What to Wear under a Guayabera ?

Every man is faced with the dilemma of the t-shirt under his guayabera when he has to comply with the canons of masculine elegance and the demands of style and practicality. Even if the rules of elegance theoretically forbid it and the must is to wear nothing, it's sometimes necessary to resort to it.

Our experts will enlighten you once and for all so that you can avoid fashion faux-pas !

We answer the questions you may have, so you can choose the perfect guayabera for men.

Why wear an undershirt or a tank top under a guayabera ?

From the moment you slip a t-shirt or tank top under your guayabera, it's important to remember that we're talking about utility, not style! First of all, this extra layer masks the transparency of some white, blue and pink guayaberas.

See our advice on choosing the right white guayabera.

You can also wear a long-sleeved t-shirt, especially in winter. Thanks to its absorption capacity, a tee-shirt or tank top lets you sprint to work in impeccable style. The undergarment will also extend the life of your guayaberas.

Since they don't come into direct contact with the skin, your guayaberas stay clean longer, are washed less regularly and therefore wear out less quickly - logical!

The advantages of an t-shirt under a guayabera

The advantage of wearing a t-shirt under a guayabera is that you can leave your guayabera open.

The guayaberas that can be worn in this way are casual guayaberas: cotton, linen-cotton,...

In this case, you should always select a t-shirt with a round collar, in the same tones as the rest of your outfit.

Look idea: our beige guayabera open over a grey t-shirt, navy blue knit cardigan, jeans and sneakers.

For formal guayaberas buttoned all the way to the top, a choker is de rigueur, and a V-neck with flat seams is preferable if the first two buttons are unbuttoned.

The worst styling mistake would be for the shirt to show or for the lines to show under your guayabera. When it comes to sizing, make sure it fits snugly, isn't too thick and has small armholes, otherwise you may be restricted in your movements.

On the other hand, layering will have the power to make you look more muscular, so if you want to cheat a little, you know what you have to do!

Tank top under a guayabera

The tank top is the second undergarment designed to be worn under a guayabera. It also retains perspiration, but less so than a t-shirt, due to its lightness and lack of sleeves.

When tight-fitting, the tank top allows the guayabera to sit perfectly on the body: creases are avoided, the fit is ideal and the look is refined.

The right color to wear under a guayabera

You might think that white is the color par excellence to wear under a blue, white or pink guayabera. Well, think again!

The first rule is to ensure that the T-shirt is not visible, and the contrast of white with your skin is bound to stand out.

Also, avoid black or printed t-shirts. The color of the T-shirt should be as close as possible to your skin tone, so for light skins, go for light gray or beige (admittedly a little harder to find), while brown, dark gray or black will be more appropriate for darker skins.

The other disadvantage of a white t-shirt is that it will wear out faster, notably due to perspiration stains. Of course, if it's a dark guayabera, you're free to wear the color of your choice!

Linen Horse tip

Commercial T-shirts and tank tops are often designed to be worn on their own. For greater simplicity, you can turn to thermal undergarments specially invented to keep warm or wick away moisture without adding bulk.

And if you're not convinced by these techniques, then shift your focus to what you'll be wearing on top rather than underneath! Check out our article on wearing a Guayabera with a Blazer or Jacket for more inspiration