Well before Marlon Brando rolled his sleeves for the first time, the T-shirt was pulling its weight as the top half of a union suit… an underlayer not exactly suited to summer temps.

Frustrated, overheated workers solved the problem by cutting off the top half and wearing it tucked into their trousers. 

Necessity, invention, and so forth.

Soon after, the Cooper Underwear Company began to sell the tops, without buttons, as “bachelor undershirts,” since a bachelor had no need to resew a button in its place.

I think you (bachelor or not) will find these buttons are quite securely attached. 

Three-Button Henley T-Shirt (No. 6609). In durable, comfortable, easy 100% cotton. Like a classic T-shirt, but better. Beefy yet breezy. Finely-ribbed woven placket for durability, with three real shell buttons that open to the base of the breastbone. Slub jersey wears just as comfortably tuning a 426 Hemi as it does tuning a ukulele. Garment-dyed for vintage look and feel. Imported.