# What's the function of "wife beater" undershirts? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 29, 2008, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-function-of-wife-beater-undershirts/470071 "2008-10-29T13:36:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-function-of-wife-beater-undershirts/470071/21 "2008-10-29T18:43:30Z")
> [@Chez\_Guevara](#): > > In fact, I’d say there’s even a case for the mass production of an inverse wife-beater undershirt that covers nothing but the axillae. That’s what dress shields are for. (I don’t want to link to ads because they all feature bra-clad women.) ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-function-of-wife-beater-undershirts/470071/22 "2008-10-29T18:52:53Z")
I would never wear a wife-beater under a white dress shirt, because you can see it, and it looks ridiculous. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-function-of-wife-beater-undershirts/470071/23 "2008-10-29T19:15:04Z")
> [@This\_ll\_Do](#): > > Girl here. I wear the exact same garment, although it’s marketed to women as a _camisole_ or _tank top_. They look just like men’s A-line undershirts except that I can get them in colors other than white. For white ones, I buy them in the men’s dept because they’re cheaper. My company’s logo wear tends to be made from thin fabric, so I wear an undershirt to keep bra lines and nippleage from showing through. Party pooper 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Key\_Lime\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/48db29/32.png) [@Key\_Lime\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Key_Lime_Guy)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-function-of-wife-beater-undershirts/470071/24 "2008-10-29T19:52:31Z")
I wonder if part of the purpose is to prevent nipple-chafing, especially with starched shirts. I too wear short-sleeve t-shirts, for armpit-sweat absorption. ---
**Author:** ![Paintcharge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paintcharge/32/7946_2.png) [@Paintcharge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paintcharge)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-function-of-wife-beater-undershirts/470071/25 "2008-10-29T19:58:22Z")
They are a the logical result of warm weather working. If guys are working hard, it is warm and they must wear shirts, lots of guys would rip the sleeves off of t-shirts in order to keep cool. Someone had the bright idea of actually making shirts with the sleeves already off. I wear them all summer long. As long as they are clean, un-torn, etc, they are fine. Also avoid the farmer tan. ---
**Author:** ![Chez\_Guevara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@Chez\_Guevara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chez_Guevara)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-function-of-wife-beater-undershirts/470071/26 "2008-10-29T20:18:07Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > That’s what dress shields are for. (I don’t want to link to ads because they all feature bra-clad women.) That’s OK. I’ve located the ads, but only because it will be a sad day for these forums when a fear of prurience forms a barrier to the acquisition of knowledge. ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-function-of-wife-beater-undershirts/470071/27 "2008-10-29T21:35:23Z")
> [@vetbridge](#): > > Hold da phone. I’m a guy. We’re supposed to hide our chest hair and nipples? Huh? Why wasn’t I told?☹ Don’t worry, it’s okay as long as you have one of those big gold medallions. ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-function-of-wife-beater-undershirts/470071/28 "2008-10-29T21:44:43Z")
I never used to wear any sort of undershirt until I got my concealed carry permit. Now I wear the sleeveless tucked in with the holster inside my waistband outside the t-shirt. Then my normal shirt draped over it. Protects me from rubbing against the grip and vice-versa. ---
**Author:** ![Clivas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@Clivas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clivas)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-function-of-wife-beater-undershirts/470071/29 "2008-10-29T21:48:44Z")
I wear them for two reasons. 1. because my nipples are always hard and it’s embarrassing to be a guy walking around with pokies all day long. 2. I am fairly thin but have a little extra beer weight in my belly and chest. the tightness of the wifebeater smooths it out so my man boobs look less round like man boobs and more flat like a bit of muscle. Deceptive I know and it’s not perfect but it works to an extent. As far as the belly goes, the wifebeater does nothing for that, still have to suck it in. ---
**Author:** ![Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hazle_Weatherfield)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-function-of-wife-beater-undershirts/470071/30 "2008-10-29T21:52:27Z")
Maybe I live in my own little PC world (too much, I’m sure,) but do people actually go around calling them “wifebeaters?” I haven’t heard the term aloud since the early eighties. I just call them tank tops. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-function-of-wife-beater-undershirts/470071/31 "2008-10-29T22:11:08Z")
> [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](#): > > Maybe I live in my own little PC world (too much, I’m sure,) but do people actually go around calling them “wifebeaters?” I haven’t heard the term aloud since the early eighties. I just call them tank tops. Yes, people commonly call them wifebeaters. A tank top is the [same general shape](http://images.google.com/images?gbv=2&hl=en&q=men%27s+tank+top&&sa=N&start=20&ndsp=20), but not the same thing because wifebeaters are ribbed and men’s tank tops usually aren’t. Women’s tank tops often are ribbed, though, oddly enough. ---
**Author:** ![Furious\_Marmot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dfb087/32.png) [@Furious\_Marmot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Furious_Marmot)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-function-of-wife-beater-undershirts/470071/32 "2008-10-29T22:25:27Z")
It’s a public service thing. You see, the shirt gives the police a convenient hand-hold when they wrestle you to the ground in front of your singlewide. Don’t you people watch Cops? ---
**Author:** ![Poonther](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Poonther](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poonther)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-function-of-wife-beater-undershirts/470071/33 "2008-10-29T22:34:33Z")
> [@MeanJoe](#): > > Both work just fine for the other reason to always wear one - hide chest hair and nipples from showing through the shirt which is just tacky, tacky, tacky. Maybe you think it’s tacky to show chest hair when clothed, but I find it erotic especially guys that can flaunt it when wearing a turtle neck. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-function-of-wife-beater-undershirts/470071/34 "2008-10-29T22:38:23Z")
They’re called singlets here. I wear them all year round. They keep me warmer during the colder months and absorb sweat during summer. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-function-of-wife-beater-undershirts/470071/35 "2008-10-29T22:44:21Z")
I’m a woman, and I often wear tank tops as an underlayer in cold weather. This is usually preferable to a t-shirt, as wearing a short-sleeved shirt inside a shirt or sweater with long, fitted sleeves can lead to uncomfortable and unsightly bunching up around the shoulders. In really cold weather I have sometimes worn a sweater over a t-shirt over a tank top to protect the sweater from…sweat…while not further complicating things in the shoulder area. A tank top or camisole is also much better than a t-shirt under a sheer or light-colored blouse. The t-shirt sleeves would be obvious through the thinner fabric of the blouse. ---
**Author:** ![timbicile59](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/aeb1de/32.png) [@timbicile59](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/timbicile59)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-function-of-wife-beater-undershirts/470071/36 "2008-10-29T23:21:26Z")
Im a man. I wear them so my nipples don’t get rubbed raw. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-function-of-wife-beater-undershirts/470071/37 "2008-10-29T23:43:38Z")
I’d wear them in a warm climate where I had to wear dress shirts. But I don’t, so I don’t. Woven dress shirts just don’t feel right on the bare skin of my torso, and I’ve gotten chaffed nipples before. A soft knitted cotton against my skin feels better. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2008, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-function-of-wife-beater-undershirts/470071/38 "2008-10-30T13:12:20Z")
> [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](#): > > Maybe I live in my own little PC world (too much, I’m sure,) but do people actually go around calling them “wifebeaters?” I haven’t heard the term aloud since the early eighties. I just call them tank tops. I think the tank top has more coverage around the arms, especially in the back. My mom refers to it as a **strapper tee** , which for some reason always makes us giggle. ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2008, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-function-of-wife-beater-undershirts/470071/39 "2008-10-31T13:59:45Z")
They are also a bit longer and form fitting than regular tshirts and so better for tucking in under a dress shirt. Plus, they have a sort of ‘macho mystique’ to them. ---
**Author:** ![Olentzero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90ced4/32.png) [@Olentzero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Olentzero)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2008, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-function-of-wife-beater-undershirts/470071/40 "2008-10-31T14:33:39Z")
I wear 'em because I just sweat. A small amount of dampness under the pits is a drastic improvement over an entire soaked shirt. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-function-of-wife-beater-undershirts/470071.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-function-of-wife-beater-undershirts/470071.md?page=3)