Yes, there are great debates whether or not wearing an undershirt is better or worse for dealing with the heat. On one side, of course, is the argument that undershirts help absorb sweat and stop if from showing through your shirt, or, worse, staining it at the armpits. On the other side is the argument that undershirts are what causes most of the sweating in the first place, and that if you would just ditch the undershirt, and wear your shirt straight without anything under it, you would sweat a whole lot less, and feel a whole lot more comfortable.
Regardless, though, for most guys, undershirts are something of a comfort thing. Whether you do or don’t wear one, you likely do simply because that is what makes you feel most comfortable. Thus, to switch either from wearing one to not wearing one, or vice versa, would likely be uncomfortable for the first few days until your body adjusts to the new feeling.
Still, we here at The Peak Lapel would like to make a suggestion: Try Uniqlo’s AIRism Undershirts ($9.90). You see, the thing with most undershirts is that they are cotton. This means that they actually trap heat and moisture — the very opposite of what an undershirt should be doing. Cotton, as a fabric, simply does not have moisture wicking, or breathability, as its features. It’s great in a sweater; not so great as an undershirt. That’s why the new breed of “tech wear” undershirts are really where it’s at. These are undershirts made with materials like elastane, spandex, and even polyester, resulting in fabrics that are super smooth, insanely comfortable, incredibly breathable, and stretch and move with you throughout the day. And, as far as bang for your buck, Uniqlo’s AIRism line is some of, if not the single best value in tech wear undershirts. It’s really as simply put as that.
Tech wear undershirts, like Uniqlo’s, actually end up being more comfortable than anything cotton can ever muster. Plus, it comes out of the washing machine feeling smooth and soft, and dries super fast, without getting all stiff or itchy. Trust us. Tech wear undershirts are the future. Cotton undershirts do more harm than good. Undershirts like the Uniqlo AIRism undershirts are a life changer. Seriously. They are that good.
Now, if you are already an undershirt wearer, there is not a question in our minds that you should make the switch to these. Sure, they might be a bit more expensive than a pack of Hanes or Fruit of the Loom, but they are also eons ahead in just about every possible measure. Not to mention the fact that compared to most other brands in this space, AIRism undershirts look cheap. On the other hand, if you don’t currently consider yourself an undershirt person, well, it might well be worth giving these a shot. They might actually help with some moisture wicking and will add comfort, certainly, to some of your stiffer shirts that might not feel quite as nice against the skin. Plus, even if you are not going to fully convert to being an undershirt wearer, it’s still a good idea to have a few in your drawer for those times when it is necessary, or when the mood strikes you. And for those times, especially since you would not be super used to wearing them, they should be as good and as comfortable as possible.
As far as the AIRism line at Uniqlo goes, there is actually quite a bit of variety. They come in both crewneck and v-neck, though, if you are ever going to unbutton the top button of your shirt, we only recommend v-neck. Plus, they also come in a mesh version, which is even more lightweight, airy, and breathable than the standard AIRism undershirts. Some guys love the mesh, some guys prefer the standard. Personally, we like both, depending on the day. Finally, they also come in tank top, so if you find that the slim fit of undershirts cuts against your armpits a bit too tightly for your comfort (causing you to sweat!), you can solve that problem by removing the sleeve entirely, while still gaining all the moisture wicking, comfort, and sweat-stain-on-your—back-preventing properties of these great undershirts.
When it comes to fit, by the way, undershirts are meant to fit quite snug. Not tight, as that would be uncomfortable, but you don’t want to have any extra fabric bunching up beneath your outer layers. That makes for a bad look, and for discomfort as well. Sure, you can prefer a slightly less restricting fit (as I do), but just make sure there isn’t fabric bunching. So long as there is nothing really extra, you should be okay. Plus, any good undershirt is cut with a deep neck, and an extra long torso length so that it can’t be seen when unbuttoned, and stays tucked in all day, respectively. The AIRism line from Uniqlo checks all those boxes.
The last thing you should know, before we leave you to go out and buy some of these, us that Uniqlo sells these undershirts in a whole bunch of colors, from the classic white, to grey, to dark grey, to black, to even skin tone. Now, why would you want colored undershirts? Well, the reason is simple. Colored undershirts won’t show as much. The closer an undershirt is to your skin tone, the less you will see its outline, seems, or shape through a shirt — yes, even a white shirt! Thus, if you pick up a grey or skin-tone colored undershirt, you will be amazed at how seemingly invisible it is beneath your crisp white shirt. It’s really pretty magical. In fact, Uniqlo even sells a version of their AIRism undershirt with no seems of stitching visible at all, making it even more invisible under a shirt.
Well, I think we have said enough about how much we love these undershirts from Uniqlo. They really are all that they have been cracked up to be, and they have our wholehearted recommendation. They can even often be had on sale for about $7.90 or so. Go check them out!