Elevated staples are a big business in fashion right now and for summer 2025 the tank top is the reigning queen.
The tank picks up where the boxy T-shirt left off as a go-to styling option for fashion editors and content creators. It might not get the heart pounding in the same way a new summer dress might, but the appeal lays in its utilitarian simplicity. We talk a good game in fashion about versatility, but the tank is exactly that – a low-key wardrobe hero that can be worn multiple ways for different events. Channel 90s minimalism and wear it with a pair of classic straight-leg Levi’s and hoop earrings like Carolyn Bessette Kennedy, or dress it up and use it as a sporty base layer for a suit. I love my scoop-neck Gap style with a pair of wide-leg trousers and sandals.
It works very well on holiday for precisely this reason; it’s a (helpfully compact), foundation piece for varying outfit combinations, to be worn with your denim cut-offs by day but also with your linen palazzo pants for evening. The tank is a man of the people; a genuinely versatile classic that’s perfect for dressing down tailoring, or for adding an everyday sporty edge to that midi skirt you already own (very new-season 16Arlington).
Veronica Ferraro in Stella McCartney
The tank has always been a very useful wardrobe basic, but its star has been steadily rising within fashion circles. Prada and Loewe’s logo versions have recontextualised it within the luxury space, and Bottega Veneta showed us that one of the coolest things we can wear is a great pair of jeans, and a plain white ribbed tank. Ralph Lauren proved how chic it can look as a low-key juxtaposition to high-octane eveningwear through its tank + sequinned gold maxi skirt combination. Rabanne gave us party-ready embellished versions. Stella McCartney’s ‘Mother Fucker’ tank, which first appeared as part of the brand’s autumn/winter 2024 collection, was revived for summer 2024 and has swiftly been worn by Dua Lipa, Veronica Ferraro and Kai Isaiah Jamal.
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“Tank tops are a wardrobe staple for women, but the recent trend of logo tank tops from the likes of Loewe have helped identify it as a key fashion piece and an elevation on an otherwise basic item,” Harvey Nichols Head of Womenswear Buying, Linda Ayepe, told us earlier this year. “The variety of shapes and fits being created by designers now means you have the option to wear them looser with low necks or tighter ribbed cotton varieties meaning they can be sexy, or functional.”
Despite their utilitarian appeal, not every tank is made equal. Scoop necks and racer-backs are the sleekest silhouettes and make sure the cut is form-fitting rather than oversized. Look for high quality fabrics – for example, a really good organic cotton – to ensure that the shape doesn’t lose its structure. For maximum versatility, choose neutral colours – navy, black, grey, white and oatmeal shades will give you the most mileage. The good news is that you don’t have to spend a lot to find a great tank. The luxury iterations will always cost more, but if your budget doesn’t stretch to Prada and Toteme, then head to Arket, Cos, Gap or Uniqlo.
We round up our favourites below:
Lead image: Net-A-Porter spring/summer 2025
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Any Questions or Tips to add?