A French Tuck may sound like a medical procedure, but it's only the latest fashion trend. 👚
French tucking is an easy and stylish way to freshen up any outfit with a chic and casual look. French tucking your top can give your look a new dimension.
Here’s all you need to know about the different French tucking ways.
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In This Post ➜
- How To Do A French Tuck For Women
- French Tuck Shirt
- French Tuck Sweater
- French Tuck Button Down
- French Tuck For Men’s Oversized Shirt
- French Tuck With A Skirt
- French Tuck With Skinny Jeans
- Half French Tuck
- Corner French Tuck
- Mini French Tuck
- Must Know Style Tips When Doing The French Tuck
- Frequently Asked Questions About The French Tuck
How To Do A French Tuck For Women
Mastering this tucking technique isn’t as daunting as it may seem. Here is all you need to know about French Tucking for women.
#1 French Tuck Shirt 👚
The trick to a beautiful shirt tuck is to make it appear natural. Begin with a flowy shirt and slip a couple of inches of the fabric down the front midsection of your waistline with one hand.
Pull the material on either side out and downwards until it is loose and flowing around your hips. Because there is little bulk, the shirt tuck is simplest.
A shirt tuck instantly transforms a simple t-shirt and jeans into an even more put-together and appealing ensemble. The idea of this tucking technique is to only stick the very bottom of the shirt into your jeans because it allows the rest of the material to fold over at a more flattering length.
You can either leave the back of your shirt as is or gently fold the edges to make the transition from the front to the back look more smooth.
It is not meant to be an exact science, so don’t stress too much about how many inches exactly you need to tuck in.
Shop Cute T-Shirts
- Reebok: Classics Pocket Tee – A clean, simple design gives this t-shirt a low-key style. Soft all-cotton jersey feels like an old favorite fresh from the box.
- Kohl’s: Levi’s® Honey Short Sleeve T-Shirt – For an effortlessly modern look, this women’s Levi’s tee is a must-have.
- Ashley Stewart: Basic Stretch Knit V Neck Tee – This V-neck tee is an elevated staple with a soft stretch knit construction and all season style.
#2 French Tuck Sweater 🍁
Many adore an enormous, baggy sweater, but depending on the ensemble, a little clever French tucking can assist in highlighting the waistline and make the entire appearance more attractive.
When tucking a sweater in, start in the front and center. The goal is to check that the sweater is correctly aligned with the middle of your jeans, skirt, or pants.
From there, carefully tuck your sweater in from the center to the side seams, flattening to ensure no pleating or bulging. This tucking technique is the best for sweaters, as a full tuck just doesn’t do the trick.
Shop Cute Sweaters
- Belk: Crown & Ivy™ Balloon Sleeve Cable Knit Sweater – This must-have sweater from Crown & Ivy™ checks all the marks with a classic cable-knit build and trendy balloon sleeves.
- Reebok: THE JETSONS Orbit High Fleece Cowl Neck Sweatshirt – Inspired by the world of THE JETSONS, this women’s Reebok sweatshirt is made of soft cotton-blend fleece and cut for a comfy, oversize fit.
- Kohl’s: Sonoma Goods For Life® All Over Stitch Crewneck Sweater – You’ll love the simple casual style of this women’s Sonoma Goods For Life crewneck sweater.
#3 French Tuck Button Down 💼
The front tuck is a terrific way to effortlessly add elegance to your outfit. Although button-down shirts are generally said to look best when the half tuck method is used, the front tuck is another popular method.
This approach involves buttoning up your shirt and tucking the bottom tip into your pants.
The idea here is to slightly loosen the front. It should barely spill over the waistband, giving it a more relaxed appearance.
Shop Cute Button Downs
- Kohl’s: Nine West Drapey Button Down Shirt – This women’s draped shirt from Nine West is designed with you in mind.
- Belk: Gloria Vanderbilt Daisy Short Sleeve Button Down Shirt – Modernized with rolled cuffs and a slight high-low hem, this button-down shirt from Gloria Vanderbilt will take your weekend assortment to the next level.
- maurices: Floral Button Down Blouse – Made of lightweight crinkle fabric with beautiful floral prints.
#4 French Tuck For Men’s Oversized Shirt ♂️
Styling oversized shirts can be tricky, but it is relatively easy to French tuck.
How many of us are guilty of shopping in the men’s section or borrowing their partner’s clothes? *raises hand*
Men’s clothing tends to have that perfect boxy shape and longer length that works great with a this tucking approach. Not to mention the fact that they usually have thicker fabric and better quality. (Seriously, why though?)
One great way to do this tuck for men’s oversized shirts is to actually do a full tuck and then work your way around gently pulling the sides and back of the shirt out of the bottom, leaving the front still tucked in.
This way, the oversized shirt will look casual and still somewhat chic.
Shop Cute Men’s Oversized Shirts
- Reebok: Looney Tunes T-Shirt – Soft cotton is just a bonus bit of comfort. Inner party animal level unlocked.
- Kohl’s: Haggar Classic-Fit Premium Comfort Spread-Collar Dress Shirt – A dress shirt that will give you perfect length for a cute shirt tuck.
- Kohl’s: Lands’ End Traditional-Fit Comfort-First Lightweight Plaid Flannel Button-Down Shirt – Stay warm and stylish in this men’s plaid flannel button-down shirt from Lands’ End.
#5 French Tuck With A Skirt 👗
This tucking approach may instantly make a blouse and pencil skirt appear more comfortable and casual. Doing this tuck on a skirt is the same as on any bottom.
The trick is to allow the back and sides of the top to naturally have a waterfall-like look. French tucks work well on any skirt length.
Shop Cute Skirts
- Belk: Wonderly Women’s Maxi Skirt – Made from linen-like slub fabric, this maxi dress from Wonderly boasts a flowy tiered silhouette.
- maurices: Solid Ruched Midi Skirt – Made of soft and stretchy fabric. Plus, it has cute rutching detail with a side slit.
- Ashley Stewart: The Summer Skirt – A super cute cotton woven maxi skirt with plunging slit and elasticized waistband.
#6 French Tuck With Skinny Jeans 👖
Doing a French tuck with skinny jeans can be a bit difficult as the jeans are already skin-tight, so anything tucked in at the waist will automatically be bulky.
However, an easy way to take care of that problem is to tuck 2 to 3 inches directly behind the button and zipper. This section is already somewhat bulky and will hide the extra material of the shirt well.
Shop Skinny Jeans
- Kohl’s: Levi’s® 311 Shaping Skinny Jeans – Designed to smooth and enhance your shape, these women’s Levi’s skinny jeans bring some wow to your wardrobe.
- Ashley Stewart: Fearless Skinny Jean – The high-waist and two-button feature creates the ultimate smoothing effect and the stitching throughout perfectly contours all your curves.
- Belk: Buffalo Jeans Alexa Mid Rise Skinny Jeans – They feature a versatile mid-rise waist with a skinny leg through to the hem, and the distressed design adds an effortless yet on-point fashionista’s touch.
#7 Half French Tuck
The half-tuck is very much on-trend and more on the dramatic side as it has an undone vibe that is deliberate.
Half tucking is usually done with button-down shirts. However, that does not mean that some do not make it work with a regular tee.
If your jeans have buttons instead of the standard zip, you need to ensure that the buttons on the shirt are aligned to the buttons on your jeans; otherwise, the half-tuck will look sloppy.
The number of buttons that need to be unbuttoned on your shirt depends entirely on whether your jeans are high-waisted, mid or low-rise, and the length of your shirt.
Usually, the rule of thumb is to unbutton just enough buttons that show the top of your jeans. Grab one side of the shirt, tuck it into your jeans, and smooth it down inside your jeans. Gently loosen the area above the jeans, so the tuck looks natural.
With a half tuck, you don’t tuck any portion of the back of the shirt into the jeans. Simply ensure that the back of the shirt is smoothed down and not sticking up. This is a favorite way of tucking as it hides your stomach while showcasing your waistline, making you look taller.
Related: How To Wear A Denim Jacket With Jeans | 5 Rules To Follow
#8 Corner French Tuck
Corner French tucks are very popular for tops that are chunky or bulky. The trick is to tuck the top of your choice on one side.
It sounds like a half-tuck, but it isn’t. The goal here is to tuck the top on one side close to the side seam of your pants or skirt.
#9 Mini French Tuck
Ever heard of a mini French tuck? This is usually for shorter tops. Here you can tuck a small amount of the top either in the front or on one side.
As the items are shorter, a full tuck wouldn’t work best as parts of the top will most likely slip loose. A mini French tuck takes care of this and helps you look more casual.
Must Know Style Tips 🚨
- To get the best results, it’s better to stick to bottoms that are mid or high-waisted. Low-rise bottoms aren’t the best when pulling off this tuck, as you will need to pair them with a longer shirt to balance out the proportions.
- Each top has a tuck that works for it specifically. Ensure that you consider the top’s bulkiness or heaviness when choosing how to tuck it. Generally, heavy tops like sweaters do not look great when fully tucked.
- The tuck is known to work best with loose tops because it helps to balance the proportions.
- For a more sophisticated French tuck look, wear monochromatic French tuck attire.
Frequently Asked Questions About The French Tuck
What Is A French Tuck?
A French Tuck is the art of tucking a part of your shirt into your pants or skirt and leaving the rest of it out. It can be a flattering style that elevates even the most basic outfit.
It gives an outfit a more relaxed vibe while making you appear taller. What makes this so fantastic is that you can us this tucking technique on just about any top into any outfit of your choice.
What’s Required To Do A French Tuck?
You don’t even have to buy anything new to give it a shot. You’ll need a garment that’s long and loose for your top.
This tuck works well with oversized tops but can also be done with shorter ones.
You’ll also need a bottom that’s mid or high-rise. This will produce impressive proportions and ensure that your top has something to tuck into.
Why Is It Called French Tuck?
Although many might think it is called a French tuck because it says French, that is not the case.
People have been effortlessly French tucking their shirts for a long time, but Tan France gave this classy style a name: The French tuck.
It’s named after the Londoners’ term for tucking the front portion of your top.
Related: 7 Timeless Style Fashion Tips That Will Help You Be A Classy Woman
What’s The Difference Between A Full French Tuck, Half French Tuck, And A Full Tuck?
The full tuck is the most traditional and straightforward way of tucking in tops. You begin by tucking your top in the front, then work your way around, smoothing down and pushing all excess fabric as far down as possible to prevent bulking up.
A full French tuck, on the other hand, is usually the more chic way of tucking tops in. Usually, the middle tip in front is tucked in a couple of inches up to where pockets begin. In contrast, the back of the top is left untouched.
A half-French tuck is more suited for button-down shirts where the several buttons at the bottom of the shirt are unbuttoned, and one side is tucked into the pants or skirt.
Do you see the difference below?
Where Did The French Tuck Originate?
What started as a finishing touch on the runways has quickly become habitual in male and female dressing habits worldwide.
Although Tan France played a big part in popularizing this tucking technique, he did not invent it, nor was it named after him.
The origins of this tucking technique aren’t quite clear. However, the style has been around for many years. Tan France was the one who popularized and thrust it into the forefront.
How Do I Hide My Stomach Using The French Tuck?
I can vouch for the tuck’s ability to clean and cosmetically obscure what is referred to as the pooch.
While a 360-degree tuck emphasizes the bulge, a front-only tuck provides a Photoshop-like look. Furthermore, if the tuck is asymmetrical, it can have the illusion of making a bigger tummy appear smaller.
Related: How To Dress For Your Body Type & Flatter Your Figure
Is French Tuck Out of Style?
Clever stylistic methods, such as how you tuck your shirt in, are essential for looking trendy and chic.
Therefore it only makes sense that this tucking approach is still very much a thing and can be seen on runways, celebrities, etc. Being trendy and chic is unlikely to go out of style any time soon.
Can Men Do A French Tuck?
Yes, the French tuck can be done by men and women. This is proven by Netflix’s Queer Eye show.
This tucking approach was popularized after France styled the men in the TV series with this tucking technique to make them appear more elegant yet effortless.
Besides, David Beckham has been known to do this tuck for many years.
Is A French Tuck Flattering?
A French tuck is very flattering as it makes your legs appear longer. The ability to see a pair of bottoms from waistline to ankle helps your legs appear longer.
It also defines your waist, which helps give your silhouette a waist.
Related: Kibbe Body Type: The 13 Body Types & What To Wear Ultimate Guide To Highlight Your Best Asset–YOU!
Is A French Tuck Business Casual?
Some people don’t like tucking a dress shirt completely as it feels too dressy for business casual attire. This is where a French tuck comes in handy.
Usually, business requires you to have your shirt tucked in. With this tuck, there is an element of the shirt still being tucked in, so you’re not sloppy, and you also look casual, which fits in with the business casual attire.
Is It OK To Tuck A Shirt Into Jeans?
Yes, it is. Tucking your top into your jeans makes you appear more respectable or put-together.
It also draws attention to your waistline, making you appear more proportionate.
Related: How To Wear Ankle Boots With Jeans | 10 Outfit Ideas & Tips
Conclusion
As you can see, French tucking is popular, and with good reason. Who wouldn’t want a styling trick that elevates a simple outfit and makes you look good while doing it?
Disclosure: Vain Affair is reader-supported. When you buy through affiliate links on our website, we’ll make a small commission, without impacting your price. Thank you. Learn more.
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