• Men's Fashion Basics

Men’s Fashion Basics – Part 2 – T-Shirts

With last week’s article on fit out of the way, it’s time to get stuck into the basic clothing that every guy needs. I decided that tee’s would be a good place to start because they are something we should all be familiar with and should be a staple in your wardrobe.

But before we get ahead of ourselves, let me just clarify that I’m talking about a T-shirt here, NOT an undershirt. An undershirt does exactly what is says on the tin (and the loungewear article yesterday touched on this), it belongs under your shirt so that it can absorb all the sweat and manly smells you excrete throughout the day. This is never to be worn without a shirt, ever.

What I am talking about are the basic cotton T-shirts that can be found in any good clothing store all around the country, that come in an array of colours and different stylings. The reason I think T-shirts are so great is because they’re a piece of clothing that we should all be comfortable with, but when done correctly can give you a really classic look to your outfit. This means that you can feel totally confident in what you’re wearing, whilst keeping your outfit as simple or as layered as you want.

Basic T-Shirts

Here’s a quick rundown of the types of T-shirts available to you: –

• Crew Neck – these are the ones with the round collars and are probably what most men out there are used to wearing. They are great at being the base item for layering i.e. with sweaters, cardigans, shirts and even other T-shirts.
• V-neck – very on-trend right now. As a beginner in fashion, try not to go for anything that has an extremely deep V, more than a couple of inches and you’re pushing it. They are brilliant because they show a little more of your neck; making you appear and feel more relaxed and they help give guys with broader chins something to sit and frame them on underneath. A grey, black and white V-neck are classic items you should have that you can rely on to go with anything.
• Y-neck/Granddad – These are for the fashion-forward guys, with Henley-style inspired knitwear and long-sleeves making a big appearance this autumn. They have a button-up section that ends just below the chest. Extremely versatile for layering as they can be buttoned to the top like a crew neck, or opened up like a v-neck. You could maybe consider having a crew-neck printed Tee as your base and then layer a bright coloured open Y-neck over the top.

Basic T-Shirt Techniques

Now obviously, depending on your style or mood of casual attire then there are different ways you utilise T-shirts. For example, you could use the T-shirt as your base or anchor for the outfit which would mean using a simple tee layered under a statement piece (blazer/check shirt) OR as a way of bringing life into an outfit that is otherwise very basic and monochromatic by using a bold statement colour.

Here are just a few fool-proof things you can try out with your T-shirts:

1. When using a tee as an anchor for the outfit layer it with a statement item. A big trend right now is worker wear so go for a plaid shirt in a bold blue or red – try pairing a white tee with a nice bold check shirt left open. perhaps you’d prefer a striped shirt in the same colours? You can then combine this simple look with some smart grey jeans and a navy blazer if you want to really get into advanced layering. Either way, you have got a great look that’s held together in the middle by the neutral simple Tee. If you never button the top or bottom buttons of your shirts then wear a V-neck or alternatively, try it with only the top two or three buttons done up and pair it with a crew neck.
2. Use your crew necks as a way of bringing a pop of colour into your everyday wear, especially in winter. My standard go-to casual don’t-think-about-it wear for autumn and winter is a mid-blue pair of jeans with a black V-neck jumper over a crew neck in reds, purples and greens. Or if I’m not in a jeans mood, it’ll be stonewash or navy chinos with a grey jumper, only this time the crew neck is in blues, pinks and purples.
3. Fashion can be simple! You can just wear a simple tee with some jeans and create a great outfit as long as they fit correctly. This goes to show how easily fit can make or break an outfit, as if these t-shirts were oversized then these two would look terrible. It is not a very fashion-forward approach, but it can be brought bang up to date using some great military boots/hi-tops with your jeans, or throwing on a simple statement jacket like a Mac or Military coat over the top of the t-shirt.

Example Lookbook

Matt Allinson

Matt graduated from Leeds University in 2009 and is currently studying for an MA in Multi-media Journalism at Bournemouth University. He is in charge of the Men’s Fashion Basics section which provides you with a step by step guide to becoming a stylish individual in any situation.