h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: Tank Tops - A994836
Author: Researcher 220129 - U220129

Please let me know what you think - constructive criticism is always gracefully received.

hey there Researcher 220129 .

It's nice to see new folks contributing!
I was wondering if you'd like a more personal name than 220129?

Not that that isn't charming. . .

Anyway, if you click on preferences (one of the toolbars on your page, either at the top, or at the side depending on your background) you can choose a different name.

But great start to an article, I'm off to take a closer look.

Friar

Well written article.

Though it's a little glib, the topic deserves it I feel.

You fail to mention the standard white T-shirt tank top though, long preferred by hersuit Italian men (like myself, although I currently own a total of ZERO gold chains).


Clever entry, but I really get the sense that you are focusing on a very narrow band of 14 year old mates of yours a long time ago. . .

I sounds like you are revisiting your version of a fashion. As opposed to the fashion itself. You certainly mention the fashion industry internationale, but the focus of the entry seems quite personal. Thta's not a bad thing, but not necessarily standard for the edited guide. . .

Just my thoughts, and really, sorry, I don't know how the article could be preserved with its current level of wit and include a more worldly sense of the Tank Top(I must be the first person ever to say "worldy sense of the Tank Top").

Friar

I like this one a lot

"The original trend is believed to be at least partly attributable to Benny Andersson of legendary Swedish pop group ABBA"

I dunno about that... what year would you say that was? I was in the fourth year of secondary school in 1971 and plenty of my friends were wearing tank tops then, and calling them tank tops. In fact we used them when we were pretending to be Monty Python Gumbies I reckon Abba came rather later.

I think tank tops mean something else in America.

Nice entry

No Gosho, they mean the same thing here. . .

I remember them being in Canada in the 60's (long before ABBA). They were called tank tops and were often made of mesh. They were called tank tops because that's what the tank corps wore in their sweaty old tanks in North Africa while fighting Rommel. At least, that's what we always said.

They were also (more prosaicly) called muscle shirts.

In Georgia, we call them wife-beaters.

I thought tank tops were shirts that only had straps going over the shoulders. Sort of a bair minmium sort of a shirt. I have one that I wear for yard work. It lets me expose as much skin as possible for cooling. If they saw me topless, it could strike them lesbian, and no one wants that.

I suppose I need to go do some sit ups.

Have you considered doing wider research on this item of apparel, and including some links? I do like going off on a trail...

As Gosho said Gumbies were another iconic wearer of tank-tops, and of course included in the vogue fashion statement the knotted handkerchief on the head (not to be confused with a bandanna (A5004).
A good link to include would be to A450587 - 'How to make a plastic bag bra' which is an excellent article mentioning the possibility of plastic-bag tank-tops as an alternative.

Tweety Pie

Definately an older item. Back in 1971 when I sported a suede-head hair cut, tank tops were de-rigeur, though they had to be a dark base colour with bright contrasting rings. Mine was Black with a narrow yellow ring, then a thick red, then another narrow yellow. And I was told they were called tank tops because if you washed them too hot you could use them to insulate your hot-water tank. - However I believe this to be a lie told to an impressionable young man, in the belief he was also gullible, and is included here purely for entertainment purposes.

Are you still around, and working on this one Researcher 220129?

Yeah, I'm still about but not really had much time to think about tank tops - I still think they were popularised by ABBA though. We've had people talking about String vests and muscle tops but they're completely different - Tank tops were characterised by that enormous V-neck that reached down almost to your navel, and always made of very heavy wool.

These yanks don't even though they're born.

Well, I've spent half an hour Googling all manner of permutations of tank top plus seventies, 70s, Abba, glam, Monty Python, gumby, and more. Nothing. I've also Google picture searched tank top - it brings up plenty of pictures of vests, singlets, and muscle shirts, which is what tank top means in the US.

In the UK that is *not* a tank top, leastways, not what I remember as a tank top. That would be a knitted, woollen, short-sleeved sweater, with a round neck, and characterised by horizontal stripes of bright colour.

The closest thing I can think of to a tank top is the sweaters the Monty Python Gumbies wore, although they were rather more restrained and old-fashioned in their colouring. I haven't got time, or rather, I can't be a***d to search any more, but there are some pictures here. You'll need to click on the pictures to get a popup of the full size pic
http://www.stone-dead.asn.au/tv-series/sketches/fc-32/gumby-brain-specialist.html

I'm afraid that to us Yanks, a Tank Top is indeed a t-shirt without sleeves and a scooped neck...



Don't know how you might want to deal with this? Perhaps a look at the trousers vs pants debate? A129647


- Jimi X

Are you still working on this one?


Scout

I'm not sure what to do with this - I had no idea the Tank Top was a global phenomenon.

Actually that's not strictly true. What I mean is I didn't think they were called tank tops everywhere else, I thought it was a colloquialism that was only used to describe the type of tank tops I've written about.

Maybe if I move this to the Collabaritive topic area I can build up some info before rewriting?

That sounds like a good idea, but don't expect too much activity there - the Collaborative Writing Workshop is something of a backwater


Scout

The term tank top seems to mean different things to different people.

>>I thought tank tops were shirts that only had straps going over the shoulders. Sort of a bair minmium sort of a shirt. I have one that I wear for yard work. It lets me expose as much skin as possible for cooling. If they saw me topless, it could strike them lesbian, and no one wants that.<<

Thats what I call a tank top too.
Like a muscle shirt.

The thing that cricketers wear I call a pullover.


2/3

I think the author has left the building.

Looks like it. Any seconders for a move? (And I really hope that you'll be able to do this kind of thing yourself soon Cyzaki, you sure deserve it with all the work you've putting into PR )


Scout

Well, hopefully! It'll be nice to actually do something other than poke scouts...