wales4ever Posted April 11, 2014 #1 Share Posted April 11, 2014 There is a reply further down the board on casual attire with a reference to "wife beaters" Is this some sort of American attire, or is there a dress code for that as well? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cle-guy Posted April 11, 2014 #2 Share Posted April 11, 2014 There is a reply further down the board on casual attire with a reference to "wife beaters" Is this some sort of American attire, or is there a dress code for that as well? The "wife beater" is a sleeveless white t-shirt. Origins are basically images of men who've battered women are often seen wearing these. In the UK I've heard Brits refer to Stella beer as the "wife beater" at the local pub for similar reasons......get drunk on cheap beer, go home batter the wife :-( It's not a phrase that is in my daily vocabulary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithm Posted April 11, 2014 #3 Share Posted April 11, 2014 The "wife beater" is a sleeveless white t-shirt. Origins are basically images of men who've battered women are often seen wearing these. In the UK I've heard Brits refer to Stella beer as the "wife beater" at the local pub for similar reasons......get drunk on cheap beer, go home batter the wife :-( It's not a phrase that is in my daily vocabulary. Also can be a "string" type T shirt. I got a guy ejected out of the diningroom on the QM2 for being dressed like that(with crappy shorts)on formal night. His tablemates told me he had planned to dress like that to thumb his nose up at Cunard's dresscode. I was still surprised he was able to sneak past the Maitre D dressed like that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miched Posted April 11, 2014 #4 Share Posted April 11, 2014 Wife beaters are tank tops, or the sleeveless undershirts. You will see them in the old movies where the male is wearing his undershirt, usually intoxicated and beating on some female. In the Godffather you will see the men wearing them. 🌅 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spookwife Posted April 11, 2014 #5 Share Posted April 11, 2014 There is a reply further down the board on casual attire with a reference to "wife beaters" Is this some sort of American attire, or is there a dress code for that as well? generally considered to be a white sleeveless tank top/undershirt. think Hanes or BVDs. never appropriate to wear on its own, but certain demographics of our society favor them as every day attire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare hcat Posted April 11, 2014 #6 Share Posted April 11, 2014 Usually not seen on Celebrity ...thankfully .on other lines we have observed them in the buffet....appetite killer! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lsimon Posted April 11, 2014 #7 Share Posted April 11, 2014 ...This phrased should not even be used in today society:mad: I agree. I hate that term. Unfortunately both Websters dictionary and the Oxford Online dictionary actually define "wife beater" as "A white tank top" and "A man’s sleeveless vest or T-shirt.", respectively. So I guess that the term is more commonly accepted than I thought. In practice the only place I've heard this term used is here on Cruise Critic when discussing Celebrity dress codes! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iamcruzin Posted April 11, 2014 #8 Share Posted April 11, 2014 I work in a sporting goods store and the first time I heard that term about 20 years ago, I asked the customer if it was the name of a bat. The correct term for this garment is an A line T shirt. At least that's what the manufacturer has labeled on the package. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wiltonian Posted April 11, 2014 #9 Share Posted April 11, 2014 I agree; it's a disgusting, offensive term that has no place in normal conversation. The point is that it's used, and us Brits could only guess what it meant. Next, you 'll be wanting to delete 'naughty words' from dictionaries! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rebeccalouiseagain Posted April 11, 2014 #10 Share Posted April 11, 2014 I have to chime in here since I was the one that referred to the offending shirts as "wife beaters". That is just what they are commonly referred to and now the OP from the UK will know what it means if he hears it in the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buzzybuzzbuzz Posted April 11, 2014 #11 Share Posted April 11, 2014 The "wife beater" is a sleeveless white t-shirt. Origins are basically images of men who've battered women are often seen wearing these. In the UK I've heard Brits refer to Stella beer as the "wife beater" at the local pub for similar reasons......get drunk on cheap beer, go home batter the wife :-( It's not a phrase that is in my daily vocabulary. I can assure you Stella is not cheap, it's actually relatively expensive. The UK term refers to its strength which is quite high, and several pints of Stella can send people a bit crazy. I agree with others though it isn't a nice term. Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iamcruzin Posted April 11, 2014 #12 Share Posted April 11, 2014 Is the expression "wind up" used in the US?;) Not to my knowledge but my college aged kids use the term "Turn Up" which I think means to party and raise hell. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dolittle Posted April 11, 2014 #13 Share Posted April 11, 2014 The "wife beater" is a sleeveless white t-shirt. Origins are basically images of men who've battered women are often seen wearing these. In the UK I've heard Brits refer to Stella beer as the "wife beater" at the local pub for similar reasons......get drunk on cheap beer, go home batter the wife :-( It's not a phrase that is in my daily vocabulary. I think the correlation to this type of shirt(a-shirt is the real name)and Stella comes from the movie '' a streetcar named desire '' where brando stood out on the street yelling Stella! ,Stella! . He is often given credit (if you can call it that) for making the undershirt popular as an outer garment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C 2 C Posted April 12, 2014 #14 Share Posted April 12, 2014 I think the correlation to this type of shirt(a-shirt is the real name)and Stella comes from the movie '' a streetcar named desire '' where brando stood out on the street yelling Stella! ,Stella! . He is often given credit (if you can call it that) for making the undershirt popular as an outer garment. And I thought it was Vin Diesel... ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
babyher Posted April 12, 2014 #15 Share Posted April 12, 2014 I think the correlation to this type of shirt(a-shirt is the real name)and Stella comes from the movie '' a streetcar named desire '' where brando stood out on the street yelling Stella! ,Stella! . He is often given credit (if you can call it that) for making the undershirt popular as an outer garment. That makes a lot of sense . Brando in his undershirt was a Phenomenon when he appeared first on Broadway and then in the movie in Street Car If by Stella beer you are referring to Stella Artois (sp) , that is kind of an expensive beer. Not exactly what you picture some barfly drinking in a gin mill and then going home and beating the wife. But anything is possible Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oville Posted April 12, 2014 #16 Share Posted April 12, 2014 Of course the aforementioned piece of clothing has been abbreviated to just "beater". Not seen often on Celebrity but other lines for sure. Nothing like looking at someone's under arm hair while having lunch in the MDR. Apparently it's a turn on for some as you see them everywhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Cruise Raider Posted April 12, 2014 #17 Share Posted April 12, 2014 There is a reply further down the board on casual attire with a reference to "wife beaters" Is this some sort of American attire, or is there a dress code for that as well? Hahaha....dress codes for bad behavior. That is too funny :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Germancruiser Posted April 12, 2014 #18 Share Posted April 12, 2014 Oh dear I first thought that to be a new onbaord activity! Some surely would love the idea.! Kidding of course! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
babyher Posted April 12, 2014 #19 Share Posted April 12, 2014 Oh dear I first thought that to be a new onbaord activity! Some surely would love the idea.! Kidding of course! Don't give anyone any ideas . I am sure they have some close calls as it is Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capecruzer Posted April 12, 2014 #20 Share Posted April 12, 2014 FWIW, I find the term extremely offensive to all battered women.:mad: My son as a teenager used it one night at the dinner table and found himself less six t-shirts the next day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HAM Posted April 12, 2014 #21 Share Posted April 12, 2014 Indeed, any chap drinking Stella would come from a higher station in life, and therefore have someone else beat his wife! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruise_me_Crazy Posted April 12, 2014 #22 Share Posted April 12, 2014 Doesn't Onslow in "keeping up appearances" with Daisy & Mrs Bucket wear them all time? :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
babyher Posted April 12, 2014 #23 Share Posted April 12, 2014 Doesn't Onslow in "keeping up appearances" with Daisy & Mrs Bucket wear them all time? :D Yes , but he is too lazy to be a wife beater. He would have to actually get off the chair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShawninFL Posted April 12, 2014 #24 Share Posted April 12, 2014 It's a slang term for a white tank top. If you are say 25 or younger in the US you're going to refer to a tank top as a Wife Beater. This term came about because when ever some loser guy ended up on TV being arrested for domestic violence it seemed like he was always wearing a tank top. Sent from my SCH-I915 using Forums mobile app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TowandaUK Posted April 12, 2014 #25 Share Posted April 12, 2014 In the uk a tank top is a sleeveless knitted top usually worn over a shirt! Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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