Sleeveless shirt
A sleeveless shirt is, as the name suggests, a shirt manufactured without sleeves, or one where the sleeves have been cut off. Sleeveless shirts can be worn by either gender, depending on the style. Examples of sleeveless shirts include tank tops, muscle shirts, A-shirts, and other similar shirts. Undershirts are worn to prevent a man's chest hair from showing through a dress shirt. Sleeveless undershirts do not prevent sweat stains from showing through though.
Tank top
In American English, a tank top is a sleeveless T-shirt-like garment that can be worn by either sex. It is often worn under the shirt as an underwear, though more colorful and well-designed tanks are usually worn as a shirt. The term is also used in Australian English, although "singlet" commonly refers to the undergarment. In British English, the term vest is used, while "tank top" refers to a sleeveless pullover. In India, such a vest, primarily designed to be an undershirt, is called a baniyaan.
Origin of name
The name Tank top, recorded in English since 1968, is derived from its resemblance to a tank suit, a style of one-piece women's swimsuit with shoulder straps, so called since the 1920s, because it was worn in a "swimming tank," an obsolete term for what are now called "swimming pools."
A female swimming version of the tank top, the tankini (a portmanteau of the words "tank top" and "bikini"), is also an option.
Uses
Tank tops are often worn by athletes in sports such as track and field and bicycling. Tank tops have been popular warm-weather casual wear in the United States since the 1980s and are regarded as acceptable public casual dress in most locales there. They are mostly preferred in hot-weather or in tropical climates since the arm holes provide ventilation (thus lessening the amount of sweat that gathers) to the armpits and the thin fabric provides comfort.
Types of sleeveless shirts
Muscle shirt
A 'muscle shirt is a type of sleeveless t-shirt or undershirt that gained popularity as worn by men, but it's now often worn by women as well. The neck is usually similar to that of a regular t-shirt. Muscle shirts can be worn as an undergarment or as a single outer layer. They are meant to be worn as fitted tops, in that their accepted purpose is to showcase physique. However, oversized muscle shirts are often used as nightshirts and, when loose, are generally considered to be a fashion faux pas.
The build of a muscle shirt is simple, but efficient. The neck and armholes (or ends of sleeves) are often reinforced for durability. In almost all cases, they are buttonless, collarless, and pocketless. The fabric is traditionally a stretch cotton or cotton mesh. Calvin Klein is one of the more well-known muscle shirt designers.
Spaghetti-strapped shirt
A Spaghetti-strapped shirt is a tank top with strings or thin material on the shoulders to hold up the shirt. It is usually worn by young to middle aged women.
Also thought to have originated in 1920's england fashioned by rich upper class men, also became associated with being homosexual.
T-back shirt
A T-back shirt tank top that is much narrower in the back than the front.
Halter top
A halter top is a backless, sleeveless shirt that ties around the neck.
Tube top
A tube top is a shirt with no sleeves or shoulders, and is, basically, a tube that wraps around a woman's torso. In Great Britain and in slang it is called a "boob tube".
Cutoff shirt
A cutoff shirt is, as the name suggests, a shirt with the sleeves cut off. The original shirt is usually a tee, but can be any kind. They are most commonly worn by men.
Wifebeater
Usually worn by men, although sometimes worn by women. They are generally made for underwear, generally have large sleeve holes and a large neck, down to near the breasts, in fact. also known as a-shirts
The term originates from frequent depictions of aggressive middle aged men, usually living in low conditions (such as living in a trailer) and having low income, who would be depicted as beating their wife or children and sitting in front of a TV, watching an American Football game and drinking beer in a stained white sleeveless shirt.
In the Chicago area, this type of shirt is often known as a Dago T. This is due to its popularity with men of Italian descent. In popular culture, the wifebeater is usually seen being worn by Tony In the Sopranos, and was worn by Sonny Corleone in the film The Godfather.
Wifebeater shirts are increasingly common for Hipsters to wear [citation needed], because of its recent popularity among Celebrities, such as Kevin Federline, and Eminem. Levi's advertisements frequently have the models wearing nothing but Wifebeaters and jeans [citation needed].
References
- A Sleeveless, Ribbed White Cotton Undershirt by Booth Moore, Press & Sun-Bulletin, January 13, 2003