Muscle shirts are types of sleeveless T-shirts that first gained popularity during the 1960’s. The name aptly signifies the goal of the muscle t-shirt, which is to highlight the body physique, especially of the male body. The muscle shirts cling tightly to the upper body and have no sleeves.
The neckline of muscle shirts were and still are very similar to the regular T-shirt. The difference mainly is in how the shirt is worn. A muscle shirt needs to be body hugging to highlight the body’s bulging chest muscles, and sleeveless in order to display biceps and triceps of the man. This style was initially followed mostly only by men. During the early 1980s, muscle shirts or muscle tank tops became popular with women too, accentuating their feminine curves instead of muscles as in the case with men.
During the 80’s, men who listened to music such as heavy metal, punk rock or new wave rock often sported a sleeveless look. Many started taking out their regular T-shirts, and started cutting or ripping off their sleeves. Thus was the birth of the fashion of home made muscle shirts at that time. Like in the 50s, men simply roll up their sleeves to create a muscle shirt look.
Even though the original muscle shirts were made using cotton, muscle shirts are available in spandex too. Spandex muscle shirts became popular among men during the mid 1990s. In addition, a trend during the late 1990’s referred to any tight fitted shirts as muscle shirts, or given the name muscle shirts to tank tops. When women started to bare their abdomen with short t-shirts or shirts, some muscle shirts for men were cropped also which became a popular trend with men who sought to show their six pack abs to everyone.
Muscle shirts are actually targeted at people who have muscles to display. It is considered fashion howler to wear muscle shirts that are too loose, to wear muscle shirts when your muscles are still flabby and need some work. Nonetheless, during warm weather, people generally turn to muscle shirts that fit loosely as it’s much more comfortable. Women sometimes buy extra large muscle shirts meant actually for men and use them as night shirts.
Instead of a simple white t-shirt, muscle shirts come in several different colors and many have prints in various interesting and attractive designs. When T-shirts with messages and slogans became quite popular during the 2000s, muscle shirts with messages printed on them were made too.