I received feedback from readers having trouble with their dress shirts poofing, or what is commonly known as the ‘muffin top’ look, after our last article on when to tuck in your shirt,. Having encountered similar problems myself, and seeing the number of emails I received about the problem, we felt it best to cover the topic for the benefit of all.
Have you ever found yourself in the situation shown in the image below but are unsure how to avoid it? Read on. We talk about 3 ways to avoid the muffin top problem with dress shirts.
Get Fitted to Avoid the Muffin Top
As the heading suggests, the simplest way to avoid the muffin top look is to know what shirt fit is best for YOU. When you have that figured, you can either get a dress shirt tailored to your fit or purchase dress shirts knowing how to size yourself correctly for a perfect fit. You should consider purchasing a slim-fit shirt that is tapered down or dress shirts that remove excess fabrics from the right areas, and if you already have shirts that are not slim fit, you can get them altered to fit better. My company, Hucklebury, is running a Kickstarter right now selling great fitting shirts that eliminate the muffin top at an amazing price – so don’t miss out!
Get Your Shirt To ‘Stay’
Most of you may be aware of garters that women wear to prevent their long stockings from slipping down. Did you know that a similar contraption exists that is made for men and serves to rectify the muffin top? It is known as the ‘shirt stay’. Very simply, it is an elastic band that clips the tail of your dress shirt and attaches it to the top of your socks. You adjust the length to ensure that your shirt stays straight before you put on your pants. Shirt stays are commonly used by uniform group personnel such as the military and police – where you need to look sharp throughout the day – so don’t be turned off by the comparison to garters. They work really well, with only complain being they snap sometimes when stretched too tight and cause pain in sensitive areas. Definitely the next best option after getting a fitted dress shirt. (See this video from RealMenRealStyle for more info)
The ‘No Muffin Top’ Military Tuck
This tactic I found through Lifehacker and haven’t personally tried. In its essence, the idea is to place your pants over your shirt instead of putting your shirt into your pants. This is done by pulling the shirt out from the side seams and folding it back, making sure that the front and back of the shirt are nicely fitted to your body, before pulling your pants up over the shirt. You would need to have a really good belt that holds your shirt in place though. I cannot see this technique lasting the whole day, because a slight lapse in posture (slouching) normally results in your shirt getting pulled out from behind.
So there you have it – 3 easy ways to avoid the muffin top.
Do let us know whether the article was helpful in the comments below!
Image Courtesy: CapHillStyle , DapperQ , HourGlassAngel , Trendkin