What is a singlet in Australia?
The singlet in Australia is basically a vest worn without a shirt. It has long been an unofficial uniform of the working class man, happily adopted by so-called bogans.
The singlet, in some parts of Australia, is part of the national uniform. Perhaps more than any other item of clothing, the singlet is an identifier of a certain mindset.
But what is a singlet in Australia? Well, to all intents and purposes, it’s a vest – albeit slightly thicker and more substantial than the sort of vest you’d wear under a shirt.
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The singlet, of course, is not worn under a shirt. It is usually the sole item worn on the top half of the body. And it’s often accompanied by shorts or ripped jeans, plus thongs, on the bottom half.
Where will you see a singlet in Australia?
It’s an item of clothing most readily associated with suburban or rural Australia. The singlet is worn at backyard barbecues and by amateur mechanics who reckon they know what they’re doing with any car. It’s the outfit of choice for the man swigging several beers in front of the footy on the telly. It’s the choice of a man entirely uninterested in his appearance. It asks why anyone should bother wearing a shirt when they’ll just get it sweaty.
It is, in short, the stereotypical clothing item of choice for the bogan. The singlet is the preserve of the happily uncultured and somewhat coarse Australian take on the redneck.
The blue singlet in Australia
The most bogan singlet of all, however, is the blue singlet. Dark blue has long been the singlet colour of choice for working Australian men – particularly shearers working in the shearing sheds.
This shearing shed heritage shows the singlet has a historical purpose. It’s something to wear working in hot conditions that is neither cumbersome nor overly warm. Over time, the singlet has become more of a symbol. But, deep down, the classic blue singlet in Australia is still about keeping cool in the sun.
Want to buy one yourself? Then the Bonds Chesty is the most popular brand in the country.
More Australian slang
Bottle shop | Budgie-smugglers | CBD | Cellar door | Drop bear |
Galah | Goon | Hoon | Lamington | Manchester | Pom | Ranga | Roadhouse |