Tank top

[FredPuli43]

Why is a tank top, the garment, called a tank top?

[humbersloop]

seems to be the most common answer fred

http://www.funtrivia....ft/Question81235.html

[Graham-W]

Yes HS. That's exactly the answer I've found on other sites.

The name Tank top, recorded in English since 1968, derives from its resemblance to a tank suit, a style of one-piece women's swimsuit with shoulder straps, so called since the 1920s, because it was worn in a "swimming tank".

[ChuckFickens]

^ yep, and this would have been a 1930's tank suit.
http://www.metmuseum....-collections/80001394

And this is just an excuse to post a picture of a woman in a swimming costume... (sorry, I mean this is a modern day tank suit)
http://www.allamerica...wimsuit-red-black.jpg

[FredPuli43]

Chuck,thanks for that second link. It provides a full explanation.

And tanks to everyone.

[VHG]

I was watching a program about World War 1 the other day and it talked about the introdction of the tank by the British.

It seems the tank was developed in great secrecy in England and they wanted a "code" name for the project.

During development somebody said it looked a bit like a water tank, so the code name "tank" was used, which has stuck ever since.

[rojash]

"Why is a tank top, the garment, called a tank top?"

It would be too confusing if they called it a carrot.