Why a £6 white tank is all you need to inject spring into your wardrobe

Telegraph

22-02-2025

The humble basic with a rich fashion history is making a comeback – and it's the easiest styling hack to update your look.
Amidst the ongoing cycles of fashion weeks and awards show red carpets, some heartening news for those who just crave a simple outfit refresher. There's one item that can make everything else in your wardrobe feel positively spring-like: a simple white tank top.
The white tank is having something of a revival, evoking long-forgotten images of off-duty Kate Moss, Gwen Stefani and Angelina Jolie. Spotted on Sienna Miller for her recent (and very sexy) advertising campaign with Frame; on modern day supermodels such as Bella Hadid, who is a fan, and once again on Moss, who revived the tank for a strut down Bottega Veneta's SS23 catwalk, styled with baggy jeans and a checked shirt.
The reason? 'It is such an easy styling hack,' says stylist Serena Crawley. 'A fresh white tank top or t-shirt is an absolute must for every wardrobe.'
Sarah Corbett-Winder, a stylist and the founder of women's tailoring brand Kipper agrees, adding that for those suffering from dull winter skin, 'the splash of white near the face instantly lifts and brightens the complexion'.
The tank has a long history. One origin story dates back to the 1860s, when Parisian dockworkers cut the arms off their wool jumpers to allow for more movement. In the 1950s, an innovative bonnet maker from France's Loire valley called Marcel Eisenberg began mass producing white tank tops – called the Marcel vest (a moniker still used today) – worn by the working people from labourers to soldiers, which spread across Europe and the United States.
In 1951, the humble staple was given a shot of star status when actor Marlon Brando wore it in A Streetcar Named Desire. Then, James Dean donned one throughout the 1950s and 1960s. Over the coming decades, the piece came to symbolise androgynous toughness for actors such as Sylvester Stallone (in Over the Top), Bruce Willis (Die Hard) and Sigourney Weaver (Alien).
Freddie Mercury sporting one on stage at the 1985 Live Aid concert was a neat segue into the piece's ubiquity in the modern music scene; from Bruce Springsteen to Axl Rose in Guns 'N' Roses – before being adopted by pretty much the entire grunge scene in the 1990s (often coupled with a plaid shirt tied around the waist). Not long afterwards, fashion got in on the mood thanks to designer Helmut Lang, who showed white tanks as part of his spring-summer 1999 collection.
Fast forward to 2022 and Italian fashion house Prada sent ribbed white tanks emblazoned with their logo down the catwalk and even onto red carpets, a decision which generated such a level of attention that British Vogue deemed the £720 piece the item of the year.
From functional workwear to high fashion, does the simple vest then transcend class? It certainly comes loaded with connotations of it, having symbolised everything from proletarian workwear (think of unwashed TV character Rab C. Nesbitt in his string vest, or the pejorative synonym of 'wife beater') to a high cost aspirational item. But then, fashion likes to play games like that.
True to its roots, there are a vast array of good options on the high street that will leave you change from a tenner, but plenty more mid-range that feel weighty and worth a slight investment.
Fit is personal – and depends on what you want to highlight or perhaps cover. For Pip Durrell, founder of shirting brand With Nothing Underneath (and a former fashion editor), a form fitting shape works best, with 'the most important part being the neckline. A classic wide curve is a fail-safe, but I also love a higher neck to give a racer feel.' Gap currently has a nineties-style scooped neck version on sale for £6, while Reformation has an excellent higher neck version, made from organically grown cotton and cut to flatter the fleshy section under armpits (£48; thereformation.com).
Danielle Windsor, founder of luxury clothing and accessories brand Yaitte, is also a fan of a scooped neck, allowing 'a hint of skin'. She adds, though, that while there are cheap options available, 'the quality and cut are really important; I think it's often worth spending a little bit more, especially as I reach for a tank on almost a daily basis.' Sunspel's classic vest is a solid choice, made in its Derbyshire factory from the same cotton the brand makes its excellent t-shirts (£70; sunspel.com). David Telfer, creative director of Sunspel says that a 'fine rib is key to achieving the perfect fit, adding both texture to the fabric and giving a flattering shape.'
The beauty of the white tank is that it can be styled with anything to make it look instantly cooler (tailoring) or up to date (denim). Here you can take inspiration from the catwalks and celebrities: Prada styled their tank with an embellished maxi skirt, Tom Ford paired one with a sequin skirt for their spring 25 collection, Loewe's campaign imagery paired a white tank with a heavy wool blazer, and the house sent models down catwalks in loose, but tailored trousers.
Windsor agrees that a white tank 'paired with tailoring gives a modern twist on office attire - it can really change the tone of functional dressing.' For a looser fit, Hush has a cotton slub tank that will skim curves (£25; hush-uk.com).
Durrell loves wearing her tanks under a shirt (which can be a midlife style saviour – allowing for temperature changes). Corbett-Winder adds a tank can be personalised by adding chunky chains and neck scarves.
Windsor suggests the vest with 'stovepipe jeans for an off-duty feel' – a good reference point being actor Yara Shahidi in the latest Gucci campaign who showed how a tight white tank and wide-fitting denim trousers (complete with brown double G belt) is a masterclass in cool.
And as the weather starts to warm, Windsor says the item 'is a must-have in the summer for beach-to-bar style with a sarong or linen skirt'. Just one styling tip to keep in mind, Crawley says, 'a fresh tank is imperative. Once they go a little bit grey, it's time for a refresh.'