The traditional undergarment of choice for builders has been consigned to the laundry basket of history

The string vest, once a common sight on building sites, is set to become a thing of the past as it is given the shove by fashion savvy workers.

The former symbol of rugged manhood, made famous by rough and ready characters such as Andy Capp and Jim Royle, has been dropped in favour of the more sophisticated white singlet.

Asda has decided the vest is so unpopular they will simply no longer stock it. Even men prepared to defy the fashion police and don the string vest are prevented from doing so by their wives and partners, research by the chain reveals.

The hardy vest was created in the 1930s by a Norwegian commandant, as a piece of clothing which would keep the wearer warm by insulating pockets of air close to the skin.

Its popularity reached a peak in the 1950s but sales declined rapidly in the 1980s and 1990s to virtually non-existent in the well-groomed noughties.

Ed Watson, a spokesperson for Asda said: 鈥満蒙壬鶷V sites will never be the same again.鈥�