If you noticed, the newsletter has been a little sporadic lately — my summer schedule is proving to be more chaotic than expected! This will be the last Sunday dispatch. Starting next Wednesday, I’ll be posting on a weekly schedule until fall. We’ll resume twice-a-week dispatches in the middle of October, when I’m back from fashion month travels.
In the last few years luxury brands have been slapping a logo onto a ribbed cotton tank top and charging hundreds, if not close to a thousand dollars for one. My initial reaction was ooooh I want one because being a good fashion lemming is an instinct that I can never outgrow. I resisted, mainly because the price point was so absurd and I’m so glad I did. Spend enough time on TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Lemon8 (yes, this is the new social media platform I have yet to figure out), and every other girl has white tank with some sort of fancy branding. There’s technically nothing wrong with owning one but I don’t like spending a ton of money on pieces only to look like everyone else. There are some basics that are worth the hefty price tag, namely cashmere sweaters and very well tailored white shirt, but a cotton tank top? Not worth it. Give me cheap, please.
My definition of cheap will never be a $10 top from Shein, Zara, or any other similar low priced store. There’s a difference between cheap cheap and cheap. The former implies shoddy fabric and poor construction, destined to wind up in a landfill. The latter is still affordable but definitely costs more than a standard lunch salad and flavored seltzer combination. You’ll find that the fabric quality is ramped up a few notches, the cuts are more flattering, and the piece holds up to wash and wear over the course of years. Ethically speaking, I’m not an expert, and I’m sure there’s some suspect labor practices to warrant any of these low prices regardless of brand. But from a consumption point of view, the marginally more expensive piece will last longer, requiring you to replace it less often. So I guess that’s a little better?
Finding a good, affordable tank top takes some trial and error. Not all fabrics are equal as I’ve learned the hard way. The Aritzia sculpt knit? Too bulky and somehow managed to be both too clingy and bunched up in weird places on my body. I felt like a sweaty Shar Pei dog. A cotton Levi’s camisole proved to be the opposite problem — to thin and didn’t hug my body at all, making it look as if I had I accidentally stretched it out in the wash. I’m looking for a sweet spot between the two, something thick enough that I don’t have to worry about wearing a bra or even nipple covers but not so much that it doesn’t tuck nicely into skirts or pants.
Being short, the right length also proved to be tricky. Those two styles I mentioned above were allegedly crop tops except on me it hit somewhere below my belly button — a no man’s land that looks incredibly awkward. On the flip side, I did buy a designer tank top from a brand I really loved (on heavy discount at Nordstrom) and it was the opposite problem. It literally looks like an indecent minidress on me, which is also impossible to style because there is a detail at the hem that I’d like to keep visible. All I want is a crop top to hit above my belly button and a full length tank to hit at my hips!
So, after a lot of bad trial-and-error, there are a few I do love and I don’t make any money off most of these links since the majority aren’t on affiliate networks. To me that’s a true stamp of approval, when there isn’t a chance of monetary kickbacks.
Some of you slid into my DMs when I mentioned getting a shipment of DISSH tank tops with a few concerns. The first being that the returns process is a pain in the ass, and based on what I’ve seen online, yes, it’s not quite the same as shopping at a big retailer like Nordstrom or Amazon. But given that the brand is from Australia and it does get expensive shipping things back and forth, the $20 flat rate seems on par with the distance. Is it ideal? Not really, so I think it’s a matter of trusting reviews and also having a general understanding of what silhouettes work best with your body. For me, stretchy tanks and loose-ish dresses feel like safe bets. That brings me to the second point of concern, which is that the fit is all over the place. Again, I’d stick to pieces that I know would work for my body and also be willing to tailor if need be (this is mainly for the loose trousers and/or the vests).
All that being said, I LOVE this tank top. If there’s one thing I say you can buy blindly and know it would fit perfectly, it’s this piece. I did size up to a medium because it runs a bit small, and if you do that, you’re fine. The material has some light compression and is thick enough that I don’t need to bother with a bra. It skims my body and tucks nicely into all of my skirts. I’ve already washed and worn it a few times through the heat wave we’ve been experience in New York City and it’s held up well. One caveat: I let it dry flat because I’m paranoid about it shrinking but I’m generally paranoid about tossing a lot of my clothes into the dryer.
Before I tell you why I also love this tank top, do me a favor and ignore that annoying fold on the left side of the model. I don’t know why they didn’t retouch that detail or have the stylist smooth it out a bit because I promise it doesn’t bunch like that on me. This pleated boatneck tank is really chic and has a touch of Pleats Please vibes, which instantly won me over. My only complaint with this piece is that the fabric is slightly thicker, so I tend to feel more sweaty in it. But overall, a solid tank top if I’m in the mood for a higher cut neckline.
This is the priciest of the three tanks and I’d argue if you didn’t want to spend that much, you can skip this one. But I still really like having this piece in the mix due to the low back detail that reveals a flash of skin. You can’t wear a bra with this one and I don’t even bother with nipple covers either, the fabric is the same as the tank top above, so there’s plenty of coverage.
The neckline on this Axel Arigato tank is definitely what sold me — it makes my shoulders somehow look both slim and muscular, I have no idea how. Also the combination of the fabric and length gives my waist a shape, similar to how it looks on the model. It’s some sort of sorcery, I swear. Again, thick enough to not warrant a bra or nipple covers so no boob sweat in the summer!
I know so many people like to recommend Hanes tank tops but they’ve never worked for me. It’s too flimsy and long on me. But I do like the idea of a thin, ribbed style and I’ve found this one by Vince to be similar. They’re ultra soft and fold up extremely small, so it’s easy to toss a few into a suitcase for travel. Unlike the others on the list, because the fabric is on the sheer-ish side, some might feel more comfortable wearing nipple covers under it.
These five pieces along with my black Commando bodysuit and my favorite Aritzia cropped tank have been in heavy rotation the last few weeks given how hot and sticky New York City has been. The other piece that’s in heavy rotation? Black slip dresses, which will be the focus on Wednesday! See you then.
Requisite disclaimer here: If you click on a link, I may get a small commission which helps support this newsletter. Also, sharing is greatly appreciated!
I think it’s only fair if you share your nipple cover recommendations now (I’ve never managed to find ones that don’t show a little ridge)
So helpful. Thanks. Agree about Hanes and Everlane. In June, I purchased a few of their tops online and promptly returned them. Fabric is awful for me. Also, gratitude for introducing me to Toteme. I love a Tank top I bought from them.