White shirts non-transparent, opaque (2024)

White shirts are very elegant and suit almost every occasion. However, you have to be careful, because a white shirt must not be see-through! It's nice if you can't see nipples or tattoos through the shirt. What should you watch out for and how can you prevent see-through shirts? For men with dark skin tones, it is especially important that the white shirt does not show through. Because of the dark background, a translucent white shirt can otherwise look a bit drab. A bright white shirt, on the other hand, will spice up your look.

Are you looking for an opaque, non-sheer shirt? Then click here and choose one of our twill shirts.

I am looking for: white shirts that are not see-through

White shirts that don't show through are easier to find than you think. You just have to know what to look for. It's good to know that a white shirt is suitable for many occasions. Therefore, you might want to invest a little more in a white shirt. If you are a bit handy with the laundry, you can enjoy it for years.

Shirts can be made of all kinds of fabrics, e.g. cotton, a cotton blend, linen, but also flannel. Normally, the light transmission of the fabric is determined by the thickness of the fabric. The thicker the fabric, the more likely it is to be see-through. The most opaque shirts are made of twill and oxford fabric. Shirts made of these fabrics are guaranteed not to be see-through. White shirts made of linen are more likely to be see-through than shirts made of flannel. This is because a linen shirt is usually produced as a summer shirt, which means with a thin fabric, and is therefore much cooler (and cooler) than a flannel shirt. The ideal fabric for a white shirt that doesn't show through is therefore cotton with a dense weave like twill or oxford. A twill or herringbone weave (twill weave) barely shows through, while, for example, a lightweight weave like oxford with only one thread shows through easily.

The spectrum

White shirts come in all degrees of sheerness. Heavy fabrics are perfect for men with a dark skin tone, for men with a light skin tone but very dark nipples, for men with a lot of body hair or for men who just want to be 100% sure that the white shirt does not show through at all. Fabrics like twill or even (thin) denim fall into this category. The advantage of these fabrics is of course that they do not show through, but they are quite thick and can be a bit too warm in summer. To test whether the white shirt of your choice really does not show through, there is only one thing to do: try it on and try it on.

At the other end of the spectrum are fabrics that are very easy to see through. These are fabrics that are woven with a single thread and usually have a point weave. These thin fabrics are not necessarily suitable as a pure shirt, but they are nice and thin and are very suitable to wear under a jumper, for example. Shirts that show through in this way are - without wanting to generalise - of lower quality. You often find these shirts in large chain stores. If you really wear a shirt often, it is advisable to buy your shirt (white or another colour) in a specialised shop or, of course, from the online shirt specialist.

Opaque linen shirts

For us, the only exception that doesn't show through is linen. This thin fabric almost always shows through. Therefore, do not use it for business, but casually a white shirt made of this fabric can be nice. Ideal for the beach or the terrace.

By the way, did you know that in tropical regions a white linen shirt is often the dress code for all male wedding guests? So very different from here!

T-shirt under the white shirt

There are also many men who simply like to wear a T-shirt under a shirt. If you wear a very see-through shirt, it still looks strange. The T-shirt shows through under the shirt, and that doesn't look nice. Although an opaque shirt is preferable, the problem of the white T-shirt can easily be solved.