Wifebeaters?

[BellyTank]

Okay, since the thread is being bumped anyway...



Perfect example:

-Tofu

In my opinion- a "good" white dress shirt should be "opaque white"- not transluscent.
No need for anything beneath.


B
T

 

[AdmiralTofu]

In my opinion- a "good" white dress shirt should be "opaque white"- not transluscent.
No need for anything beneath.


B
T

I would agree. Darker colors, fine; you won't be able to see through those anyway, unless they're thin as paper. But white pale/light colors? Even with an undershirt, you're still going to be able to see that through the shirt. Seeing t-shirt sleeves underneath a dress shirt, and then that same pinkish color down the rest of the arm is just as distracting, IMO.

Shirt too thin? Ditch it. Undershirts should be felt and not seen... or something.

-Tofu

 

[Viola]

I like a man who can wear one of these shirts. It's a classic look. You don't even have to be Denzel or Paul Newman.

 

[Lincsong]

Viola is always a class act. :eusa_clap

 

[Mr. 'H']

I like a man who can wear one of these shirts. It's a classic look. You don't even have to be Denzel or Paul Newman.

Yeah that was a cool look. I love that movie....

 

[Viola]

Excuse that banging noise, its just my heart. lol

 

[Jovan]

I prefer the t-shirt. I really don't mind people being able to see the sleeves --better than them seeing something else through it. Besides, it seems worse to me to see the distinct shape of an a-shirt through one. [huh]

 

[Dr Doran]

Interesting thread, especially with all the discomfort about the possibility of construing something as racist. I recommend Race Experts by Elisabeth Lasch-Quinn for an interesting book on this subject (i.e. the discomfort mentioned supra).

I wear a wife-beater once in a while. My wife is crazy about them and wants me to do pushups in front of her when I am wearing one. As I love pushups, this is no problem. I also wear a white non-wife-beater t-shirt sometimes. She also likes to see me doing pushups in that.

I am undecided about whether I think it's better to wear a t-shirt or wifebeater under the dress shirt ... personally I get too hot if I am wearing a suit jacket, a dress shirt, and then something under it.
As for wearing a wife-beater OR a t-shirt outdoors in public ... I'm too tattooed and it doesn't go with my collegiate image. Can't do it. I need to be incognito. The most I'll show is my forearm bracelet-tattoo and that is only if my sleeve is rolled up.

 

[AdmiralTofu]

I prefer the t-shirt. I really don't mind people being able to see the sleeves --better than them seeing something else through it. Besides, it seems worse to me to see the distinct shape of an a-shirt through one. [huh]

True enough. Something's better than nothing. I remember one day a couple of months ago, I made the mistake of wearing a thin, light pink shirt to work with no undershirt... I went to the bathroom at some point in the day, and while I was washing up I looked in the mirror, and I could see my nipples clear through the shirt (not trying to be graphic -- just sayin'). I was quite embarrassed... I spent the rest of the day at my desk with my arms folded, or leaned in so far to my computer I probably made my nearsightedness worse! lol

-Tofu

 

[poetman]

I always wear a "tank shirt" under my shirts. It absorbs any perspiration, and in the winter it keeps me warm. The term "wife-beater" has got to be one of the more embarrassing slang (and perhaps culturally revealing) to develop in America, but nevertheless, I wear the tank style shirt because it fills a need. I think t-shirts are two bulky and often too loose beneath a dress shirt. I also hate the look of a t-shirt collar beneath an opened button down shirt. With a tank, you avoid this problem. As for people seeing the outline of my shirt, it never happens, for two specific reasons, my tank shirt never shows through, but more importantly, when I purchase a white dress shirt, I make sure it is not thin enough for flesh or an under shirt to be so visible. I like white shirts that don't have a see-through quality.

 

[Dr Doran]

I always wear a "tank shirt" under my shirts. It absorbs any perspiration, and in the winter it keeps me warm. The term "wife-beater" has got to be one of the more embarrassing slang (and perhaps culturally revealing) to develop in America, but nevertheless, I wear the tank style shirt because it fills a need. I think t-shirts are two bulky and often too loose beneath a dress shirt. I also hate the look of a t-shirt collar beneath an opened button down shirt. With a tank, you avoid this problem. As for people seeing the outline of my shirt, it never happens, for two specific reasons, my tank shirt never shows through, but more importantly, when I purchase a white dress shirt, I make sure it is not thin enough for flesh or an under shirt to be so visible. I like white shirts that don't have a see-through quality.

This all makes sense, but I thought that one great advantage to something under your dress shirt is that it covers the armpits and absorbs sweat therefrom -- which a tank shirt don't do.

 

[reetpleat]

This all makes sense, but I thought that one great advantage to something under your dress shirt is that it covers the armpits and absorbs sweat therefrom -- which a tank shirt don't do.

I agree. Makes no sense to hae a sleevless shirt. MY first thought would be because people did not do laundry as often and washing a shirt would be more expensive and wear it out faster than washing an undershirt. But the pits are the part that gets the worst of it.

I suppose it is a hold over from the day when men wore one piece underwear all the time so in summer they would wear an abbreviated version, then at some point it continued on as just a matter of habit. I still wear them sometimes because it seems like the right vintage thing to do, but as my pants have gotten a little snugger, they are the first thing to go. I can't stand to have all those layers in there.

I did see some comic piece somewhere laying out all the layers a gentleman might have around his waist. BOxers, undershirt, shirt, belt, slacks, vest, suit jacket, overcoat,

Why are they call tank tops?

 

[Fletch]

Singlet.

The proper term is singlet.

I wear them mostly in summer. Even then I find they don't keep me very dry in high humidity. A wicking tee is my usual choice (typically Travelsmith or Champion brand).

 

[Dr Doran]

The proper term is singlet.

I wear them mostly in summer. Even then I find they don't keep me very dry in high humidity. A wicking tee is my usual choice (typically Travelsmith or Champion brand).

Fletch, have I told you how much I like your present avatar?

 

[Fletch]

You have now. Thanks!

 

[Rooster]

I'm a wife beater (wearer ) They are designed in ribbed cotton to be absorbent. They are absorbent so they soak up all your sweat and hold it against you to keep you cool. You'll stay much cooler in any shirt with a WB under it than not.
I wear long sleeved shirts all summer with a WB under it, no matter how hot it is. As soon as I start to sweat, the WB kicks in and does it's job. I learned this from working with crews of Mexicans on landscaping jobs in the middle 70's. They generally wore flannel shirts with WB's underneath, and black polyester slacks. I never did go for the black poly slacks.

 

[Feraud]

A classic WB look

 

[Chas]

I am inclined to prefer them on hot women. And the boys dancing on the floats at Gay Pride Parades. It suits them better.

Otherwise, they're not for me. I like my crew-neck t shirts. Like Brando.

 

[OldSkoolFrat]

Exactement.

But it really seems to be part of the American fabric (no pun intended) to this day. I mean, even Tony Soprano wears one.

Sonny Corleone, Tony Soprano..... Get the picture? Capeesh, Pisano?

Sonny got shot because Carlo was doing what to Connie???

 

[Marty M.]

And the answer is...

I am inclined to prefer them on hot women.

Great answer :eusa_clap .
Marty Mathis