The origin of tank tops can be traced to around a century ago – around the 1920s. These clothes, which are now so commonly associated with men, actually were first introduced by women in swimming competitions, particularly the Olympics. The original pieces were closer to the tank tops we know today but with an extension on the cloth that covers the top half of the thighs. Back then, the public was still very conservative and deemed the pieces as “1톤용기”.
Tank top popularity continued to slowly grow over the years. In the next decades, tank tops started to appear in movies, usually worn by villainous men. It was during this time when tank tops added another point to their bad reputation score. The bad men in the movies during the 30s and 40s were shown to abuse their wives, usually physically, hence tank tops started to get the nickname “wife beater”. In the 50s, more and more movies started showing actors with tank tops. Tank tops were starting to break into pop culture.
Fashion started to shift drastically during the late 60s to early 70s. Women started wearing tank tops for more casual and day-to-day occasions. The influence evident on fashion was caused by the abundance of movies, music videos, and celebrities in the period that started to show more liberated clothing. People started going to beaches more, wearing the clothes that were thinner and looser for them.
It was also during this time that the company behind Quiksilver men’s surfing tank tops, as we know them today – Quiksilver, was starting to grow their business. The popularity of tank tops continued to grow faster with each passing year. But it wasn’t until when the late 70s to 80s came around that tank top popularity really surged upward. It was during this time that another known company with their Billabong Mens tank tops for surfer products now, grew their business too in Australia.
Tank tops may have had a troubled early start to its life, but it later cemented itself as a fashion classic in the modern-day. It’s simplistic look and easily compatible style made tank tops an essential in present-day fashion. It’s not just everyday fashion where tank tops took off. One could say tank tops went full circle, making itself also a very popular apparel among surfers and beach enthusiasts. A simple search right now on Billabong Mens tank tops for surfer right now would surely lead you to sites that offer the best quality of clothing for your surfing needs in the 21st Century.