Shirt
A shirt is a piece of clothing for the trunk of the body.
Colloquially, a shirt for women is often called a top, however the term top is less restrictive than the term shirt. (There exist tops which are not shirts.) The term top is not exclusive to women's clothing.
Some common shirt types or synonyms:
- T-shirt
- polo shirt - a shirt with collar but only a partial vertical opening with buttons
- dress shirt - a shirt with collar and full vertical opening with buttons
- tank top - a sleeveless T-shirt
- blouse - ladies shirt - the term is also used for some men's military uniform shirts.
- nightshirt - for sleeping
- sweater, sweatshirt - with or without hood
- rugby shirt - typically a rugged long-sleeved polo shirt
- Hawaiian shirt - a colourful short-sleeve dress shirt
- guayabera - an embroidered dress shirt with four pockets
- golf shirt - a polo shirt
- baseball shirt - usually distinguished by a three quarters sleeve
- fishnet shirt, transparent, see e.g.
- first shirt - the "shirt" is a nick-name for a First Sergeant
Tops which would generally not be called shirts:
- tube top - a shoulderless, sleeveless "tube" that wraps the torso (not reaching higher than the armpits, staying in place by elasticity, see e.g )
- halter top - a shoulderless, sleeveless, backless garment, typically for women. It is mechanically analogous to an apron with a string around the back of the neck and across the lower back holding it in place.
Other tops which are not generally referred to as shirts include vests, sweaters, jackets and coats.
Many terms are used to describe and differentiate types of shirts and their construction. The smallest differences may have significance to a cultural or occupational group.
Recently, (late 20th century) it has become common to use shirts to carry messages or advertising. These can be screen printed or embroidered.
For such clothing, including vests, sweaters, jackets, etc. one can disinguish:
- With regard to covering the shoulders and arms:
- with no covering of the shoulders or arms - a tube top (not reaching higher than the armpits, staying in place by elasticity, see e.g )
- with only bands on the shoulders
- covering the shoulders, but without sleeves
- with short sleeves
- with half-long sleeves
- with long sleeves, may further be distinguished by the buttons
- buttons - single or multiple
- buttonholes only for use with belly button area bare (much more common for women than for men)
- until the waist
- covering the crotch
- covering part of the legs (essentially this is a dress; however, a piece of clothing is either perceived as a shirt (worn with trousers) or as a dress (worn by women, and by men just in the special case of cross-dressing).
- and levels in between.
- With regard to opening:
- vertical opening on the front side, all the way down, with buttons or zipper.
- left and right front side not separable, put on over the head; with regard to upper front side opening:
- V-shaped permanent opening on the top of the front side
- no opening at the upper front side
- vertical opening on the upper front side with buttons or zipper
- With regard to the neck:
- with polo-neck
- with collar. Furthermore the collar may have buttons at the tips for a "button-down collar".
- without collar
- With regard to pockets: how many (if any), where, and with regard to closure: not closable, just a flap, or with a button or zipper.
Some combinations are not applicable, of course, e.g. a tube top cannot have a collar.
See also:
