Julie Rath: Product Review — Tommy John Undershirt

Do you have Excess Fabric Gut? What about Bacon Neck? I was fitting a client recently for dress shirts and suits, and I noticed extra undershirt fabric around his middle that was interfering with the flattering fit of his clothing. Underwear lays the foundation for your appearance, so getting your undershirts right is key to a sharp, fitted look.

Image via Tommy John

Image via Tommy John

As menswear has evolved to be more fitted, it no longer makes sense to wear outdated boxy undershirts. Tom Patterson, founder of Tommy John undergarments, was kind enough to send me samples of his Second Skin Deep Vneck Stay Tucked Undershirt (below) for one of my clients to test out in the hopes of eliminating this problem. Here’s the feedback my client gave.

-He found them very comfortable and reported that they held their cling even after several washes. “I actually ordered more undershirts and some underwear to try, so I guess I’m a convert.”

-The undershirts are so soft and elastic that he had a hard time folding them, but that’s obviously a lot less important than how they function when worn. This sounds to me like the perfect men’s undergarment — they feel great, and you couldn’t even fold them if you tried.

-The V-neck was the perfect depth so he wouldn’t have to worry about his t-shirt showing beneath his button-up.

-One of them did shed quite a lot after 1 or 2 washings, but after that he had no problems.

Thanks to Tom for the samples — and for creating this much-needed product. You can check out Tommy John here.