Undershirts and Men - necessary or not?

Me three.
 I've actually never thought about it.  My Dad wears a t-shirt, my FIL wears a vest and the husband wears nothing under his shirt.  I've never really noticed that it looked unsightly.  What's wrong with chest hair?  Have I missed something.  I don't think you can see it anyway - I'll have to look when he gets home.  But if you could why would that be so horrible?  He's a guy.  Guy's have chest hair.

Yep I kind of feel the same way as this ^

I haven't really thought about it, guess I don't mind either way, and neither bothers me.

In a partner of my own I am historically a fan of chest hair, personally ---  although that doesn't mean I want to see perfect strangers' -- but it's natural and just as an aside, I'd rather men kept theirs than the current trend of waxing it all off, which, to me, is more disturbing.

I was about to make a crack about "Men....necessary or not?"....

I think it's partically generational. My MIL is horrified her sons don't wear undershirts. My FIL never has gone a day in his life without one and MIL even had to prove that to *her* in-laws in the 60s when FIL wore black turtlenecks and other less 'traditional' attire!

In the US, I find it tends to be men in banking and big corporate companies with more formal dress codes who wear them.

DH doesn't for the most part unless he's chilly. He's not hairy so that's not an issue - though, like Mindy, I'm not sure why this would bug some people...

Wasn't it Clark Gable in "It happened one night" that started the trend away from undershirts?
We know a British guy who gets all his Hanes undershirts from the US.  OK to get under-trou from Marks but not up to the standard of Hanes for the shirts apparently.

Wasn't it Clark Gable in "It happened one night" that started the trend away from undershirts?

It was!  The sales of undershirts dropped dramatically after that came out, I believe. 

DH always has worn a vest but then he usually wears about six layers to fend off the cold.

We know a British guy who gets all his Hanes undershirts from the US.  OK to get under-trou from Marks but not up to the standard of Hanes for the shirts apparently.

That's so funny because my dad always gets undershirts from Marks and Spencer whenever he visits the UK!  My parents both lived in the UK briefly in the early 80's and developed an unabiding appreciation for M&S (specifically their underwear & nightclothes)...whenever my dad visits I always hear about how M&S undershirts are superior to anything they have in the US. Wacky.

That's so funny because my dad always gets undershirts from Marks and Spencer whenever he visits the UK!  My parents both lived in the UK briefly in the early 80's and developed an unabiding appreciation for M&S (specifically their underwear & nightclothes)...whenever my dad visits I always hear about how M&S undershirts are superior to anything they have in the US. Wacky.

I know - I know.  There's no accounting for tastes.

I'm a bit  that some of you think that chest hair and men's nipples are gross.
Is this a 'younger generation' thing, maybe?

I'm a bit  that some of you think that chest hair and men's nipples are gross.
Is this a 'younger generation' thing, maybe?

It must be.  Because, man, Magnum PI was PRETTY popular when I was younger.  He'd have to wax now. Or wear an undershirt. 

It must be.  Because, man, Magnum PI was PRETTY popular when I was younger.  He'd have to wax now. Or wear an undershirt. 

Sorry, Mindy, but Magnum was a bit too hairy for me! Or maybe it was just the moustache. 

I'm a bit  that some of you think that chest hair and men's nipples are gross.
Is this a 'younger generation' thing, maybe?

Yeah, I don't get it at all.

Yeah, I mentioned the whole 'wife-beater' thing to Steve, and he gave me a  and asked me what one was. So, then I had to explain it, and he knew what I was talking about. That seems to be the basis of our relationship--translations from American-isms to British-isms

On topic though--Steve generally wears a shirt under his work shirts, I think out of habit more than anything, but I hadn't really noticed. He's not overly hairy, so it isn't because of that, and he doesn't generally sweat a lot, so I think it's just him being him.

To each his own, I suppose 

For me, there's a big difference situationally between seeing men's hairy chest and nips:

Somewhere like a grocery store or restaurant - eeew.  Almost as bad as seeing a woman's chest hair and nips (don't even get me started on proper foundation garments for women!).

Somewhere like a pool / beach when a man is shirtless  - no prob.  Unless he's like Robin Williams, in which case eeeew again.

There's a place and time for everything. 

Wasn't it Clark Gable in "It happened one night" that started the trend away from undershirts?

Fascinating!  I'm a HUGE CG fan, but he seems like the kind of guy who probably should have stuck with the t-shirt in the grocery store / restaurant situation. 

For me, there's a big difference situationally between seeing men's hairy chest and nips:

Somewhere like a grocery store or restaurant - eeew.  Almost as bad as seeing a woman's chest hair and nips (don't even get me started on proper foundation garments for women!).

I guess I just don't notice.  I really don't think I've ever noticed a man's chest hair under his shirt. Maybe it's me though.  I KNOW I've never seen a man's nipples through his shirt but again it wouldn't freak me out.  They have them.

Sorry, Mindy, but Magnum was a bit too hairy for me! Or maybe it was just the moustache. 

Do you know, I could have actually predicted who would come on here and tell me that Magnum was too hairy.