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June 3 - Moments in Time – Skivvy T-Shirts

June 3 - Moments in Time – Skivvy T-Shirts

David Shuck
June 03, 2025

Moments in Time – Skivvy T-Shirts

We look at the Skivvy T-shirt, an undergarment issued to enlisted men in the U.S. Navy in the early 20th century.

James Smith

In our Moments in Time series, we will take a closer look at specific pieces and silhouettes from the past that have had a lasting impact on our niche today. From unsung but iconic vintage pieces like the Cossack Jacket and Karakoram Parka to modern heritage staples like the Guayabera shirt and Monkey Boot, we’ll be dissecting these classics to find out how they made their mark and where we can find both vintage and contemporary articles today.

When I was much younger, my then-favorite streetwear brand, WTAPS, made a pack of lightweight undershirts called “Skivvies”, which they still make today. At the time, I just thought the name “Skivvies” was an odd name choice. In England, I had grown up hearing the term ‘skiv‘ or ‘skivvy’ as a derogatory slur, but didn’t really think too much about why the Japanese label had chosen this name for some…T-shirts.

Fast forward about 3 years, and my sartorial passions had swerved into the world of heritage and military wear — clothing factions that those Japanese streetwear brands I loved had always looked to for inspiration. Whilst learning about USN-issue garb, I learned about the lightweight tees issued to Navy personnel, affectionately referred to by those men as ‘Skivvies’.

In this installment of Moments in Time, we’ll be taking a look a the slim-fitting, lightweight t-shirts, referred to as Skivvy Tees. As well as being a key part of the ‘white t-shirt’ story, these tees are now reproduced by some of the finest repro brands out there, including Warehouse & Co., The Real McCoy’s, Mister Freedom, and more.

The Term “Skivvies”

A set of original skivvies via WorthPoint.

“Skivvies” is a North American slang word for underwear. Whilst the earliest known use of the term is unknown, it’s generally accepted that it was coined by the U.S. Navy. Some sources trace the first citation of the term to 1918 as a plural for sets of underwear, which makes total sense when the next section of this article is taken into consideration.

Michael Quinon, of World Wide Words, found the use of this term in a December 1918 issue of the Evening State Journal of Lincoln, Nebraska, as part of a piece “Boys Will Be Boys — Even in the Marine Corps”:

“‘Well, boys, I believe I’ll play a little golf today and not go to the office at all. I’m all run down and need a little hard physical labor,’ declares an athlete in the act of putting on his ‘skivvies.’”

What is a Skivvy Tee?

U.S. Marine in a Skivvy Tee via Business Insider

A Skivvy Tee is a lightweight t-shirt with a wide collar and short sleeves that only cover the armpit – just like the one pictured above. Whilst I haven’t been able to find when these t-shirts were first issued, the United States Navy Uniform Regulations 1913 (which also applied to Marines), indicates that three weights of undershirt were prescribed to enlisted men:

An example of the Heavyweight Undershirt issued in WWII. Images via Worthpoint.

Heavy Undershirt – Made of a cotton/wool blend woven to prevent shrinkage, bleached white, with long sleeves and an elasticated collar with no buttons.

Medium Undershirt – Woven again from cotton/wool blend, woven from lighter gauge yarns to make the undershirt half the weight of the Heavy Undershirt. Also bleached white. Sleeves were not to pass to the elbow.

Lightweight Undershirt, now referred to as a Skivvy Tee, on the right. Image via WorthPoint.

Lightweight Undershirt – Made from the lightest weight cotton that would still hold up in terms of durability. Same pattern as the heavy undershirt, but with short sleeves that would only cover the armpit.

The lightweight T-shirt is what is referred to in the heritage niche as the Skivvy Tee, probably because it’s most consistent with what we see as an undergarment. Images of originals (albeit originals from the 30s and 40s, not the mid-1910s) show that the Lightweight Undershirt was made in a long length for easier tucking.

Uniform Regulations United States Navy 1913

The lightweight undershirt continued to be issued through World War II and long after, and is most likely issued in a different form today. Navy Uniform Regulations as late as 1970 prescribe a ‘white cotton or polycotton undershirt with quarter sleeves’.

The fact that these undershirts were issued for so long makes sense that civilians ended up wearing either surplus Skivvy Tees, or other undershirts that were made in their image. There are numerous images of Naval personnel wearing their skivvies — often down to the briefs or boxer shorts — on the decks and around the ship. It would be no surprise if they wore those same skivvy tees that had molded to their bodies whilst on R&R, with admiring civilians looking on.

Marlon Brando wearing what looks to be a Skivvy Tee in A Streetcar Named Desire. Image via BAM.

Steve McQueen wearing an undershirt with Skivvy-style quarter sleeves. The heavy neckline makes me think this isn’t a USN-issued Undershirt, but it’s certainly made in its image.