And suddenly we’re back to the 2010s…
It’s not an overstatement to say that Thai style maven Win Metawin is a consummate fashion authority. Always ahead of the trend cycle, the actor is one of the Asian artists we collectively look at for style inspiration. His latest fashion lesson? How to properly tuck in a shirt in 2026.
2026 Is Truly the New 2026
The year kicked off with the Internet’s obsession with 2016. Attributed to nostalgia for the old days and hopelessness for the future, the declaration that “2026 is the new 2016” quickly rose to the top ranks of online searches and social media content. It took no time before everybody was looking back at the old days, from music to beauty and, of course, fashion trends.
One of the “passé” fashion fads everybody kept talking about was the polarizing 2010s half-tuck, a styling habit that, often paired with skinny jeans, marked the past decade. The trick was simple. Instead of entirely tucking a shirt into the pants, you tucked in only one half of the shirt and left the other side hanging down.
While the original form of the half tuck has, in recent years, been considered an unfashionable signature of Millennial style, you can trust Win Metawin to positively rebrand the half-tucked-in shirt for new generations.
Win Puts a Gen Z Spin on the Half Tuck at PFW
Attending his first Acne Studios show in Paris—Win is rather a Prada boy accustomed to the glitz of Milan Fashion Week—the Thai fashionista refreshed side-tucking with a texture-contrasting ensemble. Win’s PFW front row debut featured deep burgundy flared velvet pants—a material taking over the Fall-Winter and Pre-Fall collections of brands like Acne, Amiri, Boss and even Diesel.
Win accompanied the vintage-leaning pants with a modern leather trucker jacket and a thin, almost sheer white shirt. The actor paid attention to detail, leaving two buttons undone, rolling up the sleeves for a dash of edge and accessorizing with a silver cuff. The key point of the entire look, however, was the shirt, strategically tucked in on just the left side and accentuated by a thick belt.
The Denim on Denim Layered Half-Tuck
After rocking the side tuck on the front rows at Paris Fashion Week, Win reprised the divisive half-tuck to attend a Prada Beauty pop-up event in Central Chidlom in May. Already at ease with this style trick, the actor went for a trompe l’oeil effect, layering a light denim shirt under a jacket of the same fabric.
The shirt, of course, was nestled into the waistband of a pair of contrasting back trousers. The layering created a flattering silhouette, where the shirt and jacket almost melded together but with a stylish asymmetric spin.
The Half-Tuck and Canadian Tuxedo Combo
A month or so later, Win recreated the same silhouette to promote the Prada Court sneakers in an Instagram post. This time, however, the look leaned into monochrome territory, pairing a chambray shirt with a caramel vintage-effect denim set.
Win kept things casual and slightly retro by folding the jacket and shirt cuffs and subtly popping the jacket’s collar. To finish off the look, the actor went for a messy jean cuff fold that allowed the Prada Court shoes to take the spotlight. Being such an adroit fashionista, Win naturally picked a bright sneaker colorway (yellow-green) for a necessary touch of color.
The Double Shirt Half-Tuck
Win proved once again the versatility of the half-tucked shirt at the Audemars Piguet boutique opening event in Bangkok on August 20. For the occasion, the actor departed from his ultra-polished looks and favored a business casual approach. Win styled a pair of fluid tailored trousers in gray, with an Acne Studios layered button-up shirt.
The piece featured a layered construction that mimicked the effect of wearing a white shirt under a slightly larger light blue shirt. However, instead of going by the Acne Studios lookbook and wearing the piece neatly tucked into the pants and buttoned to the top, Win wore the shirt in an almost off-handed, lived-in way: with four buttons open, folded cuffs and a slightly popped collar. Adding to the relaxed mood, Win sported one of the shirt’s front panels tucked into the pants while the other was left freely hanging.
La pièce de résistance of Win’s look was a sturdy Audemars Piguet timepiece that nicely complemented Win’s OOTD.
Now, if you’re planning to wear the half tuck, this is exactly how you update the old-school styling hack.
Win’s trick to keep things novel and modern was to tuck one half of the shirt into the pants, creating a sleek, asymmetrical top. The key is not to leave creases, hanging fabric or worst, create the feared top muffin effect. Then, the other side, the one left untucked, creates a visible but clean contrast. No messiness, no dishevelled appearance. Just sleek and youthful elegance.
We’re taking notes.
Author’s note: This article was originally published on March 4 and has since been updated to reflect new data.
