Depending on the style, they can be worn as undershirts, by athletes in sports such as track and field and triathlon, or as casual wear by both men and women.

[4] Some sleeveless T-shirts, which possess smaller, narrower arm holes, are traditionally worn by both women and men.

A popular claim regarding the origin of the term "wifebeater" is that it became synonymous with an undershirt after a Detroit man was reportedly arrested in 1947 for beating his wife to death.

[8] Davidson openly admitted in 2018 that the "waif-beater" story was a hoax, created to trick people who believed unquestioningly anything they read on the Internet.

Tank tops are often worn alone under very casual settings, as lounge wear, and/or while completing yard work or other chores around the home.

A camisole, also abbreviated to simply cami, is a sleeveless shirt worn traditionally by women, normally extending to the waist.

[12] In modern usage, a camisole or cami is a loose-fitting[13][14][15] sleeveless undershirt which covers the top part of the body but is shorter than a chemise.

Camisoles are manufactured from light materials,[16] commonly cotton-based, occasionally satin or silk, or stretch fabrics such as lycra, nylon, or spandex.

Beginning around the year 2000, Western and Chinese fashion has also begun incorporating them as a sleeveless and backless shirt for women.