Take a look at J.Crew's mannequins at their brick & mortar stores, website, or style guide catalog and its clear that the outfits feature the latest trends of color-blocking, nautical themed prints, and... the half tucked-in shirt. Yeah, that last one is happening. It's pretty much everywhere at J.Crew too.
Is this trend (of leaving half the shirt out with the other half tucked-in) really a trend? I mean, is it wearable for the everyday fashionista?I have seen some other fashion bloggers sporting this look and can't decide if they are rocking a laid back look or acting a mess by not cleaning it up.
What are your thoughts on the half tucked-in shirt trend? Are you on board with the look already? If so, how are you pulling it off? (Is it for certain occasions? Certain outfits?) Are you planning to avoid this look? Please share! :)
The fact that the half-tuck is intentional (i.e. on every mannequin and model) just makes it "trying too hard." It's this year's alternative to crazy layering.
ReplyDeletequick question, do you have a button? i'd love to link your page from my blog. =)
ReplyDeleteAlso, I think the half-tuck is a way to disguise fit issues--for example, if a top is too boxy or blousy. Just half-tuck it, and no one will be able to guess the actual silhouette.
ReplyDeleteI've done a half-tuck occasionally and I think it can look rather chic. However, I don't really like how any of the half-tucks above look - I think it's trickier with woven tops, like in all the above pictures, or with tops that don't drape as well. With knits on the other hand, a half-tuck can be an elegant way to create volume when a form-fitting look is not the goal. It's also a good solution when a looser, blousey top is too long and would otherwise fall flat like a barrel around the hips. I find that tucking up one side creates elegant ruching on that side, and when done correctly (the hem should look continuous), the asymmetry also conveniently keeps the silhouette long and not boxy, unlike the poof that may result from a loose [symmetrical] full-tuck (a tight full-tuck, on the other hand, has an entirely different purpose - not for creating drapey volume - and is thus an entirely different story). Once again, I don't think any of the above pics represent "done correctly," though.
ReplyDeleteWow, that probably all sounded very technical and hard to picture. I may post some pics of looks I've done with half-tucks.
In lieu of my own pictures (for the time being), here's an example (that I found on the interwebs) of how I think a half tuck should be done, basically. The bottom edge is mostly continuous, and doesn't "jump" from tucked to untucked, height-wise. Personally, I would move the tuck entirely over to the side, and pull down the tucked side a bit so you can't see the top edge of the skirt (is visually too sharp of a break for the soft, voluminous look we're going for here).
DeleteHere's one done in front that I think is done well. Once again, I think the key is that there is enough drape over the part where the pant top does show so that the overall look is still soft, not pinched, as with a tightly-pulled tuck.
Man, that's a whole lot of analysis for something frivolous, lol. (I can't help it!)
I agree with you life as a cat! I do like wearing a half tuck with boxy blouses, and it really helps to show off your belt. I think its hard to successfully make it work with button-up shirts, that's when it starts to look messy.
DeleteOn a side note, I find myself wearing a half tuck often at work! I have an ID badge that always gets attached to my belt loop (or belt!) and it has to be visible at all times because of the art gallery I work in. It's funny, but the half tuck makes my ID more visible and then security doesn't bother me about not having it visible.
Ah, a functional half-tuck. Who would've thought! Haha.
Delete@Life as a cat, I totally agree! As a petite, rectangular body type, I like to do an asymmetrical half-tuck onto my pants & shorts when I wear drapey knit tees, too-long pullovers & soft woven blouses. I find that it helps to define my waist area, show off a belt, and generally give off a more relaxed vibe than a fully tucked in top and yet seems more "put-together" than leaving one's top completely untucked, which tends to make me look shapeless.
DeleteI find it works best when the pants/shorts are mid or low-waisted, hence I don't find the look working as well with my pencil skirts that hit at the natural waist.
It also helps rein in volume & length on tops that are too full to be fully tucked in, but sloppy when left untucked.
I do it all the time -- and have been for years! Unless it's a dressier occasion, I don't love tucked in shirts because I don't like the feel of the bunching up and I don't like the maintenance of making sure it is properly tucked in. (How lazy am I??) But sometimes a shirt looks too long to be left completely out and tucking in shortens it -- sometimes I feel like the half tuck actually looks less messy than leaving a shirt completely out and I've never gotten any negative comments from even my bluntest friends.
ReplyDeleteI actually don't mind it - I prefer a more structured "tuck" myself, but I like it quite well
ReplyDeleteI like the partial-tuck look in the second photo with the striped sweater and the 2 sleeveless shirts. The gingham shirt version looks a little too in-your-face and not my style.
ReplyDelete"That's one tuck and one no tuck." - George Costanza.
ReplyDeleteSorry, I couldn't help a Seinfeld reference! ;p
I wish there was a "Like" button for this comment...
DeleteLove it!
DeleteI think it looks best on me off to one side. For me it helps show I have a figure, flatter stomach, but relieves the silhouette of my lumpy back bits. My 22 yrs old says "No" for her and hassle me to doing in anything but jeans/tee/flats. Half tuck button-up shirts make her crazy.
ReplyDeleteI do it all the time! It gives me a little more shape when wearing a boxy shirt. I love how it looks slouchy and laid back. I mainly do it with tee shirts and pull overs, not button downs. I love the look!
ReplyDeleteI'm a fan of the half tuck, but not on the bottom down. I prefer the partial tuck, only in the front, not the "half and half". It looks like the styling is not effortless and trying way too hard.
ReplyDeleteITA with Cass. In a product shoot, it breaks up the line of an outfit, and done with precision, can show off the waist of pants or skirt. That's what those pictures are for - to show you the product. But the model or mannequin is standing still. Walking, running, carrying - well, anything, say, a beach tote - it immediately loses whatever grace it may have had and just looks sloppy. As for bending over... I don't like any look that needs constant fiddling or adjusting. I also think that (hope this doesn't raise any hackles, but you did ask for opinions, Alexis) if you are tall and slender, you can wear just about anything and look good, sometimes even great. But us ordinary folks need to be a little more discerning.
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ReplyDeleteThe look is everywhere. The new Elle UK will have David Beckham on the cover, and previews show him with half-tucked white tee and half-tucked white undershirt. Beckham can wear anything. In fact, he doesn't even need clothes.
ReplyDeleteLMAO! It's funny, because it's true!
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DeleteWFF raises an important point for me when it comes to the half-tuck, even though I like the look ... it is easy to make it look good when you are standing still, or on a static model, or looking at your reflection in one dimension in a mirror. But in 3 dimensions or with any kind of movement whatsoever, I can't make it work and I'm afraid I just end up looking like a fashion victim from behind!
ReplyDeleteI will only do it with a tee and just at the front to show off a belt. I think it looks ridiculous with a button-up shirt.
ReplyDeleteSame here - a half tucked tee to showcase a great belt buckle is so cool looking. Jennifer Aniston does that quite often & looks fab!
Deletei don't like the half tuck at all with dressy shirts (button downs, silk, etc.). with a t or something casual it's ok. i don't think it's flattering at all. either tuck in your shirt or don't! there's nothing effortless about it. in fact, the half tuck only looks good with careful maneuvering.
ReplyDeleteI tried the half tuck (untuck?) once....my husband took one look at me and said "you forgot to tuck your shirt in". So much for that. When I do the full tuck in, I like it to be a little loose and informal. And if it "accidently" comes partially untucked I don't mind.
ReplyDeleteMy personal opinion (because if I try it, it looks like I went to the restroom and had to get out in a hurry!): It looks contrived on some folks. I keep picturing someone standing in front of mirror trying to get that "perfect tuck" she saw in Vogue or Bazaar.
ReplyDeletePass for me..I also wondered (the few times I did try it with a casual tee), if it wasn't contributing to those tiny holes found on the bottom of my tees!
I HATE those little holes! I used to throw away my tees as soon as it happened, but it happened too often to keep that up. A subconscious reason I started using the half-tuck may have been to hide those holes...
DeleteI have been trying for years to figure out the culprit -- anyone know??? My best guess is seatbelts, especially when rubbing against belt-belts???
I deduced that it was one particular belt of mine, a J. Crew even, that was making all those little holes in my shirts. I think the thin cotton was getting caught between the post and the outer piece of the buckle and causing the holes. Ever since I stopped wearing the belt, I've stopped getting holes in the bottoms of my shirts! Too bad, it's a really nice belt too!
DeleteFor me, the holes always happen in the center. I've decided they must come from the top corner of my jeans' button tab, which pokes up. I wouldn't have suspected such a thing would be sharp enough to create holes in shirts, but there you go. Also, I've noticed that tees with modal are more likely to get holes than 100% cotton ones; I guess modal is just more delicate.
DeleteYeah, I do it with knits, but I wouldn't try it with a button-down, either.
ReplyDeleteHalf the time, I don't even mean to do it -- my top just ends up that way 'cause I'm a mess, haha.
The half-tuck was done a lot back in the 80's, so it's not surprising to see it brought back again now (along with neon, exposed zippers, etc). I did do the half-tuck back then, and still do it occasionally now if I'm wearing a tee, but not with a button down shirt.
ReplyDeleteOops, on re-reading I see that I only posted half my thought! I meant this as a criticism of JC's deceptive styling and photography--if you half tuck in the photo tuck, the customer can't tell what the top actually looks like.
ReplyDeleteIRL I have skipped the untucked trend and will be skipping half-tucked as well, because neither is flattering to a small waist, and I'm happy that tucking is back around.
I always used to be a full tucker, but my recently acquired muffin top makes the look rather unappealing from the back. I've tried the half tuck, and while I liked the look, I got tired of my young children telling me that I needed to "fix" my shirt.
ReplyDeleteIf you think about it, the half tuck is the fashion equivalent of the mullet: business in the front, party in the back.
I've been doing the half tuck for years--I'm not even sure that its a "trend." When I was in college I worked at Ralph Lauren, where we always had to tuck our shirts. We had a crazy list of different kinds of tucks we could wear, and the "half-tuck" was my favorite--you know, aside from a normal full tuck.
ReplyDeleteagree with PAMELA--I wouldn't wear half tucked and half untucked in the front---it looks unkempt--but I do occasionally wear something tucked in the front and not in the back.
ReplyDeleteYears ago I used to half tuck because belt buckles broke my skin out. It was a barrier between any metal and my skin. I guess I've built up some immunity to cheap metals because I don't break out like that anymore. These days I've half tucked a blousy t in a maxi skirt like the pic that lifeasacat shared. The half tucked button down looks silly on me.
ReplyDeleteThis is the funniest thread.
I'm enjoying this thread immensely :)
DeleteI've been a front-only tucker with casual shirts for years, mainly because lots of my shirts have extra fabric at the waist since I have to size up for my chest and shoulders. A little front tuckage, for me, is both slimming and allows me to show off a fun belt without the formality of a full tuck. Any time I've attempted an asymmetrical tuck or a half n' half with a button down, though, I look silly, so I'll leave that to the models.
The half tuck just always looks to me like you were in a hurry getting out of the bathroom.
ReplyDeleteMake-a-me-laugh!
DeleteI have to agree with Jen. I didn't realize people did this intentionally IRL. I assumed their shirt came untucked and they hadn't bothered to fix it.
Deletegigiofca: I agree, this is the funniest thread! That said, I'm surprised this topic hasn't come up sooner here.
ReplyDeleteHexicon: You're right about the deceptive stock photos. Style however you want in the catalogues (sorry, "style guides") JC, but there should always be at least one stock photo that shows the whole shirt as it naturally hangs on a model. When I take a look at a top, I have to go straight to the stock photo where it's laid flat to see what it really looks like (but then the colours are often wonky). Annoying!
Personally, I half tuck constantly. Always have, probably always will. Either full front or half of the front to one side. I do it automatically without thinking, so it never feels contrived. I only full tuck with longer tops with high-waisted bottoms. I have shorter legs so a tuck lengthens them and creates nicer top-bottom proportions, but a full tuck often looks too stuffy for me.
It depends on the top and maybe my mood. Sometimes I like the half-tuck and sometimes I don't.
ReplyDeleteThis is such an old method of styling - surprised it is a topic! Did this many moons ago on my manequins b/c in my merchandiser days. Not a look I would copy unless casual.
ReplyDeleteI like the half tuck... done properly, but sometimes, it just makes me look like a drunk.
ReplyDeleteI am surprised "Seinfeld" never did a take on this...these comments are funny. I think the half tuck on the side looks contrived, just saying...
ReplyDeleteI am loving all the posts. My problem with the half tuck is that you can't see how the garment lays IRL. I had high hopes for the liinen swing sweater in stripe after seeing how cute it was when styled in the guide. In reality it was heinous. When I returned it to the B&m. I jokingly told the sp that it was from the new maternity line. The young clueless sp said (and I quote)" I didn't know Jcrew had maternity"! I laughed the whole way home!
ReplyDeleteHalf tuck all the way. You just have to do it with the right clothes.
ReplyDeleteOT - Pleasanton 9254632100 report as of today, Wed:
ReplyDelete* Natasha in wildcat, one sz 12
* Natasha in polka dot, one sz 12
* Gardenshade floral pencil skirt - at least 15 of them on the rack. I saw size 2 and size 12 for sure. This skirt is now $39.99
* Hacking jacket in tweed - 4 or 5 of them. Last ticketed price is $209.99, but could be cheaper.
HTH someone
Maybe CNBC should do a follow up to the JCrew/Mickey story and ask this question to the average person on the street- maybe the "what would you do" ABC show could ask the unsuspecting people on the street... is there really a right answer....?!
ReplyDeleteOT: There are some new arrivals online today, plus there are a lot of new items put on promo this morning, including the Collection Icon Trench, Schoolboy blazer in eylet, and Silk Bow Cami. I updated the Women's Promo-Priced Items list and posted it here. I'll have the updated Men's Promo-priced items list posted a little later today, too. :)
ReplyDeleteOT again: Just a follow up to the post about J.Crew borrowing patterns and prints. The poppy print at J.Crew that is now on a scarf, swimsuit, and iPhone cover is almost identical to the poppy print that Kate Spade offered at the beginning of this year/end of last year.
ReplyDeleteJ.Crew version here.
Kate Spade version here.
I just posted the updated Men's Promo-priced Items list here.
ReplyDeleteI've been half tucking for years. It depends on the outfit-- it could look sloppy or weird to traditional/conservative people or if you're pairing baggy with baggy (I personally never do that) but otherwise, it can add interest or define your waist. I'm doing it today, in fact, with a pair of wide leg Calvin Klein pants and a snug tee...I tucked the front into the wide waistband but left the back to do what it wants to.
ReplyDelete