10 favourite forever white tank tops according to RUSSH

WORDS Ella Jane PUBLISHED Tue, 15 Mar 2022 - 2:25 pm

For as long as our little fashion memories can think back to, there is no wardrobe staple more pervasive in the zeitgeist than the white tank top. We all own one. If you are a 9 year old, you likely own one. If you are a 90 year old, you also likely own one. As for the people in between? It has remained the basic of the moment for decades on end, with its most notable moment in the limelight being the 90s and then every year that our current era has attempted to emulate the 90s, since.

The charm of the ribbed white tank top? Perhaps it's the racerback cut that exposes just the right amount of collarbone and bare shoulder, perhaps it's the same effect that most traditionally masculine silhouettes lend when worn on feminine bodies – a blurred line and and air of coolness. Queer women have always known this to be true. At the FW22 shows, the latter sentiment was a permanent fixture on the runways. Oversized, slouchy workwear reigned once again, and the basic white tank top had another resurgence at shows like Bottega Veneta, Sacai, and Prada.

This season, the nod felt less 90s and more binary-pushing. While we have a long way to go before the reality of fashion is truly fluid, this season saw a lot more progress than previous collections. Obviously, the popularity of the white tank top is hardly going to do much by way of convincing people like Candace Owens to put a lid on her outrage about "men in dresses", but when queer coded silhouettes make a return to the zeitgeist, it serves as proof of shifting ideals, even if ever so slightly.

For us at RUSSH, trending or not trending, the tank top is for life. Below, are our favourite forever tank tops to add to your wardrobe.