# 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:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**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, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-point-of-wearing-a-tank-top-t-shirt/173738/21 "2003-05-09T14:51:06Z")
You’re right, unless he’s, well, whatever the name of the character Clark played in that movie. That was a dark time for the men’s undergarment industry… ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-point-of-wearing-a-tank-top-t-shirt/173738/22 "2003-05-09T19:15:07Z")
Umm, I guess I’ve never been a well dressed gentleman but [Snopes](http://www.snopes.com/movies/actors/gable.htm) has a different take on the Clark Gable Killed undershirt sales story. ---
**Author:** ![MeanJoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanjoe/32/5693_2.png) [@MeanJoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanJoe)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-point-of-wearing-a-tank-top-t-shirt/173738/23 "2003-05-09T22:03:53Z")
Rule # 1: Men wearing a dress shirt must **always** wear a dress shirt. End of discussion. “But…!” you say? No, end of discussion. “Now wait a minute… there are valid reasons to not…” Niet! There are never reasons for it, just as there are never reasons to skip wearing a belt with slacks and a dress shirt or a reason to wear white athletic socks with dress shoes. I wear mine for three reasons, in no particular order of importance: 1.) It is unprofessional looking to not wear one. 2.) Prevents chest hairs, nipples, or skintone to be seen through the material. 3.) Prevents persperation damage to (especially) white dress shirts. Tank-top undershirts (aka wife-beaters) only meet #2 and are therefore not something I’d wear. I do own three of them however but it was to complete a “costume” that I needed one. MeanJoe MeanJoe ---
**Author:** ![MeanJoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanjoe/32/5693_2.png) [@MeanJoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanJoe)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-point-of-wearing-a-tank-top-t-shirt/173738/24 "2003-05-09T22:05:56Z")
_smack head with keyboard_ PREVIEW, PREVIEW, PREVIEW!!! > [@](#): > > Rule # 1: Men wearing a dress shirt must always wear a dress shirt. End of discussion. Should read: Rule # 1: Men wearing a dress shirt must always wear a under-shirt. End of discussion. I refuse to admit typing my username twice was a mistake. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![superstar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f4b2a3/32.png) [@superstar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/superstar)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-point-of-wearing-a-tank-top-t-shirt/173738/25 "2003-05-09T23:28:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Narrad \* > \*\*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”? \*\* Narrad, i think you would agree that these shirts are only worn down under by particular individuals!!! And they have nick-names all of their own. (hoping you are not one of them… otherwise i just insulted you) Tank top in Oz = gym junkie, or teenagers with no idea. ---
**Author:** ![lilbtagna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4491bb/32.png) [@lilbtagna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lilbtagna)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-point-of-wearing-a-tank-top-t-shirt/173738/26 "2003-05-09T23:45:54Z")
I find them sexy too, but not for going out. My honey in a tank top is for my eyes only 😉 He likes wearing them when it’s not winter underneath his other shirts because he doesn’t like how two sleeves feels when it’s warm outside. ---
**Author:** ![Wyld\_Stallyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8dc957/32.png) [@Wyld\_Stallyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wyld_Stallyn)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2003, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-point-of-wearing-a-tank-top-t-shirt/173738/27 "2003-05-10T04:19:48Z")
While lifting weights, you get a better range of motion when your shoulders are not restricted by fabric. And you can show off if that’s your thing (I only do so in the mirror in my apt.). However, when wearin’ a dress shirt, I always go w/ the full T-shirt type for the above mentioned reasons (also, if I’m wearing a white dress shirt, the undershirt prevents my tat’s from showing through, which would needless to say not go over very well where I work). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-point-of-wearing-a-tank-top-t-shirt/173738.md?page=1)