Shirt Stays - How To Videos February 27 2017

We've created a series of How To videos to demonstrate how our Shirt Stays collection keep your shirt tucked in.

View the Classic Shirt Stays - How To Video

View the Y-Style+ Shirt Stays - How To Video

View the Y-Style+ No Sock Shirt Stays - How To Video

Shirt Stays: Revisited One Year On - A Customer Review October 28 2016

Via SPLENDEUR on Reddit

"Almost a year ago, I made a thread reviewing my initial experience with shirt stays here: Thread

I wanted to do a follow-up review after wearing them every weekday for work - for those who were/are still sitting on the fence on shirt stays or simply for those who have not heard of these (or have) and may have their interest piqued. There is a link in the top third of the original Reddit thread above that shows what the stays look like, and what they are, for reference.

Will put the following review in the same structure as the original for ease of contrast/comparison. Let's get into it:

Does it fulfill its purpose?

Can happily say that it still well and truly continues to deliver in terms of keeping the 'puff' from ever showing itself. I am still using the same set of stays since the first review.

Design, setting up and ease of use?

The metal adjustment clips do well to hold the desired length of the stays. The clips are showing signs of rust from moisture (from sweat, rain, etc.). The rubber clips and the opposing metal frame that attach themselves to the shirt fabric and the socks are simple to clip on and use - though they are difficult to clip on if you have socks that are denser.

I have made no change to the way I attach and direct my stays (i.e. criss-cross pattern on each leg - e.g. front-right shirt clip attached to back-left of sock, back-right shirt clip attached to front right sock, repeat with other leg) - I've tried the alternative pattern of front shirt to front sock, etc. Both comfortable but the latter had the tendency to make the stay bands fall to the sides of your leg when bent and makes it obvious you there is something that ain't underwear under the pants.

A minor complaint I would make is having to unclip them from an old shirt and clip to a new one is a bit of an inconvenience of what should be a simple affair.

Comfortability?

For the 12 months or so I've been wearing these, adjustments have been made that have remedied some of the issues I had with these detailed in the original thread:

• Regarding the leg hair getting painfully stuck to the clips/bands during the day, all I had to do was flip the stay band to the other side, so that black rubber clip's flat side is on my leg, considerably reducing any chance of stray hair catching onto the clip. Strangely, that same side of the band also had less pilling occurring, which would catch onto hair during the course of a day, so it was a double win.

• I've since found my perfect length for each of the four bands (as one of my shoulders sits higher than the other), so wearing these daily have become a more comfortable/invisible affair, no more undue stress on my posture. I've not had these bands snap off and flick my nuts.

• Adjusting stay length on the fly is still a pain in the ass, unless you like to pull your pants down to your feet in public (even then...) - get it right and then set it before you clip them on.

• Depending on tautness of your stays, raising your arms into the air can place a bit of stress on the shirt fabric with the bands pulling the opposite force

One issue that appeared since my initial review was when I wore tailored pants that had been tapered from the knee downwards, the bands added a couple of millimetres of extra circumference on my legs. So if there was a time I walked quickly and the blood engorged my calves, the pants leg would slight catch onto the clip head near the shin and raise the hem break, exposing the socks. I've since worn my stays to the tailors when going to get measurements.

Another matter was leg sweat (my job involves me walking a lot and I'm a profuse sweater) plus the rubber clip making constant contact with my skin over a working day meant that I had the occasional localised rashes break out on the contact point, which sometimes turned into a blister if my sweating didn't relent. Used ethanol pads and warm water to clean the rubber clips and helped reduce incidences considerably.

Overall, they have become more comfortable to wear over time after adjusting for length and surface direction.

Durability

Okay - this, for me, was the biggest factor in buying and using shirt stays. Reviews of these particular types of shirt stays were mixed to say the least, with durability coming out on top of the subject of negative reviews.

I can happily attest (though your mileage may vary) that if you treat the clips with respect, they will last you a while (at least a year ;) - I try to be mindful and deliberate with the unclipping/clipping. As mentioned earlier, I am still wearing the same stay bands. There is slight rusting on the metal clips, pilling happening on the fabric banding, but the clips haven't broken/failed nor have the rubber clip heads cracked or snapped. Just as long as you haven't set your band length too tightly, there should be no undue stress on these components.

Overall, the current set of bands another year of life in them. So far, their durability have gone way beyond my initial expectations and am very satisfied. I will be square, I haven't washed my stays - don't know if you should or not, but people may feel compelled to due to its fabric make-up - which may've contributed to its lifespan.

Visibility? Is it obvious during wear?

I've not once been asked from people I know would tell me if I had something in my pants, ask me if I had something in my pants. The bands (including the clips) maintain a pretty low profile.

When my jacket is off, unless you have your bands too taut, stress creases/folds from the clips cannot be seen on the shirt. My shirts and socks have yet to see any sort of damage/fraying to their respective fabrics from the clips in the 12 months I have worn these bands.

Current viewpoint/TL;DR

To put it briefly and to re-iterate: with business wear, I cannot go back to not wearing stays.

In a formal context, it really does make you stand out from the sea of shirt puff. I've received compliments on my presentation... asking where I got my shirt from, or my pants... but little do they know what is tying it all together. The appearance of a puff-free shirt and a taut silhouette simply cannot be beat

Thanks for reading and sorry for the long one. If anyone has any questions, happy to answer, and hope this has been helpful for someone!"

- - -

Thank you SPLENDEUR

You can follow the conversation here

Why are Shirt Stays the most effective way to keep your shirt tucked in? January 03 2016

Since the start of sharp&dapper we have come across many old and new brands exploring the world of ‘shirt tucking’, doing their best to make sure your Shirt stays tucked in. I have tried and tested all of these methods and explore their pros and cons below.

I started with, our very own “Classic” Shirt Stays:

We use four simple elastic bands with adjusters in the middle for length control, and rubber suspender clips on either end. Our Shirt Stays use thin but strong English made elastic and fine clips. We like to keep our Shirt Stays as slender as possible to prevent them showing through your trousers. With the correct positioning and length, this type of Shirt Stays will keep your shirt tucked in throughout the whole day, as well as stopping your socks from falling down. Our Shirt Stays actively pull your shirt BACK DOWN, no matter how much you move around.

Sometimes people find their leg hairs are snagged or the Shirt Stays are not comfortable. This has also happened to me, but without a doubt, 100% of the time it’s because my Shirt Stays are too tight. Loosen them and the problem disappears.

There are of course, other styles of ‘shirt tucking’ accessories. These accessories aim to keep your shirt tucked in using different techniques, without the aid of our classic elastic straps. Out of respect for my competitors and Savile Row tailors I won’t mention any brands or names, but I will give both their opinions and my own findings.

Magnets:

This method uses two very strong magnets, which are attached by each side seam of your shirt. One on the inside and the other on the outside of your shirt. This is supposed to keep your shirt tucked in all day. The first problem I encountered was the bulky size of the magnets, they left large and undesirable bugles on each hip. Secondly, once I started moving and my shirt began to tug upwards, the magnets couldn’t “pull” my shirt back down. To be fair, these magnets will keep your shirt tucked for a bit longer but manually re-tucking will be necessary.

Sticky Belts:

Another ‘shirt tucking’ solution are sticky, rubbery straps that you attach just like a belt around your shirt before putting your trousers on.

This hidden belt will keep your shirt taught and due to a “sticky” outside they will “hook” on to the inside of your trousers keeping your shirt tucked.

At first I was worried that the sticky nature of the hidden belt would damage the fabric of my trousers or shirt. After testing, this didn’t appear to be too much of an issue, however, the product still failed to keep my shirt well tucked in. It was necessary to re-tuck my shirt quite often.

Rubber Grip:

The tailors favourite solution (I've talked to quite a few tailors, many who love Shirt Stays while a few of the ‘old school’ tailors have yet to be convinced)

Your tailor adds a rubber grip to the inside waistband of your trousers. Similar to the ‘sticky belt’ this rubber strap is intended to grip the shirt material and hold it down. Once again, I didn’t feel securely tucked in and need to re-position my shirt quite a bit.

Some tailors even go as far as to suggest that with a really well tailored suit and shirt, your shirt won’t ride up at all…

Unfortunately, for most of us, bespoke tailoring isn’t an affordable, everyday option. So it’s going to be necessary to find another solution.

The Military Tuck:

(Real Men Real Style for Art Of Manliness)

This is a method of folding the sides of your shirt into neat pleats before buttoning your trousers. It does make the shirt look more fitted but, once you start to move, the shirt rides up and it’s going to stay up.

If you want to make the shirt look more fitted I would suggest you take it to a tailor so they can put a couple of seams down the back to get rid of excess fabric. This is not expensive and will make the shirt look better. (Won’t keep it tucked in though.)

Finally, (and I’m sure none of you do this) one of the more unappetizing methods I hear about time and time again, is tucking your shirt into your underpants!

No. Really, don’t do it.

Personally, I think that once your shirt has ridden up (and it will, trust me), it’s not going back down without some help!  Having tried and tested these other options my view and belief in Shirt Stays is stronger then ever.

Click here for a quick instructional video on how to put on your Shirt Stays

sharp&dapper - A Guide to Shirt Stays January 08 2015

“A minor life-changing experience” Fantastic Man Magazine.

Browse our range of Shirt Stays: sharpanddapper.com/collections/shirt-stays

Shirt Stays are a game-changing product, which work by comfortably attaching your shirt to your socks with adjustable elastic braces. Hidden beneath your trousers, they make sure that your socks will never slip down and - most importantly - your shirt will stay tucked in the whole day long.

sharp&dapper - How to Fold a Pocket Square January 08 2015

The small accessory that makes a big statement.

Browse our range of Made in England Pocket Squares: sharpanddapper.com/collections/pocket-square

"For this simple but elegant decoration piece, we only use 100% silk in single colours with contrasting trims. This way, you can choose how much colour you want to show off in your pocket. Hand-rolled trims are miles apart from their machine-sewn contemporaries. With machine-sewn squares it’s tricky to hide the fold, whilst a hand-rolled square holds its form whichever way the edge peaks out so that the finish always looks beautiful."

sharp&dapper - How to use The Tie Thing January 08 2015

Having trouble keeping your tie in check?

Keep your tie in check: sharpanddapper.com/collections/ties/products/the-tie-thing

This simple but genius invention discreetly attaches your tie to your shirt. Placed through your tie label, and then niftily through your shirt button, your tie will stay in its rightful place all day long.

sharp&dapper - How to Sew on Buttons January 08 2015

To wear our braces and suspenders you’ll require buttons on your trousers.

An alternative to sewing your own are Clip-On Buttons: sharpanddapper.com/collections/accessories/products/clip-on-buttons

Our clip-on buttons are a great alternative to sewing buttons onto your trousers. They are easily removed so they can be swapped between different pairs.

A Guide to Pocket Squares September 04 2014

I walked down a street in central London recently and thought that I would count the number of men who accessorised with a dapper pocket square.

The result was quite surprising!

Why we wear shirt stays: The secret behind Sharp&Dapper July 15 2014

Un-tucked or tucked-in shirt by the end of the day: That’s the question. The importance of dressing well is something that shouldn’t be taken lightly...

Welcome to the new sharp&dapper February 24 2014