Lois & Clark Forums Forums Fan Fiction Fanfic Related FFQ--a man's tank top??

We also call them wifebeaters, but it isn't exactly politically correct -- and it really bothers me whenever I hear the term. And, as the first post stated, she doesn't think Clark would call it a wifebeater.

I believe that older men tend to wear them as undershirts and younger men tend to wear them as actual shirts -- people like Eminem are shown wearing them all the time.

Personally, since I hate the term wifebeater, I usually call them "tank tops."

- Laura

<shrug> It's the common term for it, and it doesn't bother me. Then again, I *hate* all that PC garbage.

And only a few celebs do that, Alicia. Most of the guys I know actually *do* wear them as undershirts.

Laura (who thinks that people should just say what they think and not worry about if it's PC or not.)

True, sometimes it is helpful to be up-front and honest. Then again, there is that small matter of tact and diplomacy... what was that conversation Lois had with Clark about how he'd react if his wife had her hair done in a style Lois was sure he'd hate?

And no, there's no way on earth that Clark would call any garment a 'wifebeater'. (Ugh! ) Even if he could stomach the term, which I'm sure he couldn't, Lois would never let him get away with it!


Wendy

Okay, I protest! I think this thread should have a warning on it! The trauma of reading through all these posts reminding me of just how awful tank tops were has been deplorable! And pictures! )

What Clark is wearing in the promo picture is called a singlet here. Guys usually wear them under business shirts or by themselves in the warmer weather. The top Lois is wearing is a tank top.
It's also very fashionable for young women to wear a guy's singlet as a shirt these days.

What on earth are deeleyboppers??

Tricia

If you missed deeleyboppers, all credit to you, Tricia.

They were something of a craze here in the UK for a time. An alice band with two lengths of spring attached to which were attached glitter-covered balls or stars or whatever in various neon colours.

Whenever you moved your head they waved and bounced around. And they weren't just reserved for discos and nightclubs and parties. Oh no - that wouldn't have been silly enough. <g> You wore them to school, to the office, when you went shopping...

I guess they were fun at the time, but oh my looking back on them now....

Still...least they weren't as lethal as clackers.... (two balls separated by a length of string that you manipulated to 'clack' the balls together top and bottom in a steady beat. If you missed a beat, boy those were vicious...)

LabRat (who's sure she still has clacker bruises somewhere even today...)

And an "alice band" would be... a hair band, I presume?

- Vicki

Yup. As in the type of hair band Alice used in Alice In Wonderland. A plastic band that holds the hair back from the face, while allowing it to fall loose:



And this is the best picture of deeleyboppers I could find:



LabRat

I have to say that I have nothing worthwhile to add here. But, for me, this thread just continues to get more and more fascinating.

Who knew?

CC

You guys just crack me up!! I have tears in my eyes from reading these posts.

No matter what you call it, my all time favorite Clark get-up that involved no sleeves and a whole lot of muscle was the black "muscle shirt" he wore in Ordinary People - when the evil doc had him strapped to the operating table. Dean in black. Yum!!

Lynn

Hey Lynn,

Do you mean this tank top? I knew there was another reason why I love that episode....




Thanks for the pictures, Christiane!!!

Missy (who agrees that shirtless will do quite nicely, but really likes this black shirt! )

That's the one!!

Something about a dark-haired, dark-skinned man in black is just too much for me. I may just have to dig out the tape with this epi and find this scene.

<deep sigh>

Lynn

LabRat (who thinks that says it all really)

I have been trying to keep on lurking, but this topic (and Tricia's post) has got me out of lurkhood again.

In Singapore, we call that undershirt that Clark is wearing a "singlet" as well. According to the Webster's, "singlet" is a term for "undershirt" that's commonly used in UK English. I'm not surprised that in Singapore, we use the term "singlet" rather than "undershirt". After all, we do generally use UK terms rather than their US equivalent. I think the fact that Singapore was an ex-UK colony has something to do with this.

What's really surprising is that from this posts, I'm getting the impression from Labrat and Wendy that the term "singlet" is no longer used in UK anymore? Only at Tricia's post do I see the term "singlet" materialise. And she's from Australia. So...

I'm a little confused.


metwin1

Hey Metwin1 - welcome back!

I had heard the term 'singlet', but it never occurred to me as the appropriate term until Tricia mentioned it. Yes, 'singlet' does apply to that type of T-shirt, but it's just not that commonly used in the UK any more, at least that's my impression. I think where it is used the association might be with something worn for running or other sporting activity.

But no way would we call it a tank top!


Wendy

As far as I know, in the US, a "singlet" is a tight-fitting garment worn for wrestling (and maybe other sports). The top is like the 'tank top' we are discussing here, but the bottom is like stretch shorts. It's a one-piece garment-- like a leotard with bike shorts attached.
Gotta love the English language!!!
-Wanda
PS: I am learning so much from this post--I sort of feel bad that after all this effort I'm going to have Clark shirtless. Perhaps he should have a singlet on. Or deeleyboppers!

For what it's worth, I believe they're called A-Shirts when you buy them in packages from Hanes or Fruit of the Loom. I've never heard that in conversation, though. I've always heard them called wifebeaters, distasteful as that is.

BTW, thanks, Labrat! I hadn't thought about deelyboppers in years, but I was the proud owner of several pairs as a kid. They were right up there with those super-attractive feather clips and T-shirt slides...

http://underwear-buy.com/mens_t_shirts.html

They are called tanks on this site.

Went to the site given, and thought I would check out the home page - and there was a set of Superman shorts offered!!! Go quick before they change it

Melisma (giggling here under her Rock)

LabRat (who is at least thankful that there are no incriminating photos in her photo album...)