Don’t forget, SPANX for Men Cotton Compression Undershirts are launching at Neiman Marcus this week. I just heard from my friends over at SPANX HQ and they said the Sara Blakely is going to be on the TODAY Show this Sunday (3/14/10) talking about S4M.  Don’t miss it!

I thought to drop Brian an email not too long ago to see if he had found that perfect undershirt and he replied back with this very thorough response. (Thanks Brian!!):

Hi Tug,

Sorry it’s been a while since you heard from me, but things have been a bit hectic down here in Sunny (but lately cold) South Florida.

I tried several more shirts and I finally found the one I’m going to stick with for a while (at least till I find something better).

The 5.11 Tactical – Tight Crew Short Sleeve Shirt – Item #40005 [Price: $24.99]

I kept buying one each of different brands of shirt after the last time I emailed you, looking for that perfect one, and after a while I noticed that when they were all clean and I had my choice of which one to wear, I would consistently go through the pile to grab the 5.11 Tactical shirt.  Here are my thoughts on my favorite ones…

My top 4 are:
1. 5.11 Tactical
2. Jockey 3D Physique
3. Underarmour Heat Gear
4. Equmen

The 5.11 Tactical shirt is great at sweat-wicking, doesn’t feel as “plastic” as the Underarmour, doesn’t seem to be wearing out an abnormal pace, isn’t overpriced (as compared to other sweat-wicking shirts) and to me is the best overall combination of all my personal requirements of an under-the-vest shirt.  It’s not the best in all categories, but it’s the best overall combination of all the categories (comfort, sweat-wicking, durability, ease of care, price); at least to me it is.

The Jockey 3D Physique shirt worked well and felt good.  It’s my 2rd favorite to wear when I’m working, but it’s a little bit thin, especially with the thick Kevlar panels and carrier moving around, and after about 2 or 3 months it seemed to get a little thinner, maybe wearing out a little, at least it felt like it to me. But I still like it a lot.  The sweat-wicking isn’t quite as good as the Underarmour, but it was more comfortable to me and the sweat-wicking was good enough.

The Underarmour Heat Gear shirt worked very well also.  For the sweat-wicking alone, it’s awesome, probably the best of all of them; it runs a very close 3rd favorite after the Jockey (maybe even tied for 2nd).  It would have been my #1 favorite above all, but I feel like I’m wearing plastic when I have it on.  It literally peels off at the end of the night, and that plastic feeling gets a little annoying to me; I actually feel like it’s stuck to me.  It’s definitely a great shirt, and for guys that don’t mind that plastic feeling, it may be their best bet.

The Equmen shirt started to grow on me after a while; for one thing, after a month long break-in period, the Equimen didn’t feel as super-tight as it did when I first got it (which was a good thing because they are extremely tight).  And it does what their ads claim about making you look a little thinner; it’s funny, my pants actually feel slightly loose when I wear that shirt because it snugs your body tightly in certain areas.  The downsides to the Equimen are price, at $100 each you can get 4 of the others, and it’s sweat-wicking isn’t quite as good as the Underarmour or the 5.11 Tactical.  On a side note, it would probably be an awesome shirt to wear under a suit when you’re trying to look good.

I tried 2 different types of Russell Sports heat/sweat-wicking shirts.  I liked them for working out because they feel like normal cotton T-shirts yet they have some sweat-wicking ability; but, for under the vest they’re only a step above a normal cotton T-shirt.

I still love my old (no longer manufactured) “tubes” shirt I’ve mentioned before, but I think I actually like my top 4 shirts above more.  If I can just convince 5.11 tactical to add a couple of those air-gap tubes to their Tight Crew Short Sleeve Shirt, we’d have the perfect custom-designed under-the-vest shirt.

Lastly, for anyone still wearing a normal cotton T-shirt… After using the ones above (and others not mentioned), and especially after wearing them all the time for months, I had a busy week and all my test shirts were dirty, I wore one of my old cotton T-shirts that I used to wear under the vest, and it wasn’t even a really hot day (70’s, and I’m used to 90’s down here).  By halfway through the shift  I felt like I was wearing a hot sopping-wet mop under my vest.  At the end of the night when I took it off, it weighed triple it’s normal weight because it was drenched in sweat; I don’t know how I ever wore them in the past.  ANY sweat-wicking shirt is better than a normal cotton T-shirt.  Even in winter, the heat shirts are better, because the sweat stuck in a cotton shirt will get freezing cold from the cold air.

I hope my little t-shirt research project helps out other guys that are sweating their butts off in our southern climates.  But, the reality is that anything (comfortable or not) is better than leaving the vest in the car till a shots-fired call comes out.  I know guys that got so annoyed at sweating like a faucet and that was their solution.  Things can go wrong in the most benign and unexpected situations and the only way to be safe is to train, prepare and wear the damn vest, uncomfortable or not.

Talk to you later Tug.  Let me know if anyone else has found a “perfect” shirt that I can try to see where it places on my list.

And I appreciate the help and suggestions you’ve given me over the last several months as well.  Two of my top four came from your suggestions.

Thanks,
Brian

Tugs,

Sorry if this has been covered before. I searched the blog but haven’t found the answer. What is the proper length for an undershirt?  Sometime the shirts are so long I feel like I’m wearing a dress. To me, they should end just about the top of the greater trochanter. (where your hip bone stick out of the side of your leg.) I know that the average guy is about  5’9”-6’.  I’m pretty short. (5’6”)  I would expect that they would be long for me anyway. Yes, I can shorten them and have.  Just like your opinion.

P

My Response:

hey p,

sorry for the delay in getting back to you. things have been pretty busy over here at tug central!

your question about undershirt length is a really good question and while there are articles on my site that imply what my opinion is on the optimal undershirt length, there isn’t any one post that addresses it directly. so, we’ll do that right now and I’ll make an article out of it too!

as with many of my other recommendations, the answer to that question really depends on the specific type of undershirt you wear.

for most cases, I agree with you 100% in where the bottom of your undershirt should fall.  you see, my general opinion is that for an undershirt to stay properly tucked in, the bottom of your undershirt should fall roughly 6″ beneath the waistline of your pants/trousers which is roughly the same location as where your greater trochanter resides.  now, the challenge with me making that statement is that all undershirts are not created equal, so while that length will work great for many undershirts it may not for others.

my favorite undershirts are those that are lightweight, fitted, and cut a little longer. having this combination of features assures me that:

1. my outer shirts will lay nicely over my undershirt
2. I won’t get the dreaded “bunch up” effect
3. the shirt will stay tucked all day long, regardless of how I stretch or bend

I switched to these kinds undershirts [longer cut fitted ones] a couple of years ago and I’ll never go back to wearing a standard, unfitted, short undershirt ever again!

that being said, if you are a wearer of a traditional baggy, square/box cut, non-fitted undershirts, having an undershirt bottom falling 6″ or more underneath your waistline could be a disaster waiting to happen since there will likely be too much fabric gathering under your pants and you’ll likely look bulkier (not that you have a problem with that).

so, I’ll go on record stating that for most undershirts, especially fitted ones, I agree with you in saying that the proper and ideal length for an undershirt is when the bottom of it falls about 6″ lower than my pant’s waistline (near your greater trochanter as you so articulately pointed out). For my height of 5′9″ and average torso length, this equates to having an undershirt with an overall length that is roughly 29″ – 30″ (after washing). For someone of your height, assuming you have an average torso length as well, I’d say that finding an undershirt with an overall length of around 26″ would probably be just the right length.

btw, thanks for educating me on a new part of the human anatomy! thanks again for sending in your question.

best,
tug

His Response:

Tugs,

Ok thanks for the response.  I am right on in my  thinking about the length. I wear fitted more sport type with lots of stretch. I converted a few years ago and can’t imagine wearing a boxy cut standard shirts for just the reason you mentioned. I think the boxy cut make a smaller man like me look like he’s wearing a diaper. lol   It’s the bunching you mentioned.

Enjoy the blog!
Thanks again

Friday, February 26, 2010 17:03 GMT

CARSON CITY, Nev. (Wireless Flash – FlashNews) – A new tank top for men is on a mission to beat down the term “wifebeater.”

Mike Schwarz is the founder of RibbedTee.com, which sells stylish, sleeved men’s undershirts that are ribbed like a typical wifebeater.

This Monday (Mar. 1), his company will launch a line of fitted men’s tank tops but instead of calling them “wifebeaters,” they’ll be dubbed “Protectors.”

That’s because Schwarz has always found the term “wifebeater” – in reference to a tank top – trashy and offensive.

He’s hoping the “Protector” changes the way people see ribbed tanks and stamps out the politically incorrect term for good.

Schwarz’s new and improved undershirts are more “luxurious, durable, and vibrant” than regular tanks, so that should also help boost the garment’s image.

He’s looking to team up with charities and donate proceeds from the “Protector” to victims of domestic violence.

Here’s more product information about the new RibbedTee Protector tank top:

A Tank with a Cause: We think it’s about time for people to stop referring to ribbed tank tops as “wifebeaters”. In an effort to try to change that, and raise awareness, for each “Protector” tank top sold, RibbedTee will donate 50¢ to a charity that provides aid & support to victims of domestic violence.

* Luxurious Lenzing Modal / Cotton ribbed knit blend makes this tank Ultra-soft. You’ll never want to wear any other tank top ever again!
* More absorbent, more durable, and more color brilliant than standard 100% cotton tank tops
* No Spandex to weigh this tank top down
* Longer cut keeps this tank tucked in throughout the day
* Perfect for wearing as active wear or casual everyday wear
* Designed to shrink down to size
* Made in the U.S.A.
* Tagless

Hard to tell really, because the article points out that “middle-class” consumers spent about the same as they did the year before and I’m not sure they are the demographic who is buying men’s shapewear, considering their higher price point.

Here’s the article, courtesy of ApparelNews.net:

According to recent statistics compiled by The NPD Group Inc., the Port Washington, N.Y.–based apparel market-research firm, overall apparel sales in 2009 were down 5.2 percent to $188.5 billion compared with 2008. But blue-jeans sales inched up 3.5 percent, dress sales increased 2.3 percent and men’s undershirt sales jumped 11 percent.

The apparel business started to improve slightly in the fourth quarter of 2009, with womenswear sales declining only 3 percent. That may not sound like goods news, but it was better than the rest of the year.

“For the fashion industry, this is a very important sign. As go women shoppers, so goes the total fashion market,” said Marshal Cohen, chief industry analyst for The NPD Group. “Women represent just over 50 percent of total fashion market sales, and they account for almost 25 percent more in the purchases they make for others. Without them, a true recovery will not occur.”

Apparel statistics show that middle-class consumers who earn between $25,000 and $75,000 were holding steady with their purchases last year while upper-income consumers spent 9 percent less and teens with no income became more frugal and spent 20 percent less. “Middle-income consumers held fast,” Cohen said. “That means the recovery is beginning to show up in the apparel market for the very critical middle-income consumer.”

Cohen predicted that shoppers would take a slight break from spending in February and March to catch up on credit card debt left over from the holidays. When the weather starts to change in March and April, the shopping brigades could be on the move again.—Deborah Belgum

Wednesday, February 24, 2010 19:35 GMT
AUSTIN, Texas (Wireless Flash – FlashNews) – Even if it’s wrong, the term “wifebeater” – referring to a man’s tank top – is here to stay.

Over the years the politically incorrect word for an undershirt has been widely accepted into popular language.

Paul JJ Payack, of the word-tracking service Global Language Monitor, says “wifebeater” has been actively used for the last seven years since being added into dictionaries.

He traces its origins further back and believes the term really took off when COPS and The Jerry Springer Show became hits on TV.

Many times men who beat their wives appeared on the shows wearing old, ragged tank tops, so the word quickly spread.

Now that so many people use it, Payack says it’s lost its initial “shock value” and power, making it normal.

This isn’t the first time risque terms have stuck.

The phrases “all that jazz” and “rock ’n’ roll” refer to music now, but at first, they were alternative terms for sex.

This is pretty interesting, because while the term “wifebeater” might be a socially acceptable alternative to “ribbed tank top” or “a-shirt”, if a company markets their product (either on purpose or by accident) as a “wifebeater” they catch holy hell. Case in point:

Retailer Advertises ‘Wife-Beaters,’ Wishes It Hadn’t

..Massachusetts discount chain Building 19 ran an ad in a flyer promoting wife-beater t-shirts. Oops. Out came the cause groups on that one with Jane Do Inc. spokewoman telling Boston’s WCVB, “”I can’t say what I thought. I know what I thought, but I can’t say out loud what I thought.” We know what she thought: “You chauvinistic asswipes! How the fuck could you degrade women so harshly glamorizing low life, trailer park scum who beat the shit out of their wives on a daily basis?”..

Building 19 Again Apologizes For Ad

The owner of Building 19 apologized two years ago for an advertising flyer that described sleeveless T-shirts in a controversial way, now, it’s happened again.

NewsCenter 5’s Janet Wu reported that Gerry Ellis said that he does not think that the ads are funny nor does he need the publicity.

Store Owner Apologizes For Ad. The owner of Building 19 apologized two years ago for an advertising flier that described sleeveless T-shirts in a controversial way, now, it's happened again.

What do you guys/gals think? Is the term “wifebeater” an acceptable slang for ribbed tank tops??

Hi Tug, hope you don’t mind me getting in touch. You being an expert in all things undershirt and all, I was wondering if you could help me out with an undershirt related query? I’m a huge fan of the Alfani Stretch Crew t-shirt but I can’t seem to find many places that sell them. I usually get them from Macy’s here in NYC but they only have L sizes left and no other stock. I can’t find them anywhere else, I was wondering if you knew of anywhere that sold them? Do Alfani even do them anymore I wonder? Cheers, D

– another email –

Hey Tug,

I’m an avid reader of your website. Do you know what happened to the alfani stretch crew undershirts? They don’t seem to be available on Macy’s website anymore. Also, if Alfani has stopped making them, can you recommend a similar undershirt?

Thanks, J

My Response:

as for a suitable and equal replacement, that might be a little tricky because the alfani stretch crew was around $7.50 each, had a cotton spandex blend (i’m guessing around 95% cotton/5% spandex), and was treated with Silpure antibacterial treatment. macy’s is still carrying the alfani 100% cotton crew neck undershirt that also has been treated with silpure, but it doesn’t have any spandex in it and that is what usually helps the undershirt fit really nicely without being too constricting. the cotton alfani’s are $14.98 for 3 undershirts, so they are a little less expensive, but again, it’s the spandex that really makes the fit. most all of the other cotton/spandex or modal/spandex blend undershirts sold at department stores like macys usually sell for more than $20 each.

you might want to try out the calvin klein 365 undershirt (2-pack for $22.14 on sale) since they have a cotton spandex/elastane blend. or, you might want to check out either the Evolve (2xist at Target Stores) or Life brand (Jockey at Walmart) undershirts to see if they offer cotton/spandex blend crew neck undershirts. i’ll have to visit walmart and target again soon to see their latest offerings.

you may also want to check out some of the blend undershirts/t-shirts from american apparel. their crew neck undershirts have pretty nice collars and they are pretty comfortable as well. i picked up a couple not too long ago and believe they were each under $18 each.

Of course, I will put in my 2 cents at the end of the article as always so you can get my take on the subject matter. Here’s the reader’s original email:

Hi Tug,

love the blog, quick question for you. I am a long-time wearer of white crew-neck undershirts (now currently wearing Alfani). I’m picky about how they look, and usually have two requirements 1. thick collar. 2. tight fit (I’ll even buy a size smaller sometimes). My question for you is when it is ok to just wear an undershirt with no top over it. I usually do this on weekends when running errands, or if I’m in a club on a weekend and it gets hot, I’ll take my buttondown/pullover off when i’m wearing an undershirt. Someone told me recently that it looks bad, my thoughts are as long as the undershirt is not skimpy looking but fits well and looks good/clean, there shouldn’t be an issue. Any further guidance on this.

Thanks
W

Introduction – Can Men Wear an Undershirt Alone?

By Kyle Mountain

The undershirt is an extremely useful article of clothing. They’re very light, they help absorb perspiration, they add an extra layer in cold weather, and they’re very comfortable. The can be worn under t shirts, sweaters, dress shirts, and many other articles of clothing. Although the traditional function of the undershirt is well-known, many have asked whether the undershirt can be worn alone – as in, not under anything. To better determine the answer of this question, I’ll look at the pro’s and con’s of wearing an undershirt alone and then give my take on the question that has many guessing.

Reasons TO WEAR an Undershirt Alone:

gearpatrol.com

• They’re very light
• Can be considered “casual”
• Requires minimal effort
• Will give a “clean” look
• Can be worn with nearly anything

Reasons NOT TO WEAR an Undershirt Alone:

• Undershirts are usually tight fitting – tighter than your average t shirt.
• They’re “under” shirts for a reason.
• Can’t wear an undershirt with them! (Sweat management issue)
• Display somewhat of a “rebellious” statement.
• May look disproportionate (ex. tight shirt with loose fit jeans)

My Take – I do not think men should wear undershirts alone, and here are my reasons why:

http://www.undershirtguy.com/

1) It wouldn’t be an undershirt if you didn’t wear it under anything. If you wear it with nothing, it simply becomes a t shirt – a very tight t shirt.

2) Undershirts are meant to be tight fitting so they hug the body. To wear one without anything else would demand, for one, that you have the proper physique to actually pull off a look like that. Someone of a thin and/or built stature would be in the minority of those who could actually wear it, but even then, it seems like a bit of a desperate attempt at attention seeking. It’s going to clearly show your body complexion and definition, but isn’t one of the points of wearing clothes to mask that a bit and leave some mystery to onlookers? Wearing an undershirt alone will bring attention to you, but probably in a negative way, as if you’re trying to flaunt.         

3) Another issue with wearing undershirts alone is that you can’t wear an undershirt with them! If you’re going to wear one alone, the climate will have to be warm, maybe even hot, and if that’s the case there is a good chance that perspiration will find its way onto your shirt, once again drawing attention to yourself in a negative way. There’s almost nothing worse then having visible stains on your shirt, especially if they’re sweat stains – that has a way of simply ruining your whole day.

4) Another negative aspect of wearing an undershirt alone is the fact that it may manifest a disproportionate look within your wardrobe. Wearing a tight-fit shirt with a loose-fit pair of jeans might make your legs look bigger than you want.

Some may say that wearing an undershirt alone is a good look because it’s casual, light, clean and it requires minimal effort. I agree, but partly because the same thing could be said about a t shirt. If the shirt is not as tight as an undershirt, it’s a great look, but then it suddenly becomes a t shirt, no longer an undershirt. A looser-fitting, plain white t shirt is a great casual look, but at that point it’s no longer an undershirt. Undershirts, to my understanding, are meant to hug the body comfortably and tightly, so when they become looser, they’re not really undershirts anymore. Plus, another good thing about wearing a regular t shirt is that you can wear an undershirt or wife beater under it to help keep the sweat off the t.

Conclusion

Overall, part of me wants to accept the look of just an undershirt as ok because I am a huge undershirt fan – I wear one every day, no matter what, and I always wear one to bed as well. Although part of me wants that, the other part of me has to respect and agree with what the undershirt is – a shirt meant to be worn under something else.

So Tug, what’s your opinion?

Well, I’m glad you asked! First off, I want to address one of the points that Kyle made in his “Reasons Not To Wear” section:

• Undershirts are usually tight fitting – tighter than your average t shirt

It’s really funny that we haven’t addressed this point here before, but Kyle is spot on in saying that a properly fitting undershirt should be tight fitting.  He’s not saying that an undershirt should be tight and uncomfortable. He’s actually saying that undershirts should fit close to your body and not have any excess fabric bulging out anywhere and to this point, I couldn’t agree with Kyle more.

I’ve long been a fan of light, fitted, stretchy undershirts that are cut longer mainly because they hug my body, keep me cool, don’t add any extra bulk under my outer clothing and they rarely, if ever come untucked. Now, as I see it, the problem with the most popular “average” undershirts (e.g. Hanes, FoTL) is they are more box cut and made out of cotton that isn’t as forgiving and stretchy as it should be. The problem is, that these undershirts either fit too loosely or are too snug and uncomfortable. They rarely, if ever fit the wearer “properly”. I mean, think about it, how can one undershirt pattern, cut to a set of generic sizes in a fabric (normally 100% cotton jersey) that doesn’t have a lot of stretch to it properly fit everyone? Answer: It can’t.

Disclaimer: Of course, Hanes & FoTL undershirts do fit many average sized guys ok. Also, Hanes & FoTL make a very reasonably priced product that most people can afford, so one could logically make the price/fit trade-off, depending on their own personal circumstance.

To make problems worse, since that IS the case, most guys wind up buying the larger sized undershirts so they’re not uncomfortable. This means they are are actually too big to be proper fitting undershirts, but they are baggy enough to wear casually by themselves. See, most of us guys are not in “perfect” shape. So, if we buy an undershirt that fits us properly (form fitting), we’re less likely to wear them by themselves because they wind up exposing all of our bodily flaws to the rest of the world. If we buy baggy undershirts (which most guys do), we can easily throw them on like we would any other t-shirt.

All the above ultimately manifests itself into guys wearing their plain white undershirts like they do any other t-shirt.

With all of the above said, this is my position on whether it’s ok to wear an undershirt by itself (for casual attire only):

• If your undershirt is clean, crisp, and fits and looks just like a regular unfitted casual t-shirt, go ahead and wear it
• If you’re in great shape and can pull off wearing a fitted shirt, as long as your undershirt is clean and crisp, go ahead strut your stuff – just make sure it’s not see-through. We definitely don’t need to or want to see your nipples
• If you’re bumming around the house or going to the gym, heading to the beach, walking your dog, or washing your car, feel free to wear your undershirt as long as it is clean
• Regarding the original reader’s question on whether or not it’s ok to take off his outershirt while at a bar and just wear his undershirt, under normal circumstances, I wouldn’t recommend it. Of course, there could be circumstances where it would be ok. For example, if you’re at a beach bar and it’s beach attire, if your undershirt is crisp and clean and looks like a regular casual t-shirt, it’s probably ok
• Tank Tops / Wifebeaters – For better or worse, this article of clothing has become a staple in the american male’s and female’s casual wear attire.  In general, I would offer the same general guidance to guys when wearing this type of undershirt. They can be worn by themselves at the gym, going to the beach, or other similar casual activities ONLY if they are clean, crisp, and look like standard tank tops. Otherwise guys, please stay away from wearing your ribbed tank top undershirts when you’re going out. If you really want to wear a tank, and its suitable attire for the venue you are going to, go out and buy a real outerwear tank top which will be made of a thicker and nicer fabric than your standard “wifebeater” ribbed tank top undershirt.

I’ve actually been told by a few readers that the support brief with the higher 6″ waists actually provide more slimming benefits in the waist, stomach, love handle area than the slimming undershirts. In fact, one reader says that Manshape’s Support Brief does a really good job. Personally, I haven’t tried the slimming briefs yet, but I’ll try to make it a point to go out and pick some up soon so I have a point of reference.

Vintage Munsingwears and Mandate Support Briefs Advertisements

Sports Illustrated Ads for Munsingwear and Mandate

Slimmers by Watsons Canadian Ad

1. New Black Color – RipT Fusion Body Sculpting Undershirts will be available in black starting March 15, 2010. They will not be available in big & tall sizes initially, though.
2. RipT Tank Top – their new body sculpting tank tops will be available sometime this May and will be sold in white and black. Plus, they will be available in regular and big & tall sizes too! I’m guessing they’ll look similar to the full undershirts having a midsection made out of the compression lycra/polyester material. Hopefully, we’ll see soon.
3. Big & Tall sizes now available – previously only available in sizes up to 2XL, RipT Fusion is now offering big & tall sizes from 1x – 5x on their website. The larger sizes run a few dollars more ($62 vs. $58) than their regular size body sculpting undershirts (more fabric, you know)

As soon as I get some pictures of the new tank and the new colors, I’ll post them here!

The amazing folks from RIPT Fusion just forwarded me a scan of a men’s shapewear article that was just published in the March 2010 issue of Men’s Health (on newsstands now!), written by Colin McEnroe,  that features the RIPT Fusion Body Sculpting Undershirt as well as Equmen’s Core Precision Undershirt. As I was scanning through the article and digesting Colin’s take on men’s shapewear, I was totally taken off guard when I read the following:

The shapewear field re-emerged in 2009. Before that, the last group of guys to wear this stuff would have included the real Mad Men Don Drapers, circa 1960. An alert reader reader of the Undershirt Guy blog found an old newspaper ad for Jockey Vitalizer Briefs that offered “trim that midsection to a slimmer, youthful look.”

Shock and amazement consumed me as I discovered that my little old blog had been discovered and referred to in Colin’s article! I got so excited, I ran out and drove all over town to find a newsstand that had a copy!

Now, I cannot take too much credit here, because Colin was actually referring to an article that came about due to the very generous contribution of a loyal reader, who prefers to stay anonymous: What’s Old Is New. Mens Shapewear Underwear Advertising from the 1960’s and 1970’s

So, I want to send out my special thanks to that reader who sent in the scans of the vintage shapewear advertisements, to Colin for writing the article, and to RIPT and Equmen for making some amazing men’s slimming undershirts.

Here’s the “Warning: Contents Under Pressure” Men’s Health article, written by Colin McEnroe (Please go to a local news stand and pick up a copy):
Undershirt Guy Blog Mentioned in Mens Health March 2010

As the news broke, rumors of a SPANX-brand line of men’s slimming undershirts leaked out, so I decided to reach out to see if anyone from Sara’s organization would care to comment. In late December of 08′ I did a little research, found a couple of contact names and sent them the following email:

Hello,

I write a fairly popular blog covering nearly every facet of men’s undershirts (undershirtguy.com).

Over the last month, there’s been a huge amount of buzz about [other men's slimming undershirt name removed], which is being touted by the media on the web as the new “Spanx for Men”.  In the last month alone, my site has gotten over 10,000 visitors looking for information on their product.

I have been reading several articles that speculate that Spanx will be coming out with your own line of men’s compression undergarments. Wondering if you’d be in a position to verify whether or not it’s true and if so, could you provide additional details about your plans that I can share with my readers.  I’d also be interested in reviewing the product in advance of its official market release, if possible.

Thanks for your time!
Tug

Although I was disappointed, I received no response. I touched base with them again in late January 09′, in March 09′, and then again in July 09′. It wasn’t until late July when I received the first response!

Hi Tug,

Thanks for checking back in.  SPANX for men is still very much in the works, but I still don’t have much info. to share at this point.  Please know that as soon as I do, I will give you a buzz and share it with you.

Congrats on the success of the site!

I’ll be in touch, M

After a few more email exchanges, they were kind enough to let me break the exciting news to the world.

Now, a little over a year and 250k visitors later, I am happily sitting here in front of my computer and lucky enough to be among the one of first people in the world to be wearing the new, just officially released, SPANX for Men Cotton Compression Undershirts as I write this review! I truly am a patient man

Now that we have that out of the way, let’s get to reviewing the wonderful new SPANX for Men Cotton Compression Undershirts (S4MCCU or S4M)!!!

Here’s the line up of the SPANX Men’s Collection of products:

• Spanx for Men Cotton Compression Crew Neck. Suggested Retail: $58 USD. Colors: White, Black
  >Product Code 8-43953-06191-5. RN 112121. SPX-607.
• Spanx for Men Cotton Compression V-Neck. Suggested Retail: $58 USD. Colors: White, Black
  >Product Code 8-43953-06171-7. RN 112121. SPX-610.
• Spanx for Men Cotton Compression Tank. Suggested Retail: $55 USD. Colors: White, Black
  >Product Code 8-43953-06161-8. RN 112121. SPX-611.

Fit – As with other men’s slimming / shapewear undershirts, the SPANX for Men CCU take a little effort to get into, but if they weren’t, they probably wouldn’t offer enough slimming/shaping benefits. The good news with these undershirts is that they are not too difficult to get on or off by yourself where you wouldn’t want to go through the effort on a daily basis. When I first took the v-neck undershirt out of its packaging and put it on, I immediately recognized that these undershirts were going to be very different from other men’s slimming undershirts. First of all, since the entire undershirt is made from the same material, consisting mostly of cotton with just enough spandex, it stretches to conform to your upper body area (shoulders, arms/sleeves, back) without being too tight to be uncomfortable or limiting your movement in any way. Second, if you look at the pictures above, or at the measurement table below, you’ll notice that the bottom width is a whopping 4″ narrower than the underarm-to-underarm chest measurements (which I have not seen before)! This design approach allows the wearer to have a more comfortable fit in the upper torso area, but still get a very good amount of slimming/shaping effects around the midsection and hip area – it’s a very good combination. Also, while the overall length measurements seem a bit on the short side, since the fabric stretches both horizontally and vertically, I was able to pull the bottom of the undershirt down beyond my greater trochanter area, which is where I think all undershirt bottoms should be cut to (look for an upcoming article about that too!). Another great attribute about the fabric content is that it not only allows you to pull it down far enough to stay tucked, the fabric kind of sticks to your hips and doesn’t roll up like other compression undershirts. One final thought, when I first put on the v-neck and crew neck, I did notice a little bit of “push down” effect on my shoulders where it felt like my shoulders were being pulled downward a bit. However, that only lasted a short while and I was fully comfortable wearing the undershirt all day long.

Crew Neck notes – same fit as the v-neck. Collar has about average “drop” (not too low, not too high).

Tank Top notes – same general fit mid section. good fit in the torso area. looks really nice on too (i’m kinda digging the tank top)

Here are the fabric blend and measurements of the 3 undershirts (laying flat):

Feel – I can sum up the feel characteristic in one word – Amazing. There are so many wonderful things to say about the way this fabric feels, I’m not exactly sure where to start. Since the SPANX 4 Men Cotton Compression undershirts are made mostly from cotton, you know they’ll be soft. I did notice that these undershirts are made in Egypt and from my past experiences, I’ve found egyptian cotton to be a lot softer than cotton made in many other foreign countries. The combination of cotton and spandex really feels nice on the skin and the folks at SPANX have made a good decision on the weight of the fabric as well. It’s thick enough to give you the function, but equally as breathable so the wearer won’t get overheated wearing it all day long. The fabric blend feels very similar to the Echelon from Jockey, which is still one of my favorite undershirts to date. I comfortably wore the v-neck and crew neck all day long over a two day period.

Function – I’ll talk about two aspects in the function department since I think they’re important to address.

1. How does S4M CCU function as a regular undershirt alternative?
2. How does it function compared to how it’s marketed?

One thing that sets this slimming undershirts apart from others in its category is that it looks more like a traditional undershirt than any of the other men’s shapewear undershirts I’ve tried so far. There are no distinctive markings or construction approaches (mixture of fabrics, stitching techniques, or fabric patterns) that make this undershirt look any different than any other standard undershirt. From a few feet away, this slimming undershirt pretty much looks like any other standard undershirt. That’s a really nice feature from my point of view. Also, the fact that this undershirt is made mostly from egyptian cotton, you get the absorption characteristics that are critical in keeping a guys outerwear clean and dry. Many other compression undershirts are made from synthetic fabrics which by design, are more geared to transfer moisture to the outside where it could be more prone to come in contact with the person’s outer wear. That’s not to say that it’s better than those others, it’s just an attribute to consider when you’re making a buying decision.

As for how the SPANX for Men Cotton Compression undershirt compares to how it’s marketed, there are seven bullet points on the attractive retail packaging. 1) firms chest, 2) narrows waistline, 3) flattens stomach, 4) improves posture, 5) supports lower back, 6) eliminates bulk under clothes, 7) breathable compression cotton.  I would say, for me, these undershirts really performed well in the firming and flattening categories. I fully enjoyed how the undershirt flattened my chest and smoothed my stomach. Although I did not notice any measurable difference in my waistline, I did notice a visual streamlining as the shirt did a good job in pulling in my love handles so they didn’t stick out as much as they do when not wearing an undershirt. I really didn’t see and improved posture or lower back support, but honestly, I’m not buying one of these slimming undershirts for those reasons, so I’m not disappointed. Of course, it does well in areas #6 & #7, but that’s already expected.

Affordability – At $55 for the Tank Top and $58 for the v-neck and crew neck, they are priced well below Equmen and Sculptees, but priced comparably to RIPT Fusion (although RIPT doesn’t offer a tank). For every day wear, I really do still think that paying that much for a single undershirt is a little unrealistic, but that being said, if you’re looking for an undershirt that will smooth/slim/flatten you and actually look like a regular undershirt, I don’t think you’ll ever be sorry you dropped that kind of cash on a SPANX for Men Cotton Compression Undershirt.

Summing it all up – I think the best way to sum up this review is to share a blurb from an email I sent the folks at SPANX a couple of weeks ago after wearing the undershirt for  a short while:

I would say that if I were looking to wear a slimming undershirt for a “night out on the town”, I would probably reach for my spanx CC undershirt first over some other of the slimming undershirts because it looks more like a regular undershirt. also, not taking anything away from the v-neck or crew, even though I don’t wear them very often, I really like the spanx compression tank and I think that will be a big hit with guys! love the packaging too – that will definitely stand out in the retail stores!

2/11/2010 Update – Ok, for fun I took some pictures of myself wearing the white v-neck spanx for men. Hopefully this will help show how the undershirts fit a “regular” guy.

You can click on the photos to enlarge them.

2/18/10 Update – Here’s video I found on bossip.com of Sara Blakely pimping out the new s4m product and having it modeled by Jamal Anderson (former NFL player). Man, does Jamal have some big guns.

03/13/2010 – Update – Spanx for Men’s News Segment from 3/12.

Thats right, the SPANX for Men Cotton Compression Undershirt line, which includes black and white v-neck ($58), crew neck ($58), and tank top ($55) undershirts, are going to be available (for pre-order) on SPANX.com starting today, February 4, 2010!

Here are the details:

• Starting today (2/4/2010), you’ll be able to visit SPANX.com and order SPANX 4 Men. You’ll need to put in all your payment information, so make sure you have a credit card ready (operators are standing by..) Your card will not be charged until your pre-order ships
• Pre-Orders will start shipping out on or around 2/20/2010
• SPANX.com will initially offer only the white color cotton compression undershirts online, then introduce the black color men’s spanx on 4/1/2010
• Our cool friends over at Neiman Marcus will be the exclusive retail partner of S4M starting in mid-March 2010. I got word that they should be carrying both white and black colors then, so if you’re looking for black and don’t want to wait until 4/1, you’ll be able to run over to NM and pick one up there. I assume that all NM stores will be carrying them at that time, but if I find out any more details of specific stores and dates, I’ll post it here. Other high-end retailers will start carrying the product later in the year.
• If you want a first-hand look at the product along with a comprehensive product review, you can check out all the details by visiting my SPANX for Men Cotton Compression Undershirt review here.

Not only did I get the privilege to be the first to make this exciting announcement,  I just got off the phone with SPANX Founder and Owner, Sara Blakely who was sweet enough to take the time out to answer some questions about the new SPANX for Men product line. Here is the Q & A (I could not record the phone conversation, so I did my best to represent Sara’s comments/responses as accurately as possible)

Q. When did you first have the idea of coming out with s4m and what was the main driver behind launching a Men’s line of SPANX?

A: They started getting a bunch of requests from customers, men were emailing directly, and they found out through designers that many of their men celebrity clients were wearing women’s spanx and they were always requesting a male version.  Sara is personally inspired to make things better and she had been talking with her brother and husband about it and realized that not much has changed in the men’s undershirt market since they first came out in the early 1900’s.  Basically, they all wished there was a better undershirt out there, so Sara and her team decided it was about time for them to do something about it! (You go Sara!)

Q. Can you tell us a little about the design process you used. for example, how did you finally determine that s4m should have the unique narrow waist design that it does? did you look at other men’s slimming undershirts during the design phase? are you going for more slimming effects or more of a smoothing/flattening?

A. Fit drove the whole process. The knew they wanted and needed a more tapered undershirt because men want to tuck in their shirt and want to wear more fitted clothing. Plus the tapering effect gives the necessary amount of compression and slimming around the waist area. So, with that basic idea in mind, they searched for the best yarn combinations, check out the fit on men, and keep iterating until they reached the perfect design.

Q. What was your motivation and goal behind choosing the particular fabric blend you are using in s4m? (which looks more like a traditional undershirt)

A. Sara and her team wanted it to look and feel as much like the men’s undertee as possible as they felt it would be an easier transition for men. Also, they chose cotton because how well it performs as an undergarment and no one had yet figured out how to do a men’s shapewear undershirt  in cotton very well.  They always strive to offer something unique that people cannot get anywhere else. They do have plans to do other men’s shapewear undershirts in the future, such as making ones made out of synthetic materials for performance wear. They also have other styles up there sleeves.  (I can’t wait!)

Q. From what I’ve seen so far, the new men’s line include a white and black tank top, crew neck, and v-neck undershirt. do you have plans to launch any other colors or styles any time soon?

A. They’ll be offering S4M in grey color in the fall. Future growth of the product line will be based on customer feedback.

Here’s the official press release:
SPANX for Men Cotton Compression Undershirt Launch Release

Details of the SPANX for Men product launch have started to leak out on the Spanx, Inc. Twitter account. Based on the information there, here’s what we know so far:

• On 1/17/10 there was a tweet saying that Spanx for Men would be launching “next month” (February 2010)
• On the same day, they tweeted saying that they sent some of the Golden Globes celebrity men (as well as other famous internet bloggers!) “SPANX for Men Cotton Compression Undershirts” – so now it looks like we know what their official product name is! I’ll call it S4MCCU
• On 1/19 there was a tweet about Steve Carell wearing SPANX. That led to more information where we find out that Matt Damon and Alec Baldwin also received some free S4MCCU!STEVE CARELL – Did he or didn’t he? That was the big question on our minds as the funnyman walked the Golden Globes red carpet. Before the show, Carell was sent Spanx for Men – yep, the same foundation-wear brand that stars from Amy Adams to Kelly Osbourne use as a tummy-tightening red-carpet hero. Carell, already a self-proclaimed fan, was one of the first on Spanx’s list to receive a Spanx for Men Cotton Compression Crew Neck Undershirt. Also gifted: Matt Damon and Alec Baldwin.
• On 1/26, another tweet saying they are launching Spanx 4 Men soon

That’s all the info I could find via their twitter account as of this morning, but I’m sure we’ll start to see more in the coming weeks!

I wonder who’s got their Spanx for Men Cotton Compression Undershirt on today??

1/29/10 – Update: Just saw this on NYMag.com.

And though it’s [Milk's Fashion Week] taking place in the Bryant Park Hotel, Spanx are showing their new women’s and men’s (yes, man Spanx are happening) lines during Fashion Week, too. So that whole geographic region of Fashion Week is going downhill. Bryant Park? Well, we can think of another kind of park it’s calling to mind more and more lately!

1/30/10 – Update: Looking around the web, I found these images in a S4M announcement post on shefinds.com. This looks like official SPANX designed artwork. If you look closely at the images below, you’ll notice a guy in a crew neck and a tank top. Hmm, I’m guessing they’ll make a v-neck too?