# what is the point of wearing a tank top t-shirt? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 7, 2003, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-point-of-wearing-a-tank-top-t-shirt/173738 "2003-05-07T19:30:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![constantine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3bc359/32.png) [@constantine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/constantine)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2003, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-point-of-wearing-a-tank-top-t-shirt/173738/1 "2003-05-07T19:30:39Z")
To me, the main reason to wear a t-shirt is protect your dress shirt from perspiration. By wearing a t-shirt under my dress shirt, I can wear each dress shirt several times before taking it to the cleaners. I wear v-neck or crew neck t-shirts, and I have no idea why anyone wears tank top t-shirts. Since a tank top t-shirt doesn’t cover your underarms, how can it protect your dress shirts from perspiration? And if it doesn’t protect your dress shirts from perspiration, what is the point of wearing one? Not exactly an earthshaking question, I know, but it has been bothering me for a while. Constantine ---
**Author:** ![Contrary](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/db5fbb/32.png) [@Contrary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrary)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2003, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-point-of-wearing-a-tank-top-t-shirt/173738/2 "2003-05-07T19:38:27Z")
Maybe because they don’t want chest hair or nipples showing through their dress shirts? ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2003, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-point-of-wearing-a-tank-top-t-shirt/173738/3 "2003-05-07T19:39:49Z")
Not really for dressy wear, but they are ideal for monster truck rallies and those intimate little gatherings where you sit in the abandoned sofa out in your front yard and yell for yer woman to bring ya another beer. They’re also known as “wife beaters,” btw. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2003, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-point-of-wearing-a-tank-top-t-shirt/173738/4 "2003-05-07T19:52:23Z")
Warmth. Haj, who has never worn one. ---
**Author:** ![Stonebow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Stonebow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stonebow)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2003, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-point-of-wearing-a-tank-top-t-shirt/173738/5 "2003-05-07T20:11:38Z")
‘athletic undershirts’, as they are formally called, accentuate a man’s beer-gut. naturally, chicks love this- hence the popularity among a certain segment of the population, which also gives this charming garment its popular name- the wifebeater. ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2003, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-point-of-wearing-a-tank-top-t-shirt/173738/6 "2003-05-07T20:38:33Z")
I’m not sure why, but I find an athletic undershirt, when worn under a dress shirt of a svelte man, quite sexy. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2003, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-point-of-wearing-a-tank-top-t-shirt/173738/7 "2003-05-07T20:38:43Z")
I love wife beaters on the right guy. My husband isn’t the right guy. ---
**Author:** ![Mac\_Rame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Mac\_Rame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mac_Rame)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2003, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-point-of-wearing-a-tank-top-t-shirt/173738/8 "2003-05-07T20:54:56Z")
When I wear them at work it is generally for warmth, particularily when the landlord decides to turn down the heater. At home, it’s to catch my GF’s eye…which sometimes leads to things getting a bit warmer, as well. ---
**Author:** ![dwc1970](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a183cd/32.png) [@dwc1970](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwc1970)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2003, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-point-of-wearing-a-tank-top-t-shirt/173738/9 "2003-05-08T05:39:05Z")
People wear them so they can appear on COPS. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![butter\_pie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aca169/32.png) [@butter\_pie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butter_pie)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2003, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-point-of-wearing-a-tank-top-t-shirt/173738/10 "2003-05-08T06:25:59Z")
I think it’s sexy. ---
**Author:** ![Audrey\_Levins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Audrey\_Levins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Audrey_Levins)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2003, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-point-of-wearing-a-tank-top-t-shirt/173738/11 "2003-05-08T11:04:18Z")
I always think they make the shirt look “whiter.” And yes, I agree with **JuanitaTech,** I dig 'em under dress shirts. Just makes a man look more “finished.” T-shirts with sleeves don’t have the same effect. Don’t dig 'em at all by themselves; they scream for saggy pants, large gold emblems on chains, and pointlessly expensive athletic shoes…_unless_ they are paired with a cute pair of boxer briefs, and the guy’s got tight arms and a good ass. Did I just say too much? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Atrael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Atrael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atrael)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2003, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-point-of-wearing-a-tank-top-t-shirt/173738/12 "2003-05-08T14:07:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Contrary \* > \*\*Maybe because they don’t want chest hair or nipples showing through their dress shirts? \*\* This is why I wear one. I have a fairly sheer white dress shirt, and didn’t want to show through, so I picked up a few tank top under shirts. The reason I didn’t go with a full regular style t-shirt is because I hate the extra fabric buncing up on my arms. ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2003, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-point-of-wearing-a-tank-top-t-shirt/173738/13 "2003-05-08T14:33:35Z")
Well if you work out consistently and watch your diet, a wifebeater t-shirt can be incredibly sexy. ---
**Author:** ![Stonebow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Stonebow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stonebow)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2003, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-point-of-wearing-a-tank-top-t-shirt/173738/14 "2003-05-08T15:17:04Z")
for the record, my dad is very fond of his wifebeaters. though, my dad was also a wifebeater himself. ☹ i could not deal without the sleeves in my undershirt…it keeps sweat from soaking through my armpits, as well as dripping down my sides. eww. ---
**Author:** ![SkeptoLesbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@SkeptoLesbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkeptoLesbo)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2003, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-point-of-wearing-a-tank-top-t-shirt/173738/15 "2003-05-08T18:21:07Z")
Hanes makes these for women. My partner and I both wear them. Sometimes I wear them instead of a bra (I can still do that for now) - and sometimes I like them because after wearing a suit all day at work when I come home I just get undressed and throw on my lounge pants and have that wifebeater on - In other words I don’t have to go to the trouble of dirtying up clothes for a few hours after work. And, put a chick in one of them with a nice tan, smooth silky skin, and cut-off shorts… VERY sexy =) ---
**Author:** ![Jervoise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d2c977/32.png) [@Jervoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jervoise)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-point-of-wearing-a-tank-top-t-shirt/173738/16 "2003-05-09T00:13:20Z")
How common is this practice of wearing an undershirt beneath a dress shirt? I’ve never noticed anyone in my office wearing two shirts (but of course, it’s fairly temperate on my side of Australia, even in winter). I’ve noticed old men (my father, for one :)) wearing sleeveless shirts (“singlets”) under business shirts, but no one under the age of 50. Would you wear an undershirt beneath a white dress shirts? Woudln’t it “show through”? ---
**Author:** ![d\_redguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5fc32e/32.png) [@d\_redguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/d_redguy)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-point-of-wearing-a-tank-top-t-shirt/173738/17 "2003-05-09T01:03:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jinwicked \* > \*\*I think it’s sexy. \*\* **hyperjes** would agree. I never wore 'em before I dated her, now I wear them semi-regularly. ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-point-of-wearing-a-tank-top-t-shirt/173738/18 "2003-05-09T13:34:47Z")
Narrad, a well-dressed gentlemen _never_ wears a dress shirt _sans_ an undershirt of some sort. ---
**Author:** ![Sengkelat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@Sengkelat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sengkelat)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-point-of-wearing-a-tank-top-t-shirt/173738/19 "2003-05-09T14:19:59Z")
I hardly ever wear the tank top my wife got me. But when I do wear it, I do so for the following reasons: a) There are a lot of places where being shirtless is inappropriate. b) It’s slightly cooler than a regular T-shirt (average temp here: 80 F) c) My wife likes muscular shoulders. Oh, and I suppose d) so I don’t have a complete farmer tan. Of course, it isn’t an undershirt-style shirt, it’s reddish and has a big toothy yellow cartoon fish on it. If I’m actually wearing an undershirt (I rarely have cause to wear formal shirts around here) I can’t stand the sleeves of the undershirt flopping about. I’d far prefer the sleeveless sort. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-point-of-wearing-a-tank-top-t-shirt/173738/20 "2003-05-09T14:28:13Z")
Unless he’s Clark Gable. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-point-of-wearing-a-tank-top-t-shirt/173738.md?page=2)