Undershirt


An undershirt in AmE,, is an article of underwear worn underneath a dress shirt intended to protect it from body sweat and odors. It can have short sleeves or be sleeveless. The term most commonly refers to upper-body innerwear worn by males.
An undershirt/ vest may be worn to protect the body from stiff or otherwise uncomfortable fabric. It also makes dress shirts less transparent, to reduce the amount of sweat absorbed by the shirt's fabric. It can be worn during winter months as an extra layer of warmth, and reduces wear on the upper layers of clothing.

History

Factory mass-produced undershirts became common in the West in the early 20th century, with innovations turning the union suit into two pieces, for upper and lower body.

Types of undershirts