America has always had a love affair with the t-shirt. In the 50s, it became allowable to finally wear them as outerwear and the public never looked back. And when even the t-shirt seemed a little too constrictive, say in the hot months of summer, the next step became to lose the sleeves, leaving one with perhaps the least amount of clothing allowable without just going shirtless.
Tank Tops first emerged at the turn of the century, when they were the preferred choice of swimmers. Featuring a scooped neck and gaping holes where sleeves once resided, they allowed for unparalleled comfort. By the 30s, the A-shirt, or Guinea tee as they were sometimes called, became popular as an undershirt. It would take another couple of decades before one could wear them as outerwear without looking somewhat obscene.

That time came during the sexual revolution of the 60s. Bras were burned and the tank top became the style of the day, much to the outrage of those with more conservative fashion sense, who felt they showed off the female form just a tad too much. Soon, the style spread to males as well, especially those who played rock and roll under the blistering stage lights. Their fans followed suit and by the 70s, the tank top was an acceptable form of unisex apparel.

By the 80s, men were wearing them less but females continued to embrace the style. And in the following decade, the tube top style was coupled with spaghetti straps for an all-new look. These ‘baby’ style tanks were all the rage, especially when adorned with decals on the front, an homage of sorts to the decal-friendly 70s era. And today, whether fashionable or not, one thing can still be said about the tank top – they simply afford a level of unrestricted comfort that no other shirt can provide. If you couldn’t go nude from the waist up, the tank top has always been the next best thing.