Tuck This: A Guide to Styling Tops for the Office

September 16, 2016 | Filed in: Your Closet

At my middle school, we were forced to adhere to a strict dress code: Collared shirts had to be tucked in at all times, and should a rumpled shirttail dare to appear in a teacher’s presence, there would be dire consequences. Almost two decades later, I still get claustrophobic flashbacks to awkward lumps of fabric stuffed beneath tight waistbands and scratchy sweaters (and don’t even get me started on the accompanying perspiration; I recall being constantly sweaty in those outfits).

It may come as no surprise that I’ve spent much of my adult life avoiding tucked-in styles entirely. However, after a lot of coaching (and one Facebook Live video) with MM stylists Caroline Brown and Sara Holt, I’ve started to come around. It turns out that with the right fabric and proper pairings, tucking is quite painless. And the result is so polished and sophisticated! I don’t want to be overly optimistic, but I might actually be cured of my tucking aversion.

Below are three outfit combinations that Caroline and Sara recommend for the tuck-phobic, modeled by Alex, MM’s lovely Community Manager. They’re elegant, easy, and comfortable—trust me.

1. The Austen Tunic + Noho Skirt

Alex in the Austen tunic in ivory with the Noho skirt in pebble.

At first glance, the Austen tunic doesn’t look tuck-friendly—it’s quite long, and appears to have too much fabric to fit under a skirt. However, the material is so lightweight and silky that it doesn’t add bulk, even under more fitted bottoms like the Noho. The trick to getting it tucked in properly is to hitch up the skirt, pull down the shirttails underneath it, and then shimmy around until everything is straight (it’s not very dignified, but Sara and Caroline have done it to me several times, and it really works).

2. The Davis Top + Williamsburg Skirt

Alex wears the Davis top in ivy with the Williamsburg skirt in midnight blue.

The Davis top has a beautiful front pleat that cascades down to the hemline—I figured it would be a shame to hide such a pretty detail under a waistband, right? But tucking it in actually transforms that front fold into a nice crisp line from the neck to the waist. Meanwhile, the Williamsburg skirt is ideal for tucking because it stands away from your hips a bit, negating the risk of bunched-up fabric.

3. The Rowling Top + Evers Trousers

The Rowling top in birch with the Evers trouser and the Greenwich Avenue belt.

For a more traditional white-shell-with-black-pants look, you can’t go wrong with the Rowling top and the Evers trouser. The Rowling is both lightweight in texture and completely opaque, so you don’t have to worry about your bra showing through it, and it tucks like a dream—no lumps at your hips or butt. And the Evers, one of our more relaxed trouser cuts, feels easy and comfortable. Finish it off with a Greenwich Avenue belt, and that’s a wrap.

If only I had this wardrobe in eighth grade.