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[BashNasty]

I tend to call them "beaters".

 

[God Dayumm]

i call them undershirts, because tank top implies (to me) that it's all you're going to wear. and since the "wife beater" is designed to be worn under other shirts then i don't call them tank tops.

there needs to be a better term though. getting tired of saying "sleeveless undershirts" in reference to them.

They should be called tank bottoms to be more accurate

 

[True Savior]

Pretty cool that kevin federline posts on NeoGAF.

You're just jealous.

 

[liliththepale]

My brother does and that bothers me a lot. I call them A-shirts. Tank top is fine but that seems to have a more feminine connotation.

 

[HolyCheck]

Singlet or Wife Beater.

I had no idea how uncommon the term singlet was..

Is it a british/australian thing only or something?

 

[Striek]

Singlet. Aussie here.

Didn't even know what a "wife-beater" was before this thread (heard of it on TV shows though I'm sure).

 

[liliththepale]

Singlet or Wife Beater.

I had no idea how uncommon the term singlet was..

Is it a british/australian thing only or something?

Where I'm from (California), a singlet for men is a wrestling uniform almost like a leotard, and for women it's another word for a camisole.

 

[DominoKid]

always and forever.

 

[Commanche Raisin Toast]

What i dont understand is why standard under shirts usually thin cotton tshirts, while the "sleeveless" variants are ribbed.

i never thought of that before, you're right.

i feel like sleeveless undershirts don't get as hot and stuffy as regular T's, and their only purpose is to keep your overshirt from rubbing against your chest/nips. maybe they were originally made for workers that had coveralls etc on?

 

[Skellig Gra]

man, people really need to settle on a term for this shirt. growing up people called them either "guinea tees" or "wifebeaters". both are pretty bad lol.

Same, I preferred Guinea tee mainly because most people I knew weren't married. Both are pretty bad Italian stereotypes obviously.

 

[Oxn]

The scret to a nice wifebeater is the color black.

 

[BPoole]

I refer to them as beaters, but I think the actual name for them is an A Shirt

The scret to a nice wifebeater is the color black.

Gray is the best color for them since doesn't show through white shirts like white and black beaters do

 

[Baron von Loathsome]

Yeah, I call them wife-beaters. The only name I know them by. Fucked up name, but that's the term people use.

 

[Oxn]

I refer to them as beaters, but I think the actual name for them is an A Shirt


Gray is the best color for them since doesn't show through white shirts like white and black beaters do

Oh wait, i forget that people actually wear wifebeaters as undershirts. I wear them as my only shirt when i do wear them.

 

[Skellig Gra]

Oh wait, i forget that people actually wear wifebeaters as undershirts. I wear them as my only shirt when i do wear them.

How's your wife doing these days?

 

[Rur0ni]

Yeah, not something I've actively thought about much. Bad name, but it is what it is. Or is this now too insensitive that requires some reform?

 

[Rembrandt]

Yeah, not something I've actively thought about much. Bad name, but it is what it is. Or is this now too insensitive that requires some reform?

it doesn't seem to be highly controversial, but it's a dumb name.

it's one of those things that are highly offensive but have been adopted by mainstream culture so much that most people don't care.

 

[Oxn]

Where I'm from (California), a singlet for men is a wrestling uniform almost like a leotard, and for women it's another word for a camisole.

Its so uncommon that i have never even heard the word before.

 

[Oxn]

How's your wife doing these days?

You should ask her, but shes unavailable at the moment

 

[smurfx]

i've always called them tank tops.

 

[trixx]

LOOOOOL I never knew those were tank tops. But I'm a thin guy tho - I never wear them and instead stick with slim fit white tees as an undergarment.

I do the same, looks terrible on me since im skinny

 

[Volimar]

We call em muscle shirts.

 

[Oxn]

We call em muscle shirts.

These are muscle shirts

 

[Volimar]

These are muscle shirts

Well that's just ridiculous.

 

[strafer]

It's like looking into a mirror. Only not.

 

[Einchy]

Yes, why? Because that's what they're called.

I thought 'tank top' was what you mostly called the female version.

That's the way I've always heard it.

Wife beaters = men's

tank tops = women's

 

[David Incorporated Esq.]

These are muscle shirts

If you've ever wondered what it's like to live in the south, just imagine this all the time.

Except very fat.

And camo.

 

[Oxn]

If you've ever wondered what it's like to live in the south, just imagine this all the time.

Except very fat.

And camo.

Like Texas? I most south ive ever been in the States is Philadelphia lol.

 

[daveo42]

Traditionally the undershirt of White Trash

No, some wear it under dress clothes. I'd say it's the shirt of choice for those with the distinction white trash. It's as close you can get to not wearing a shirt still be allowed in places of business.

 

[Messofanego]

it's really weird wife-beater became a commonly used term for these.

Is it, though? Plenty of different clothes have their specific stereotype. Wife beater probably came from American men considered "trailer trash" who wore sleeveless shirts while beating their women. Burberry is for chavs (UK), red checkered shirts for rednecks, etc.

We call them vests here.

 

[AlexBasch]

Yeah, it's one of those things that amazed me when I started learning english. Here those are called "shirt with suspenders" (playera de tirantes).

 

[Dennis]

Yeah, it's one of those things that amazed me when I started learning english. Here those are called "shirt with suspenders" (playera de tirantes).

But......there are no suspenders.....?

 

[mdubs]

It's like looking into a mirror. Only not.

This is pretty much the only time ever where I've seen someone pull this shirt off without looking silly and even then it took the power of Chris Evans to make this shirt look remotely presentable.

 

[Vicros]

They were called wife-beaters in high school yeah. They were actually banned in my school because of that.

 

[Oxn]

Everytime i wear one i sometimes just get this urge.....

 

[Bishop89]

no, because thats called a singlet.

 

[entremet]

no, because thats called a singlet.

This is actually a singlet.

Popular in collegiate/high school wrestling and powerlifting.

 

[Subpar Scrub]

I call that a tank or a singlet.

Wifebeater was always an awful sounding name to me.

 

[Subpar Scrub]

This is actually a singlet.

Popular in collegiate/high school wrestling and powerlifting.

Put singlet into google images.

 

[Takuan]

Tank or beater. Canada here.

 

[akira28]

only around the house and only if I'm wearing suspenders and dress socks.

 

[liliththepale]

Put singlet into google images.

Screenshot of what googling singlet gets me: (NSFW)
http://i.imgur.com/0K89nIJ.jpg

 

[entremet]

Put singlet into google images.

Luckily I'm not at work!

 

[Epcott]

I call them tank-tops.

I hear them called wifebeaters quite often...

I've even heard people in Baltimore call dirty old shoes "dickbeaters". Now that, I haven't a clue where the name originated from (but it sounds like it involves a painful origin tale).

 

[kharma45]

This is pretty much the only time ever where I've seen someone pull this shirt off without looking silly and even then it took the power of Chris Evans to make this shirt look remotely presentable.

This is what springs to mind first when I think of an actor in one

 

[diablos991]

Guess a lot of young people here haven't seen "older movies".

It's a name society has adopted for these things and it isn't going anywhere soon.

I roll my eyes pretty hard at anybody wearing these as primary shirts instead of undershirt. You'll never see that in the upper-middle or higher economic status.

 

[Bishop89]

This is actually a singlet.

Popular in collegiate/high school wrestling and powerlifting.

no...

this is actually a singlet

http://www.bonds.com.au/mens/tops/singlets.html

 

[Jason's Ultimatum]

not really, they're comfy as hell for an undershirt. obviously you don't walk around wearing one as a shirt.

I do, but that's because I don't want to feel uncomfortable wearing an undershirt. Plus, I'm fit and look good in polos. No need to suffocate myself with a tank.

 

[Stencil]

I call them wife beaters. It's the easiest name it has. Tank top, I guess could work but I typically think of tank tops as t-shirt material, not the ribbed-undershirt type posted.
A rose by any other name, idk.