Remember when Bruce Willis’ character in “Die Hard” fought terrorists at a Christmas party in a tank top?

Throughout the film, Willis, who played John McClane, wore a white undershirt that grew increasingly dirty and bloody – a sight so legendary that a version of the garment worn on screen was acquired by the Smithsonian. in 2007.

The film, which spawned four sequels, changed the narrative of invincible “Rambo”-style action heroes and paved the way for more grounded protagonists. And that was thank you, in part, to his clever costume design.

The deliberately simple attire was a far cry from the tactical gear worn by Col. John Matrix in “Commando”, or the impeccable costumes favored by James Bond. Instead, McClane – wearing a staple item found in most people’s closets – represented the everyday Joe in an extraordinary situation.

“How was he going to undress?” she is quoted as saying, discussing how the plot unfolds. “How did he end up without shoes?” “

When we first meet McClane, the New York detective has just arrived in Los Angeles and is inappropriately dressed for the scorching weather with a flannel shirt and corduroy jacket. He watches sports-clad Californians as he walks over to his wife Holly’s office for an unhappy Christmas party, his costume thrown over his arm.

Surrounded by Holly’s colleagues, all dressed in power suits, he heads to the bathroom to freshen up and change, briefly removing his shoes to Relax and curling his toes on the carpet. But as he gets dressed, terrorists led by Alan Rickman’s Hans Gruber storm the building.

Bruce Willis as John McClane in the franchise’s third film – “Die Hard: With a Vengeance”. Credit: Moviestore / Shutterstock

From underwear to everyday basics

White tank tops have become ubiquitous in fashion: an often inexpensive item that can be worn by anyone, and a fitted silhouette that is both functional and sexy.

Mass-produced by clothing brand Jockey from 1935, and originally intended to be worn as an undergarment, the garment eventually became associated with athletics, according to textile artist and costume researcher Urs Dierker. .

Over time, the article would also become associated with the working class and immigrants in America, particularly Italian-Americans.

Marlon Brando wearing a white tank top in “A Streetcar Named Desire” in 1951. Credit: Warner Bros / Kobal / Shutterstock

Hollywood helped cement this idea through films like “A Streetcar Named Desire”, with Marlon Brando, and “Bonnie and Clyde”, with Warren Beatty, where the tank became a “symbol of injustice and class” as well. that of “male sexuality and violence”, according to Dierker.

The garment was also loaded with connotations of white masculinity and fast-paced action, worn by Robert De Niro in “Raging Bull”, Paul Newman in “The Sting” and Sylvester Stallone in “Rambo”. (Bruce Lee also wore one in “The Way of the Dragon,” but it was a rare exception in the white American action hero genre.)

By the time “Die Hard” hit theaters in 1988, the undershirt’s visual vocabulary was well established, quickly communicating McClane’s working-class rebellious character, while also emphasizing his strength (like his predecessors, the fitted figure accentuates toned silhouettes).

Vance revealed that she created 34 of the tank tops in total: 17 for Willis and another 17 for her stuntman, Keii Johnston. As the film progresses, they come to reflect the record of McClane’s heroism – going from pristine white to dirty green, discolored by fake bloodstains and actual Willis sweat during production.

The character’s transformation into a flamboyant, all-American hero of the 1980s peaks when the top is completely stripped down. (McClane uses it to wrap his bloody feet towards the climax of the film, as he realizes how he failed with the ex-wife he was trying to win back. “She heard me back. say I love you a thousand times, but she never heard me say ‘I’m sorry,’ “he said fondly into a walkie-talkie).

The now shirtless “cowboy” is ready for a final confrontation with his enemy.

A modest legacy

Today, the tank top continues to symbolize male heroism in movies, from the muscular tops worn by Vin Diesel’s Dom Toretto in the “Fast & Furious” franchise to Michael B. Jordan’s Adonis Creed in “Creed”. Chris Evans as Captain America and Hugh Jackman as the Wolverine anti-hero in the “X-Men” movies also wore them to fight evil.

But as female protagonists entered the action hero space, the tank top came to represent the empowerment of women as well – in the late 1970s with “Alien” and later in “Terminator 2” and the “Tomb Raider” series. The characters in these films battle alien creatures, escape murderous robots, and explore ancient ruins, all dressed in basic attire. The tradition of longshoremen also continues through characters such as Charlize Theron’s Furiosa in “Mad Max: Fury Road” and Kristen Stewart’s Sabina Wilson in “Charlie’s Angels”.

Bruce Willis presented props from the 2007 “Die Hard” series to the National Museum of American History, including a tank top from the first film. Credit: Win McNamee / Getty Images

And while many costumes from Vance’s legendary career will be remembered – like Molly Ringwald’s chewing gum dress from “Pretty in Pink” or Judd Nelson’s trench coat from “The Breakfast Club” – the tank Willis’ grime-stained will remain among his most recognized, with the top even being sent to the V&A Museum in London for an exhibition in 2012.