The Classic White Tank Top: What's Its Real Name?

White tank tops are known by a variety of names across the world. In the US and Canada, they are commonly referred to as 'tank tops' or 'tank shirts', while in the UK, the same garment is called a 'vest'. In Australia and New Zealand, it is known as a 'singlet', and in India, it is called a 'banian' or 'banyan'. The term 'wife-beater' has also been used to refer to white tank tops, although the origin of this term is disputed. Some sources claim that it became popular after a 1947 criminal case in Detroit, where a man was arrested for beating his wife to death and was pictured in news outlets wearing a stained undershirt. However, this story has been debunked by writer Paul Davidson, who revealed that he fabricated the story on his satire blog.

'Wife-beater': the origin of this slang term

Wife-beater: the origin of this slang term

The term "wife-beater" to describe a white tank top is thought to have originated in the late 1970s, likely due to Marlon Brando's performance in the 1951 film adaptation of "A Streetcar Named Desire". In the film, Brando's character, Stanley Kowalski, is an abusive man who is dressed in a white tank top and jeans. The costume was designed to make Kowalski appear more like a wild animal than a human and to over-sexualise the character. Brando leaned into the act, dirtying the shirt and pouring water on his jeans before performances, and the association stuck.

The earliest reference to the term "wife-beater" in writing appears to be in a 1979 article in the San Francisco Examiner, which refers to "a young man in a wife-beater undershirt". In the 1980s, the garment became popular in queer fashion because of its sexualised appearance. A 2001 article in The New York Times mentions queer communities as early adopters of the term. However, it wasn't until the 1990s that the term started to be used more widely, particularly by young people.

There are a few different theories about the origin of the term "wife-beater". One theory suggests that it comes from a 1947 criminal case in Detroit, where a man was arrested for beating his wife to death. The man was allegedly photographed in a stained undershirt and referred to as "the wife-beater" in news outlets. However, this story has been disputed, with some claiming that it was intended as satire or a joke. Another theory suggests that the term comes from Brando's performance in "A Streetcar Named Desire", as mentioned earlier. It is also worth noting that the white tank top has been associated with lower-class, brutish men in popular culture, and has been used to dress actors playing characters with criminal activities, such as in "Bonnie and Clyde" (1967) and "The Godfather" (1972).

The term "wife-beater" has been controversial and deemed offensive by many. It is seen as derogatory, heteronormative, and reinforcing negative stereotypes. There have been calls to retire the term and replace it with more neutral alternatives such as singlet or tank top.

A-shirt: the original name

The A-shirt, short for "athletic shirt", was introduced in 1935 by the sock and underwear company Cooper's, Inc. (later known as Jockey). The A-shirt was a white tank top made of ribbed cotton, designed to be paired with the company's revolutionary "jockey brief" underwear. The A-shirt soon became a staple in the American man's wardrobe, although it was mostly worn as an undergarment, especially in wealthier areas.

The A-shirt was first brought into the spotlight by Marlon Brando, who wore it in the 1951 movie adaptation of "A Streetcar Named Desire". Brando's character, Stanley Kowalski, was an abusive, wild character, and the A-shirt was used to over-sexualise him. This association stuck, and the A-shirt became increasingly linked with working-class and criminal backgrounds.

By the late 1970s, another name for the A-shirt had entered the public consciousness: "wife-beater". This name is likely derived from Brando's performance in "A Streetcar Named Desire", and was first referenced in a 1979 article in the San Francisco Examiner. The term also appeared in a 1998 article in the Orlando Sun-Sentinel, where teenagers claimed it was used ironically, mocking the behaviour of the shirt's stereotypical owner. However, the exact origin of the term "wife-beater" is disputed, with some attributing it to a 1947 criminal case in Detroit, where a man was arrested for beating his wife while wearing a stained undershirt.

In the UK, the garment is known as a "vest", while in Australia and New Zealand, it is called a "singlet". Other slang terms for the A-shirt include "beater", "guinea tee", and "dago tee" (ethnic slurs for people of Italian descent). Despite the various names, the A-shirt is a simple yet versatile garment, commonly worn as an undershirt, athletic wear, or casual attire by both men and women.

Singlet: the British name

In the UK, a white tank top is called a "vest", particularly when used as an undershirt. However, in other parts of the world, including Australia, New Zealand, and India, a white tank top is referred to as a "singlet".

The term "singlet" for a white tank top is also used in the US, albeit less frequently. The preference there is to call it a "wife-beater", a term that has been widely criticised for being derogatory and heteronormative. The origin of the term "wife-beater" has been the subject of much speculation. One theory links it to a 1947 criminal case in Detroit, where a man was arrested for beating his wife to death. The man, dubbed "the wife-beater" by the media, was pictured in a stained undershirt, and this association stuck. However, this story has been disputed, with some claiming it originated from a satirical blog post written by Paul Davidson in 2005. Davidson fabricated two stories, one about a medieval chain mail undergarment called a "waif-beater" and another about the Detroit murder case, which contributed to the spread of the term.

The white tank top's journey to becoming a staple in men's wardrobes began in 1935 when Cooper's, Inc. (later known as Jockey) introduced a revolutionary line of men's underwear. The new design, called the "jockey brief", lacked leg sections and focused on supporting the crotch area. To pair with the briefs, Cooper's introduced a white tank top made of ribbed cotton, called the "A-shirt" or "athletic shirt". The A-shirt, which grew in popularity as an undershirt, particularly among wealthier individuals, was also adopted by athletes and actors, further cementing its place in popular culture.

While the term "singlet" may be less commonly used in the US compared to "wife-beater" or "A-shirt", it is the preferred term in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, and India, reflecting the diverse nomenclature for this simple yet versatile garment across different parts of the world.

Vest: the American name

In the United States, a white tank top is known by several names. It is sometimes called a "wife-beater", a term that is considered derogatory and heteronormative by some. The origin of this name is disputed, but it is thought to have come from a 1947 news story about a man arrested for beating his wife to death. The man was wearing a stained undershirt in a photograph printed by newspapers, which referred to him as "the wife beater". Another claim is that the name originated from the 1951 film "A Streetcar Named Desire", in which Marlon Brando's character, an abusive man, wears a white tank top.

The white tank top is also known as an "A-shirt", short for "athletic shirt", as it is commonly worn by athletes. This name was given to the garment by its manufacturer, Cooper's Inc. (later known as Jockey), when it was introduced in 1935. The A-shirt grew to become a staple in men's wardrobes, particularly as an undergarment in wealthier areas.

In the UK, a white tank top is called a "vest", while in Australia and New Zealand, it is known as a "singlet". In the Indian subcontinent, it is called a "banian" or "banyan", and in the Philippines, it is called a "sando".

Its use in popular culture

The white tank top, also known as a vest in the UK, a singlet in Australia and New Zealand, and a banian or banyan in the Indian subcontinent, has had a varied and controversial history in popular culture.

Early Appearances

The white tank top's first prominent appearance in popular culture was in the 1951 film adaptation of "A Streetcar Named Desire," where it was worn by Marlon Brando. The costume designer, Lucinda Ballard, paired the tank top with tight jeans to make Brando's character, Stanley Kowalski, seem more like a wild animal than a human and to over-sexualise him. This association stuck, and the garment has since been used by costume designers to draw attention to a character's working-class background or criminal activities.

The Term "Wife-Beater"

By the late 1970s, the term "wife-beater" had entered the popular vocabulary to refer to the white tank top, likely due to Brando's performance as the abusive Kowalski. The earliest written reference appears to be from 1979 in the San Francisco Examiner. The term may have come about due to the frequent appearance of the garment on the TV show "Cops," which often featured domestic disputes with abusive husbands. Another theory suggests that the term became popular after a 1947 criminal case in which a Detroit man was arrested for beating his wife to death while wearing a stained undershirt. However, this theory was later debunked as a hoax by writer Paul Davidson, who admitted to fabricating the story on his blog.

Queer Fashion

In the 1980s, the white tank top became a vital part of queer fashion because of its more sexualised appearance. The garment was also embraced by the queer community for its association with Brando, who is considered a gay icon.

Decline in Usage

In recent years, there has been a push to move away from the term "wife-beater" due to its derogatory and heteronormative connotations. On TikTok, for example, users have started calling the shirt a "wife-pleaser" to avoid flags for inappropriate content.

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