Wearing a white t-shirt under a corporate polo golf shirt

[ascorbate]

Recently, we had a senior officer show up at a weekly squadron meeting wearing the corporate uniform (dark blue polo golf shirt and dress grey trousers). After opening formation, I approached the senior officer and commented about the white crew neck t-shirt he was wearing as an undergarment beneath his dark blue polo golf shirt. One of the other senior officers overheard me and pointed to another senior officer in an olive green flight suit who was also wearing a white t-shirt as an undergarment.

I proceeded to find CAPM 39-1 and ascertained that a white t-shirt is authorized for wear as an undergarment with the flight suit but I could not find any mention of whether a white t-shirt could also be worn as an undergarment while also wearing the corporate dark blue polo golf shirt.

I'd like to propose that if a senior officer chooses to wear a t-shirt beneath the corporate golf shirt that the senior officer please wear a dark blue or black t-shirt... any thoughts please!

[cap235629]

you are joking right?

If not, I suggest you rethink your approach.

Gigging someone for wearing a white t-shirt with a polo is ridiculous.  Also most people wear a t-shirt when dressing in a business casual atmosphere, which is exactly what the polo/grey is intended to be

[ascorbate]

The senior officers portraying the wear of the corporate uniform in CAPM 39-1 are not wearing a white t-shirt as an undergarment.

I'm not against the wearing of a t-shirt as an undergarment... but if the senior officer wants to wear a white t-shirt... maybe that t-shirt should be a v-neck instead?

[davidsinn]

I'd like to propose that if a senior officer chooses to wear a t-shirt beneath the corporate golf shirt that the senior officer please wear a dark blue or black t-shirt... any thoughts please!

My first one would be: why? It's normal everywhere else in the world to wear a white tshirt under a polo and since it's not specified in writing that I would just leave it alone.

[EMT-83]

I've never seen anyone wear a t-shirt under a polo shirt, but imagine it would look ridiculous.  Especially white under dark blue.

Maybe an unofficial conversation with fashion tips?

[cap235629]

also, if you ever brought it up to me in person, you probably would not like the response you would get.......

[AlphaSigOU]

The senior officers portraying the wear of the corporate uniform in CAPM 39-1 are not wearing a white t-shirt as an undergarment.

I'm not against the wearing of a t-shirt as an undergarment... but if the senior officer wants to wear a white t-shirt... maybe that t-shirt should be a v-neck instead?

Unless there is a reg cite like the wear of t-shirts under the blues shirt, I wouldn't worry about it, so long as the t-shirt doesn't look stretched out or dingy. There are some who won't walk outta the house without wearing a t-shirt under a shirt.

[ascorbate]

I've never seen anyone wear a t-shirt under a polo shirt, but imagine it would look ridiculous.  Especially white under dark blue.

Unfortunately, I've seen it firsthand... and I'll reserve my use of an appropriate adjective!

[Rotorhead]

I've never seen anyone wear a t-shirt under a polo shirt, but imagine it would look ridiculous.  Especially white under dark blue.

Unfortunately, I've seen it firsthand... and I'll reserve my use of an appropriate adjective!

Why not a v-neck t-shirt? That's what is mandated for the white & greys, IIRC.

[pixelwonk]

Granted, there's a certain dweeb factor to wearing a white crewneck under a dark blue polo.

Having said that, if that's the very last thing you need to address to make your unit perfect in every way, then more power to you.  Though I'd doubt that's the case. 
Pick your battles according to the regs, or safety issues.  This falls under neither.

[LittleIronPilot]

There are some who won't walk outta the house without wearing a t-shirt under a shirt.

Put me in that category. I wear polo/t-shirt daily in the business world and that is also what I wear under my blue polo for CAP and even under regular t-shirts when just hanging out.

I almost never go without a white t-shirt undergarment.

[Rotorhead]

There are some who won't walk outta the house without wearing a t-shirt under a shirt.

I almost never go without a white t-shirt undergarment.

Why is that?

(I'm asking honestly.)

[Pumbaa]

(I'm asking honestly.)

Modesty for one...  I will not go out without a t-shirt under under a shirt either.  Many cotton shirts are somewhat see-through. 

Also, the purpose of under garments is to protect the shirts from stains from sweating etc.   Don't you love the guy (or gal) that lifts their arms and the sweat is pouring through or you see the yellow stains?  ugh...

This enables easier cleaning as well as letting you to wear the shirt more often with less washing.  ie I can wear a shirt twice before washing vs once without an under garment.  This is actually the original purpose of undergarments as early in history washing clothing was difficult, expensive, time consuming.

Also residue from deodorants/ antiperspirant are kept from staining clothing too.

[SilverEagle2]

I wear a white undergarment for religious reasons and always wear a crew neck style with both my polo and my flight suit.

Never, EVER, been an issue and looks jut fine. In fact, many Polo wearing seniors here are crew neck wearers too.

Reg....Appropriate undergarments will be worn. Crew neck white seems appropriate enough for the polo.

I used to wear a crew neck with my blues when it was authorized (Cadet Days). I now have a U-neck for them. I wish the crew would come back to the blues. Looks cleaner to me, but MABLUE says U or V.

I also do not like the feel of anything on my chest/neck area that is not my undergarment.

Aside from the nasty, un-uniform look of chest hair protruding, it is a cleaner, healthier, nicer look to wear an undergarment.

And frankly, I think the white under the blue is just fine. Look at the BBDU pics in 39-1. Clean, neat, uniform.

As for the flight suit, if I had to wear a black shirt under it, I would be 3 layers at that point (incidently what happens with my BDU's which are not worn much ), and in Utah in the desert, uncomfortable.

My 2 Cents

[DogCollar]

I also wear a white crew t-shirt under my blue polo, and for the same as reasons stated by others.  I also prefer the crew neck to any other kind of t-shirt.  In my opinion a white t-shirt looks a lot better with the blue polo than either a blue or especially a black t-shirt!!

All that said, a t-shirt is not mentioned at all in 39-5, therefore a white crew is perfectly acceptable.

[Climbnsink]

I wear a black T-shirt under the polo sometimes.  I gotta ask, What is the offending members specialty track?

[Chappie]

I always wear the v-neck under the blue polo....and the rest of my shirts.  On a rush to CAP event once I grabbed the wrong set of t-shirts -- crew necks.  Had to convert them to v-necks for the CAP event since I was wearing the blue uniform.  Decided that it would be easier to stick with v-necks.   And I wear them for the same reasons cited by others.  Besides...Hanes makes me feel good all under (if you remember that ad  ).

[SarDragon]

I wear undershirts as a matter of habit. My dad was in the Navy, and required that I wear them when I was a kid. Twenty-one years in the Navy reinforced that habit. I wear mostly V-necks under my everyday clothes (even T-shirts), and crew necks under those CAP uniforms requiring them.

I endorse most of the reasons above. My outer shirts stay nicer, the sweaty stink stays in the undershirt, and it doesn't seem any more uncomfortable in the summer with the extra layer.

YMMV.

[FW]

Well now, I think I've heard just about everthing now... I guess there are no more subjects that can be discussed on CAPTALK anymore.  Oh well.....

Talk about a slow news day

BTW, I wouldn't be caught dead without a T under my polo 

[biomed441]

I used to wear a crew neck with my blues when it was authorized (Cadet Days). I now have a U-neck for them. I wish the crew would come back to the blues. Looks cleaner to me, but MABLUE says U or V.

Agreed. The blues would look much better with a white crew neck under them.  IIRC the Navy uses white crews under their khakis or whatever the name of that uniform is. Looks clean and sharp.

As for the polos, regs just say appropriate undergarment and as far as I see it, white, black, blue, with any kind of neck looks fine.  Personal preferance of course, I always have a white or black t-shirt under my polos. Don't have a CAP polo yet but will likely be using black or white with that as well.