Is there such a thing as dad bod t-shirts? What is a dad bod t-shirt? To me it is a shirt made specifically for someone built like a dad, whatever that means. It’s obvious that would describe a lot of body types. If we were to narrow that down slightly, I think we can say that it might describe a guy who is probably a little heavier than he was in high school, college or the military. And there is a pretty good chance that he has at least a little bit of a belly. Beyond that, I don’t know if we can get any more specific.
So, what would a dad bod t-shirt be? If someone were looking for something like this we can assume they are simply looking for a t-shirt that is designed to look good and fit well on a dad bod. But again, we run into the problem of all the variations of what that body type is. So, is there a t-shirt out there designed for the “dad bod”? Maybe…but I doubt it.
So, what’s a dad to do? Fortunately, you don’t need a shirt designed specifically for your very generalized body type description. All you really need is to know what attributes to look for in a cotton t-shirt that will help you look good in it.
First things first. Size. I think we can all agree the size of a t-shirt is the most important and most obvious choice you make to determine how it will look on you. But I think a lot of guys make the wrong choice when picking their size. Often guys choose a shirt that tends to be kind of loose, which is perfectly fine. That can be quite comfortable. But if you size down one size, you may find that you prefer and look better in that smaller size. It may take some getting used to, it took me a while, but you may end up liking it. And if you’re unsure, ask your significant other how you look in the smaller size. You might get an honest answer.
Second is the fit or cut of the t-shirt. This is related to size. A slimmer more fitted t-shirt may look better on you than say a standard classic fit. This has a similar effect to sizing down but often you can wear the same size you typically would. One benefit to choosing this route is you won’t lose any length in the t-shirt as you might by sizing down. Both sizing down and trying a slimmer fit can have the effect of slimming your silhouette as opposed to looser fits which can widen your silhouette.
Third…the bottom hem. Now, I’m not talking about the length here. I’m talking about the width. This is important because it's not obvious that the hem is what makes your t-shirt look bad. The reason being that if the hem is quite wide compared to the chest width, it can accentuate and make your belly look larger. This is due to the t-shirt hanging out away from your body because of your belly and the hem not being of a small enough width to bring the t-shirt back in. So, when you’re shopping for t-shirts, keep an eye out for this. Now that you are aware of it, it will be obvious.
Finally, length. This is a little harder to control. It will vary a lot from manufacturer to manufacturer. Your height matters, your weight and fit of the t-shirt among other things. This is the main attribute of a t-shirt that drove me to start my own t-shirt company. So, good luck with this one. What I will say though is, so long as your belly never shows while wearing your t-shirt, you should be good. I don’t think any of us like it when that happens.
I hope this bit of information can help you find some dad bod t-shirts of your own. And if you're having trouble finding a t-shirt, check out our Favorite Tee and Perfect Tee. They are high-quality cotton t-shirts, comfortable, built to last and designed to look good. But, regardless of what you choose, so long as you’re comfortable and you feel good in what you are wearing, you will look good. Nothing looks better than confidence.
