T-shirts have come a long way. From being an undergarment worn by laborers to an essential item in today’s wardrobe, t-shirts are here to stay. 

Especially in a tropical country like Malaysia, people of all ages likely have at least one piece of t-shirt in their wardrobe. 

They are not only functional pieces which can help you keep cool under hot weather though, but t-shirts can also very much be stylish fashion items. By pairing the right t-shirt style with other fashion pieces, you can make a bold fashion statement whether in a casual, semi-formal or fully formal setting. The best thing about t-shirts are that they're especially easy to go with any kind of jeans or skirts depending on your taste. 

With so many t-shirt styles these days, you are spoilt for choice when picking out the perfect one to complete your OOTD. In this post, we'll guide you on how to pick and match your t-shirts in this guide (with inspiration from some of the most stylish Malaysian men on Instagram, of course!)

Let's get started!

Know Thy Fabrics: Popular T-shirt Materials in Malaysia

Before we take a look at the t-shirt styles, let's first understand the fabrics most commonly used for t-shirts in Malaysia. While t-shirts can be made from a lot of different types of fabrics, in Malaysia, t-shirts are most commonly made with either cotton or polyester.

The type of fabric you choose for your t-shirt will very much depend on the activity you're planning to do with it. Cotton t-shirts are usually selected for comfort whereas polyester is usually worn as sportswear.

If you don't know the difference between cotton and polyester fabrics, check out our comparison article where we break down the main differences between them to help you decide:

Polyester vs Cotton: When Should You Wear Polyester and When Should You Wear Cotton in Malaysia?

Neck style

U-neck T-shirt

U-neck t-shirts or otherwise known as crew necks are one of the most common t-shirt styles in Malaysia and around the world. Normally worn plain, or with prints, t-shirts can be paired with just about anything.

Usually paired with denim jeans, worn with the right pair of slacks, you can easily pull off a sleek, semi-formal look. 

Take a look at how fashion icon Wak Doyok makes even a plain white t-shirt by pairing with slim fitting black jeans:

Photo from Wak Doyok Instagram

EXPLORE: Boxy’s bestselling U-neck Microfiber T-shirt

V-neck T-shirt

While less common than u-neck t-shirts, v-necks are often worn plain and is a more stylish neck style compared to u-neck t-shirts. Not everyone can pull off a v-neck t-shirt, however. V-necks bring attention to your neck and chest area and are best worn by people with a more muscular body type.

Actor Fattah Amin shows how this is done perfectly when he dons on a dark blue v-neck shirt for one of his IG-worthy pictures:

Photo from Fattah Amin Instagram

Sleeve Lengths

Short Sleeves T-shirts

Thanks to our hot weather here in Malaysia, most t-shirts are worn with short sleeves. Other than helping keep cool, short sleeves t-shirts give off casual vibes and can be worn literally anywhere you want - to an outing with friends, to the gym and if your company's all up for casual dress codes, even to work!

Fashionable Instagrammer Jason Choong gets comfy with a plain black u-neck tee here:

Photo from Jason Choong Instagram page

Long Sleeves T-shirts

Long sleeves are probably one of the least popular t-shirt sleeve lengths in Malaysia. Even with the quickest drying fabric, long sleeves can still feel heaty compared to short sleeves ones. 

Nonetheless, long sleeves shorts are often the sleeve length of choice for people looking to sport a semi-formal or modest look.

Check out how Preston Les makes himself stylish with this u-neck long sleeve:

Photo from Preston Les Instagram page

EXPLORE: Boxy's Microfiber Long Sleeves T-shirts

Sleeveless

Sleeveless t-shirt gives off a really casual and laid-back vibe. Usually styled with a u-neck, sleeveless t-shirts show off muscular, toned arms. Sometimes worn as gym wear, sleeveless t-shirts can also be worn casually to add a touch of sophistication to any look.

Take a look at how Li Tim subtly shows his toned arms through his sleeveless u-neck t-shirt here:

Photo from Li Tim Instagram page

Pro Tips for Choosing the Right T-shirt

Choosing the right shirt boils down to two things: your personal style and the occasion. Let's take a look at what we mean:

Know your style

Casual usually u-neck or v-neck shirts with all sleeve lengths. If you are a casual kind of person, keeping a lot of u-neck and v-neck shirts in your closet will give you more clothing choices throughout the week. Be sure to only buy v-necks if you have a more toned or muscular body.

Know the occasion

Knowing where you are going and what style you are expected to sport will help you determine the type of t-shirt to wear. For formal occasions, pairing a stylish v-neck with a blazer will help you pull off a sleek and stylish look.

Conclusion

We hope you've gained some inspiration from some of the most stylish Malaysian men on Instagram to create new looks for your next outings.

Regardless of your fashion style, t-shirts have become an indispensable part of most people’s closets. Depending on your body type, personal style, and the occasion, you can choose to go for u-necks, v-necks, short sleeves, long sleeves and even sleeveless. 

Finally, don’t forget to check out Boxy’s offerings of some of the best value microfiber t-shirts:

Check out Boxy's Most Popular Microfiber Basic Tees Here