Why is a men's tank top called an "alcoholic tank top"?
When we imagine a classic drunkard at home, his image is inseparable from a stale underwear tank top with straps. This wardrobe item has acquired the popular name "alcoholic tank top". In fact, it has become an integral attribute of people with a "gastronomic tan", who for obvious reasons are indifferent to their appearance.
Oddly enough, this T-shirt had a bad reputation not only in our country. In the US, it is called a wife beater. Almost all Americans know this, but only a few can tell the story behind it.
In 1947, Detroit police arrested a man named James Hartford. The man, while drunk, got into an argument with his wife and beat her to death. Today, this crime would hardly cause a stir, but in those years, everything was different. The alcoholic's terrible crime was chewed over in the press and on television for many weeks.
Hartford's photo at the moment of his arrest was everywhere. The "hero" was wearing a tank top with straps, which is why it became firmly associated with domestic violence and drunkenness. So it can be said that overseas, this tank top is closely associated with alcohol. Despite the dubious reputation of this item, it very quickly became very popular.
The first person to make the "alcoholic" tank top a fashion item was actor Marlon Brando. He appeared in a white tank top in the film "A Streetcar Named Desire", released in 1951. After that, it ceased to be associated only with underwear and drunkenness. Later, the world saw James Dean in such a tank top in the film "Rebel Without a Cause", filmed in 1955.
After the T-shirt was rehabilitated by A-list stars, it turned into a macho attribute. In the West, homegrown sex symbols walked around the neighborhood in the "alcoholic tank top," captivating the hearts of beautiful ladies. Meanwhile, everything was stable - alcoholics, rowdies, and loafers showed off in T-shirts and pajama pants (stretched sweatpants appeared later).
In the 90s, couturier Giorgio Armani convinced the world that a white T-shirt is fashionable, stylish and luxurious. The magnificent Kate Moss did a lot to popularize this style. She wore the "alcoholic" with everything.
There are even brands like Selfridges and Bergdorf Goodman offering T-shirts starting at $100. The brutal T-shirt with a dubious reputation is still trendy. Stylists believe that at least one "alcoholic" T-shirt should be in the wardrobe of a man or woman who follows fashion.