Exceptions and Oddities, part 2

Some ENT undershirts had a center back seam, and others did not. 

We're honestly not sure which was the "standard" and which was the "exception" in this case, as these undershirts were seldom seen without their corresponding jumpsuits, and it was even rarer to see one from the back. 

Archer's ENT undershirts, for instance, had no center back seam.

ENT, 1x19 "Acquisition"

The ENT undershirt we spotted on eBay didn't have a center back seam, either:

ENT undershirt eBay auction photo

However, the screen-used Reed and Travis ENT undershirts photographed and shared by Mike Paugh and Gerald Gurian, respectively, both had center back seams.

Mike Paugh photo of Reed screen-used ENT undershirt

STPCAA photo of Travis Mayweather screen-used ENT undershirt

Also note that, oddly, the back seam on Travis' ENT undershirt wasn't even centered - at least not in relation to the back "collar facing" seam! At least one of the two was off a little bit ...

Four undershirts is hardly a large enough sampling to determine how commonplace the center back seam was, even if three of them were "hero" undershirts. 

There are pros and cons to the center back seam, of course. 

Cutting the back of the garment as a single piece saves time cutting, sewing, and serging. 

(Also, although it's purely a matter of opinion, we think the back of the undershirt looks better without a seam; we liken it to a contemporary tailored dress shirt or even a "business casual" shirt having a center back seam - ew!) 

That said, the center back seam, if tapered like a waistcoat's or jacket's might be, could help the undershirt hug the body more closely in the back, thus creating a more comfortable fit for the wearer underneath the jumpsuit. 

Furthermore, the center back seam would be a convenient visual reference when attaching the button(hole) panel/facing/collar facing, so the vertical seam could be more easily and exactly positioned at the center back. 

Lastly, cutting the undershirt with a center back seam can, perhaps, give one more cutting options regarding the economization of fabric (i.e. if you don't have any fabric pieces large enough for a full back, you can cut two smaller back pieces instead of one large one). 

NOTE: On our ENT undershirt pattern, we have included both options: with and without a center back seam.

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