There are few sharper looks than a slim-fit shirt tucked crisply into a well-fitted pair of slacks.
Unfortunately for those of us who like to keep our shirts looking tucked and tidy, it’s far too easy for our shirt tails to creep out from underneath our belts, causing our slim and sharp silhouette to look slovenly and unkempt when we standk in front of the mirror.
Making matters worse, by the time the bottom of your shirt pops out it tends to look all wrinkly and crinkled, making you look even sloppier.
That’s where shirt stays come in.
While they come in different styles and types, shirt stays (also known as shirt garters or shirt straps) hide underneath your pants and use an elastic strap to keep your shirt crisply tucked throughout the day.
They’re popular with law enforcement, military personnel and other guys who wear a military uniform shirt (e.g. security guards) because they help them maintain the tight military tuck demanded by strict dress codes.
But they’re also great for civilians who pay close attention to detail, and want to maintain a put-together and professional appearance.
To help you find the perfect shirt stays to suit your needs (and the best price to suit your budget), in this post I’ll round up some of the top shirt stays on the market, and break down the pluses and minuses of each style so you can make a well informed choice.
The (Absolute) Best Shirt Stays for Men
Breaking Down the Best Shirt Garters for Guys Who Want to Keep Their Tuck Tight
Overall Best Y-Clip Shirt Stay ↓
KK & Jay Solid Black Shirttail Garters
Features:
- Handmade in Brooklyn, New York
- Adjustable to fit all sizes
- 1″ Wide Straps
- Solid Black Twill Premium Jacquard Elastic
- Full Grain Leather
Advantages:
These y-clip dress shirt stays from KK & Jay are a perfect combination of quality, craftsmanship and value.
Inspired by the y style shirt stays often worn by military personnel, this is essentially a high-end version that can be worn not just with a uniform, but with business attire or casual wear as well.
Quite possibly the most dapper shirt stays on the market, the elastic material of the straps are held together by a genuine leather joint (as opposed to the cheaper synthetic material you’d commonly find on a similar product).
But the best part is probably the price tag:
While this is a much higher quality version of a y-style strap, it’s not a particularly expensive version.
When you compare prices you find that it only costs a few dollars more than some of the more cheaply made alternatives, while offering the kind of quality and craftsmanship that will help it last for a (damn) long time.
NV Holders “S-Holder”
Features:
- 4.3 Stars on Amazon
- 1,394 Reviews
- Three sizes available
- High quality, handmade in Europe
Advantages:
NV Holders’ S-Holder shirt stay uses an elastic band that wraps around your thigh, then has three other straps that extend upward and clip to the bottom of your shirt.
The three straps are adjustable so you can set them to whatever length you want, and have non-slip, fabric-friendly clips that won’t damage your shirt.
Some guys think the Y-style shirt holders featured above have better designs, since they simultaneously hold your shirt down and your socks up.
(Plus, these ones might not work for every body type, particularly for big guys who have thicker thighs.)
But this style is still a very effective way to make your shirt look like it’s the perfect fit, and some guys prefer it since you don’t need a strap to run all the way down your leg.
Shirt Stays Plus
Y-Style Shirt Stay
Features:
- 4.5 Stars on Amazon
- 3,456 Reviews
- Made in USA
- Clip closure on both ends
- Adjustable buckles with nylon teeth clips
- Available in black or white
Advantages:
Designed by a veteran police officer, Shirt Stay Plus Shirt Stays claims to make “the world’s best shirt stays.”
(And as alluded to above, if there’s one group that needs an effective shirt keeper, it’s law enforcement officers.)
In addition to being one of the best-rated shirt stays on Amazon, these Shirt Stay Plus y stays are their most popular model.
As the name implies, they use a long y-shaped design to connect the bottom of your shirt to the top of your socks, which is one of the best ways to keep both pieces in place all day.
KK & Jay Sockless Shirttail Garters
Features:
- Handmade in Brooklyn, New York
- Adjustable to fit all sizes
- 1″ Wide cotton blend elastic straps
- Full Grain Leather
Advantages:
Another model from KK & Jay, these have the same high-quality craftsmanship as the y-clip dress shirt stays listed above, but secure to your legs in a different manner.
These come in a garter style, which wraps snugly around your calves rather than clipping to your socks.
A lot of guys find that the y-style clips provide more ease of use, but the garter style is a great option if you want your shirt to keep a slim appearance while you’re going sockless.
Comfy Clothiers
Stirrup Dress Shirt Stays
Features:
- 4.4 Stars on Amazon
- 1,472 Reviews
- Adjustable strap
- Made in USA
- Stirrup stay
Advantages:
Stirrup style shirt stays are similar to the y-style, only instead of clipping to your socks at the bottom they include a loop that you slide your foot into.
While they don’t pull double duty by keeping your socks nice and high, the stirrup shirt stay is a little more secure because you only have to worry about the clips on one end.
Shirt Stays Plus
“Heavy Duty” Shirt Stay
Features:
- 4.4 Stars on Amazon
- 919 Reviews
- Made in USA
- Garter-style
- Available in both white and black
Advantages:
These Shirt Stay Plus shirt stays are similar in design to the NV stays above, and offer a garter-style stay that wraps around your thigh then clips to the bottom part of your shirt to maximize elastic tension.
Unlike the NV model, which has three clips, these are straight shirt stays that clip in just two places: one in the front and one in the back.
FancyBoy*
Signature Shirt Stays
Features:
- 4.3 Stars on Amazon
- 400 Reviews
- Adjustable
- Flat rubber grips with button slot; won’t puncture clothing
- Fits heights from 5’4″ – 6’8″
Advantages:
While shirt stays aren’t meant to be seen by anyone, there’s no reason why they can’t come in cool colors and patterns.
That seems to be the (admirable) underlying philosophy of the (abominably named) FancyBoy company, which offers this well reviewed “Y” type of shirt stay in a variety of styles.
*Yes, that’s seriously the name, and no, I don’t blame you for laughing. (But you can’t deny that their shirt stays look pretty cool.)
Kedofe
Shirt Stays Upgrade
Features:
- 4.2 Stars on Amazon
- 2,055 Reviews
- Adjustable leg loops
- Stainless steel platypus clip with plastic teeth
- Available with extra strap for socks
Advantages:
This model from Kedofe combines two different styles of shirt stays.
The base model is similar to the NV Holders model above, which wraps around your thigh and then clips to the bottom of your shirt.
But it also comes with a removable strap that you can clip downward to your sock, offering the same benefits as the y-style shirt stays above.
Shirt Stays Plus
Tuck-It Belt Style Shirt Stays
Features:
- 3.9 Stars on Amazon
- 747 Reviews
- Available in two sizes
- Hooks on to bottom button of shirt
- Fully adjustable
Advantages:
Also from Shirt Stays Plus, this model is a shirt stay belt that wraps around your waist just below where your actual belt sits, cinching the shirt tightly around your waist.
It features a plastic hook, instead of the metal clips used by most shirt stays, which loops over the last button of your shirt to help keep it in place.
It’s a great product for anyone who’s nervous about wading into the world of shirt tuckers, and nervous about the embarrassing looks they might get if your shirttail garters should somehow snap, and an elastic band suddenly comes shooting out of your pants.
Do shirt stays work?
Yeah, shirt stays work pretty well—as long as they’re properly fitted. If you get the kind with adjustable straps, make sure that you’ve tightened them enough to keep the shirt secure, but not so much that they make your shirt look strained.
What is the best shirt stay?
As highlighted above, the best shirt stays on Amazon are KK and Jay’s Solid Black Shirttail Garters, which offer a a perfect combination of quality, craftsmanship and value.
Does Walmart have shirt stays?
They do indeed. Walmart has a pretty decent selection of shirt stays, the best-rated of which seems to be the Rothco Y-style stays, which are just $9.99 and have 4.6 stars after 8 ratings.
Plus, Walmart is a great place to shop online, because they usually have pretty cheap shipping rates within the U.S., although not as cheap as Amazon, where you can get free shipping if you have Prime. (I also find that the customer service tends to be better on Amazon, so keep that in mind as well.)
Does Target sell shirt stays?
Target doesn’t carry shirt stays. Nothing came up when I searched for both “shirt stays” and “shirt garters” on their website, other than some regular ol’ ladies garters, which won’t do much for your shirt (but depending on what you’re into, I guess could help your love life?).
Do people still wear shirt stays?
Shirt stay use as definitely declined a little bit as the world has gotten more casual, and they’re not as popular as other shirt accessories, like collar stays.
But as mentioned above, they still get a lot of play from guys who wear a uniform, and struggle to maintain even a slight pull with just a regular belt.
You Know Where to Find the Best Shirt Stays
Now Learn How to Become Your Most Stylish Self
Knowing which models make for the best shirt stays will help you project a put together, sharp and slim appearance above your bet.
But securing your shirt is one thing; securing your overall appearance is another.
If you want to out-dress the other guys and put your best face forward, you need to add a number of other small-but-vital style moves to your arsenal, which add up to make a big impact on the look you present to the world.
Enter your email address below and I’ll send you a checklist outlining the nine most important details that you need to nail in order to look like the most handsome, polished and put together version of yourself.
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The Recap
Summary
These y-clip dress shirt stays from KK & Jay are a perfect combination of quality, craftsmanship and value. Inspired by the y style shirt stays often worn by military personnel, this is essentially a high-end version that can be worn not just with a uniform, but with business attire or casual wear as well.
More Dress Shirts & Style Advice from Irreverent Gent:
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- The (Absolute) Best Athletic Fit Dress Shirts for Muscular Guys
- The Best Wrinkle-Free & Non-Iron Dress Shirts
- The 29 Best Warby Parker Alternatives
- The (Absolute) Best Leather Bags for Men
- The Best Ridge Wallet Alternatives
More Insight on Men’s Shirt Stays From Around the Web:
Banner image via NV Holders on Facebook
