have more of an athletic hourglass build, so maybe it would look OK on a twiggy girl, but don’t bother if a clingy tube isn’t your best look. The material is nice enough, sort of a heavy t-shirt fabric, but I think *anyone* would need some shaping/smoothing underneath (defeats the just-throw-on travel purpose I would have had if it had fit better). Guess that explains the low price! At least I can return them directly to the store near me, which I’ll be doing on my way home tonight.

24. Spanx (or an equivalent) is the answer. No need to do the whole body armor either. I have had amazing success tucking shirts into the underwear (they make briefs and thongs, I use the thongs) and tights. Shirts are kept in place without the fear of them riding up and poking out of your waistband like regular underthings do. I haven’t used the Loft brand like Houda (above) but I have used Spanx and the Target brand and both have worked wonderfully. Good luck!

25. I can’t remember the name right now, but there is a product that looks like a strip of ribbon or hem tacking strip, that you can sew into the waist of your pants and it provides the grip/friction to keep shirts tucked. I’m not much of a tucker, so I haven’t bought it. I know I stashed the link somewhere…

26. Considering how much we all love fashion on this site, has anyone attempted to sew their own clothes? I have always harbored a desire to learn how to sew and am planning on signing up for a basic sewing course this summer. I have also loved working with my hands and thought it would be so neat if I could make a shirt or skirt for myself once in a while.

    1. I am also looking at sewing classes! I am really excited about it! I would be so thrilled if I could make my own staples rather than spending a lot of money on things that are often very cute, but not quite perfect.

       1. I’m over 60 now, but when I was a teenager everyone learned to sew, and when I was in my twenties I sewed a lot of my clothes. Once I started wearing suits, though, I gave it up — too complicated, and the stakes were too high. (I mean, I needed to look good, and I didn’t have that much confidence in my sewing skills.) I’ll get back to it one day — there are a lot of simple tops that can be done by a non-professional. I’m looking forward to sewing clothes for my grandchildren, too — little velveteen dresses with smocking, anyone?

    2. Go for it! I discovered a long time ago that I have rather expensive taste in clothes. Since I’m still on a student budget, I’m glad my mom taught me to sew! Some things are actually easier to buy–knits, usually–but especially if you have an unusual body type, being able to tailor your own clothes is a really good idea. My LBD and my favorite interview suit both started out as sewing projects. One thing–make sure you buy a good sewing machine. It doesn’t have to have all the bells and whistles, but going with a brand like Bernina of Pfaff will make a big difference.

    3. I sew. I think it’s a really fun hobby. However there are 2 caveats if you’re taking it up. You probably won’t be making very much of your work wardrobe. Skirts are reasonably easy, but button down tops, slacks, jackets, an even most dresses either require some real construction or fitting skills. Not to discourage you- I’ve made some great casual dresses, skirts, pj pants, t-shirt, etc. But, if you don’t want to be “susie-homemaker” at work, you probably wan’t to be really sure your clothes look “ready to wear” before you wear them to work. Second, sewing is not a cheap hobby! Fabric for a suit, for example, can be up to $20 a yard when you aren’t buying in bulk like a designer, and you might need 5 or more yards.

       But learn! It’s a great challenge. I like to sew things that take fewer than 5 hours because it’s so great to turn materials into a tangible item in one evening! Here’s the blog of another attorney sewist: http://theslapdashsewist.blogspot.com/ (much more advanced than me!)

       1. I would join the chorus of those recommending sewing. That said, I don’t have much time for it, although I keep wanting to try and squeeze it in. For those who are willing to try a few work pieces, I’d recommend Vogue patterns (I have no affiliation with them – just longstanding affection.) The patterns are well cut and there is a whole category of Very Easy Very Vogue. In addition, there are always a few patterns called “Five Easy Pieces” that contain basic office-appropriate attire. The jackets are often unstructured (no complicated piecing, lining or shoulder pads). These are good basic pieces to have in your closet and are generally pretty user-friendly.

27. I’m with ERP – I can’t believe so many people go untucked! Our firm dress code requires tucking.

    1. Yes. Our dress code does not require, and we are a biz casual firm, but partners will still tell associates to tuck in their shirts if they are not tucked.

    2. seriously? its in the dress code?

28. I don’t tuck except with a suit jacket and then only if the shirt is a button front or something that would look foolish poking out. I have considered ordering the VS bodysuit button front. Anyone try it?

    Part of the reason I don’t tuck is it looks really odd on me. I am a 32DD/34D with a fairly flat stomach (I know, poor me). So, when I tuck it just highlights my curves and screams “hello boobs!”.

    I love the tucked look on models though and I’d love to replicate it.

    1. I tried the VS bodysuit a few months back and it was extremely cheap looking and feeling. I sent it back. It sounds like I am similar to you up top, and I found the shirt to run small, but also was waaay too small in the bust. The fabric was cheap and itchy.

    2. Not in the US, so no idea about VS, but I own a couple of Wolford bodies (price here is still steep but not quite so hair-raising!), and they look really good. Just wish that sort of thing didn’t cost quite so much…

       I also tuck anything that’s likely to crease. I’m busty and tucking doesn’t exactly hide that, but I’ve got substantially wider hips than my waist, and things hang strangely otherwise. However, my biggest problem is when I bend over, sit down or basically do anything other than stand up straight in an untucked shirt, my top gets ridiculously crumpled and looks less than smart. Am I the only one with this problem? It’s worse than the unflattering effect of highlighting antything excess round the middle…

       Incidentally, I don’t know if I’ve just been really lucky in my choice of trousers, or if the wide hips stop things sliding too far, but I don’t find anything shows if I tuck shirts into my undies – and I do check! Possibly because I avoid low-waisted anything like the plague, and have everything sit around my middle. I’m incredibly short-torsoed, so that’s just above where my hips widen, and luckily things just sit there.

    3. I have two different VS bodysuits and I like them both. The first one I have is the silky / satiny fabric and I get compliments on it every time I wear it, without fail. I found it very comfortable and soft. It is a different style than the Essential Bodysuit. It doesn’t button up the front. Instead, it has two different pieces that sort of cross over and snap at the cross-over point. It’s different and perhaps not well-suited for a conservative office, but I love it and have never worn it without having someone comment on it. I am not sure how the cross-over would work with a larger chest. I wear a 32B.

       The Essential Bodysuit is very different. It is a thicker cotton. I can see why B thought it was itchy although I don’t find it itchy at all and I don’t wear it with a cami. It’s not a super-nice-soft-high-end-type cotton, but it doesn’t feel uncomfortable to me. I actually like it because it looks tucked without having to deal with the issues of a ‘real’ tuck. I wear it frequently.

       Here’s the catch to the VS body suit… the thong is thick and uncomfortable and the snaps at the bottom can feel, well, like snaps where you don’t really want snaps. LOL So, I always wear them with boyshorts underneath the thong.

       Lastly, VS often has sales on the bodysuits so if you’re going to get one. And search the sale for them. They won’t be advertised as being on sale, but they are.

       1. i have the silk charmeuse bodysuit from VS, and it is very soft and has a beautiful drape. I have it in a creamy color, and will wear it at the office when I don’t need to wear my suit jacket all day but have a reason for wanted to look especially nice. It looks particularly classic with some punps and a fitted black skirt. Completely agree with the boy short advice, though!

29. Love the advertisement for shirt garters.
    “Great gift for your boss!” Too funny.

30. I knew a guy who was a professional dance instructor, and he safety pinned his dress shirt to his boxers for shows.

31. But if you tuck your shirt into your underwear, and are not wearing a blazer, surely when you bend over, your underwear will be revealed!!!

    1. I don’t have any trousers low enough for that to be a problem, but then, I’ve got an incredibly short torso (see above) so most things sit higher on me.

32. Somebody mentioned this above: when you tuck into your underwear, put the shirt over the underwear, then tuck it in on the sides on the lower edge of the underwear. That way the underwear is still hidden by the shirt, so you don’t have to worry about it showing.

    1. Thanks, K! I missed it earlier. That’s a great solution.

33. I buy jcrew button down shirts (quite often on sale) and have them tailored at the torso. I originally started tailoring my shirts not because of a tucking issue, but due to having to buy larger shirts to accommodate my chest, which left me with too much fabric around my waist. However, the pleasant surprise (after being exceptionally annoyed at having to have all my shirts tailored) was that tailoring cuts down on 1) your shirts coming untucked and 2) the above-the-waist poof/balloon effect. Find a great tailor and your mornings will be much better!

34. I tuck when wearing a skirt. I’m high-waisted and have a long torso, which is an unusual combination. Wearing high-waisted skirts is the only way to make my legs not look stubby, and I have to tuck or I look waistless. I never tuck into pants because it’s impossible to find high-waisted pants, and so pants always hit about six inches below my natural waist.

    I wear either a slip or bike shorts under my skirts, and I tuck into the slip or shorts. Since my skirts aren’t high waisted there’s no risk the shorts or slip will show.

    1. I mean since my skirts are high waisted (or maybe since the slip/shorts aren’t high waisted?). I need to proofread before I post.

35. This posting is so apropos. I started a new job this week- dream situation for me- and while I generally avoid tucking like the plague, tried for a few days to attempt to look polished, etc. It’s as if I went through every thought in these postings in my first few hours. My first day I was whisked up to a CEO/executives briefing and was focused on my untuckage at each side. Luckily the blazer hid that. I surreptiously retucked the back during meetings. In the bathroom, I tried the undies tuck, but quickly realized, the undies were then on display. No can do. I moved to nontuckage wear later in the week, but we have been called to brief the Pres at the White House in a few weeks (I may or may not attend) and I can’t think of anything else formal enough to wear than a business blouse. Skirts work better than pants so hopefully that’ll help.

    I am thin with a very long torso, so tucked stuff looks kind of odd, but I don’t know how to get around it for formal situations. I can’t find any non-blouse tops that are fancy enough and don’t involve see-through, low-cut, ruffles, etc. So I’ve been doing the sweater vest over blouse option, but that whole ensemble rises up sometimes at the wrong moment. So annoying.

    Let’s talk stores- the only shirt I have that stays in with low-waist pants is from J Crew. I just bought 3 BR blouses and they won’t stay tucked in, the tails are too short. So I ordered pants with higher waists- which aren’t easy to find in more modern styles. BR tails= sad, as the shirts are otherwise a good fit and nice enough for the price. J Crew doesn’t have any good ones right now. AT ones are too boxy. Any other recommendations? Complicating this for me is that J Crew doesn’t carry petites in the stores, and BR doesn’t carry some of my sizes either, just online, so can’t try on various iterations easily. Any suggestions welcome!

    1. Safety Pin your shirt to your underwear… It will mean that you have to un-pin and re-pin when you go to the bathroom, but for an important meeting, I find this works pretty well.

    2. I have trouble with shirt tails being long enough with lower-waisted pants as well. I wear Limited Essential shirts, and they usually have some other blouses in a similar length as well. Depending on how thin you are, their XS may be small enough.

36. Great comments (and ideas)! Like some of the ladies above, I have different shirts for tucking and for leaving untucked…the tucking ones are longer and are less likely to come untucked. I also. The underwear thing (tucking from the outside in) sounds promising but I wonder if it emphasizes your panty lines (VPL would be way worse than a blousy shirt).

37. Like many of you who have commented so far, I too always wear Spanx (or Assets) whenever I wear a skirt or a dress. Part of the reason I wear Spanx however is to achieve the slimming effect they provide. I would worry that if I tucked my blouse into my Spanx, that it would create a bulge at my waist. I would also worry that it would be uncomfortable, since Spanx, after all, are pretty tight. Often I simply avoid this problem by wearing a dress. If I need to tuck a blouse in, I just tuck it into my skirt and hope for the best.

38. I’m on the short side so I wear a lot of high-waisted skirts – and with those I always tuck my top in. But otherwise, since my hips are somewhat narrow, I never tuck with anything else lest it make me look totally waistless. That, and shirttails are great for camouflaging any occurrences of the muffin top’s righteously maligned cousin, segmented worm syndrome …

    1. Oh, and about how I keep them tucked in … I haven’t noticed it being a big problem, but I think that’s because of the high-waisted skirt + normal-length shirt combination = more overlap –> more securely tucked? I’ve honestly never put much thought into it.

39. I almost always wear pantyhose, even in summer, and the control top is great for tucking and also keeping it flat. Just make sure that the pantyhose top doesn’t go too high!

40. I do not tuck because a) I have a short waist, and tucking makes it look much shorter, b) I have gained a few lbs post babies, and my midsection is a little thicker than I would like – tucking just makes me look mannish and highlights my thick waist, and c) I cant be bothered with worrying about how to keep things tucked, non-lumpy, and comfortable. I look for button downs that have a femnine fit, hit about mid hip (not too long, or too short), and have a hem that can remain untucked. That gives me an hourglass look, and I can throw a jacket on over if necesary.

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