Growing up, you’ve probably got your styling tips from the men in your family, and as helpful as it was meant to be, more often than not it only created additional confusion. Maybe your dad always tucked his shirts in, or your older brother never did, and you ended up somewhere in between, with little to no sense of personal style.

If you’ve ever stood in front of the mirror debating how you should wear a sweater or a flannel, you’re definitely not alone, and we’re here to help you. We went through five different tops and created the perfect cheat code guide, so that your outfits will always look intentional and fit the moment.

T-Shirt – Untucked or French Tucked

The basic t-shirt almost always looks better untucked, since it’s meant to make dressing up easy and fuss-free. Tucking it in can sometimes make you look like you’re trying too hard, especially if the fit isn’t right. For instance, if you tuck in an oversized t-shirt, it will “swallow” your body and look disproportionate, and if your t-shirt is already well-fitted, there’s no point in tucking it in the first place. However, if you wear it with tailored trousers and a belt, a standard t-shirt can still be turned into a statement piece if you do a French tuck.

Knit Sweater – Untucked or Slightly Tucked

Generally speaking, chunky knits, especially Aran sweaters, should stay untucked. Much like the t-shirts, these garments are made to make dressing up as effortless as possible, and a tucked-in Aran knit sweater can look like you’re and doing too much.

Unlike the rest of the tops from this list, these pieces of men’s Irish clothing https://www.shamrockgift.com/mens-clothing  are already statement pieces, with their dynamic Aran patterns adding enough volume on their own to not make you overthink your outfits. However, if you choose a thinner, more lightweight Irish sweater and wear it with dress pants, then you can slightly tuck it in, especially if you’re layering it over a t-shirt or a casual collared shirt.

Polo Shirt – Tucked or Untucked

Polo shirts are where things get a bit more flexible: depending on the situation and on the rest of your outfit, you can wear it both fully tucked or untucked. For instance, if you’re dressing up with tailored pants, a polo shirt has to be tucked to give your look that sharp edge, like you actually put effort into selecting your clothes instead of just grabbing the first thing you saw in your clothing.

For more casual settings, it’s fine to keep it untucked, but, as always, check the length: if your shirt is too long, wearing it untucked will look more like a tunic than a polo. The golden rule is that if it covers more than half of your back pockets, then it’s too long to leave untucked.

Dress Shirt – Tucked

This one’s easy: dress shirts should always be tucked in. These shirts are specially made and cut longer in the back and front, so if you leave them untucked, they look like you forgot to finish getting dresses and left home in a hurry. A tucked-in dress shirt sharpens up your entire look, creating a clean break at the waist and making your legs look longer, and it’s especially important to tuck it in if you’re wearing a blazer.

The only exception is if you’re wearing a short dress shirt that’s designed to be worn untucked, but even then you have to be careful with it to not look sloppy in a formal setting.

Flannel Shirt – Tucked or Untucked

Flannel shirts are layering pieces, which means that the only way to wear them is untucked. But be careful with what you wear underneath: if you’re throwing a flannel over a t-shirt, make sure the latter is tucked in to create that polished look, even in a casual outfit.

If you wear a flannel on its own, like in a dressier way with dark jeans, a belt, and boots, then you can fully tuck it in to refine the look. Pay close attention to the length of your flannel: if it’s long enough to be a dress shirt, then it should be treated like one.