Tank top

See also

Nickname for alcoholic drinks reputed to arouse pugnacity: Rum, called "the golden wifebeater", Stella Artois, sometimes called "Wife Beater" in the UK (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wife-beater).

The term "A-shirt" is short for "athletic shirt" because it is often worn in sports, such as basketball and track-and-field events. In the United States and Canada, it is also known colloquially as a tank top or by its pejorative nicknames, wife-beater (sometimes just beater), or guinea tee (which come from the cultural stereotype where they are considered an underwear-only type of clothing and wearing one in public is alleged to connote low social class; guinea is an ethnic slur for an Italian). In the UK an A-shirt, especially when used as an undershirt, is known as a vest (compare the American usage of "vest"). Another term is singlet, used in England, Scotland, Ireland, Australia, Nigeria, Singapore and New Zealand. In the Philippines, when used as an undershirt it is called a sando. Also in Bangladesh and the State of West Bengal in India it is called as sando-genji in other eastern states of India it is called Sando-ganji. In Northern and Central India it is known as a Banian and is used extensively as an undershirt to absorb sweat and prevent its penetration to outer layers of clothing. In France it is commonly called a "marcel" since its first large-scale production by Marcel Eisenberg for the Parisians handlers during the mid 19th century.

In addition to athletic usage, A-shirts have traditionally been used as undershirts, especially with suits and dress shirts. They are sometimes worn alone without a dress shirt or top shirt during very warm and or humid weather, mainly in North America where the climate is warmer and more humid in the summer. A-shirts are often worn alone under very casual settings, as lounge wear, and or while completing yard work or other chores around the home.

The build of an A-shirt is simple: the neck and armholes are often reinforced for durability. One usually has large armholes and neck holes and a neckline that can reach down as far as the bottom of the chest. They are also sometimes made long to make tucking into a pair of jeans/shorts easier. In almost all cases, they are buttonless, collarless, and pocketless. An A-shirt worn as an undershirt is designed for a tight fit and is often made of ribbed cotton.

A tank top consists of a sleeveless shirt with low neck and different shoulder straps width. It is named after tank suits, one-piece bathing costumes of the 1920s worn in tanks or swimming pools. The upper garment is worn commonly by both men and women (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleeveless_shirt).