Undershirt

Underwear for the upper body

An undershirt in American English, vest in British and South African English, baniyan in the Indian subcontinent, or singlet in Australia and New Zealand, is an article of underwear worn underneath a shirt for warmth or to protect it from body sweat and odors. It can have short sleeves (T-shirt) or be sleeveless (A-shirt).

An undershirt may be worn to protect the body from stiff or otherwise uncomfortable fabric. It also makes dress shirts less transparent, and absorbs sweat that would otherwise wet the shirt's fabric. It can be worn during winter months as an extra layer of warmth, and reduces wear on the upper layers of clothing.^[1]^[2]

History

Factory mass-produced undershirts became common in the West in the early 20th century, with innovations turning the union suit into two pieces, for upper and lower body.

Types of undershirt

A sleeveless undershirt, also known as an A-shirt, tank top, has large armholes, a large neck hole, and offers little protection for armpit sweat.
A crew neck T-shirt has a high neckline, often requiring fully buttoned shirts to avoid being seen.
A V-neck T-shirt has a V-shaped neckline. This allows the wearer to unbutton the upper buttons of a collared shirt without the undershirt being seen.^[3]
A long sleeved T-shirt has long sleeves, and may be designed with extra insulation for use in cool weather.
A camisole is an undershirt for women.
A string vest is an undergarment made of mesh fabric that traps pockets of still air to act as thermal insulation.^[4]

References

^ Esquire: the handbook of style : a man's guide to looking good. New York, NY: Hearst Books. 2009-01-01. ISBN 9781588167460. OCLC 217263653.
^ Centeno, Antonio (28 June 2013). "A Man's Guide to Undershirts: History, Styles, and Which to Wear". The Art of Manliness. Archived from the original on 6 December 2021. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
^ "The Best Undershirts Take the Sweat off Your Back". 5 June 2019.
^ Woodward, Antony (20 February 1994). "Design Dinosaurs 4: The string vest". The Independent.

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[1] Esquire: the handbook of style : a man's guide to looking good. New York, NY: Hearst Books. 2009-01-01. ISBN 9781588167460. OCLC 217263653.

[aom-2] Centeno, Antonio (28 June 2013). "A Man's Guide to Undershirts: History, Styles, and Which to Wear". The Art of Manliness. Archived from the original on 6 December 2021. Retrieved 28 January 2020.

[3] "The Best Undershirts Take the Sweat off Your Back". 5 June 2019.

[woodward-4] Woodward, Antony (20 February 1994). "Design Dinosaurs 4: The string vest". The Independent.