But then there's the white tank top. Brits call the garment a "vest," while many other places prefer the term "singlet." In the U.S., a simple, white, sleeveless undershirt is sometimes called a “wife-beater.” What’s going on here? In 1935, the sock and underwear company Cooper’s, Inc. (later known as Jockey) introduced a revolutionary line of men's underwear. Cole explained that he prefers the term singlet because “wife-beater” feels derogatory and heteronormative, but agreed that the old term shouldn’t be used regardless of context.

Source: New York Times October 15, 2023 15:05 UTC