The humble white tank top is a classic layering garment—one of those staple pieces in your wardrobe that are constantly in the summer rotation. You can throw it on under a denim jacket or button-up shirt without virtually any thought. But that doesn’t have to mean it’s boring! Sure, it may not be as flashy as the latest It bag or a trendy scarf skirt, but if the 2025 spring runways are proof, a tank top can be more than just an undershirt. In fact, with the right styling and finishings (sequins! Prints!), it can even be an unexpected statement piece this season.

Take all of the flashy tanks that popped up on the recent spring catwalks. At Rabanne, classic tank top silhouettes were covered in silvery chainmail—a signature material of the label. At Tory Burch, an equally-blingy approach was taken: The designer covered them in sparkly red or blue sequins. Instead of the customary white or black cotton, designers are rethinking the piece and making the case for it as more of an eye-catching focal point. Basic? More like the better “B” word: Bold.

Rabanne spring 2025

Photo: Umberto Fratini / Gorunway.com

Tory Burch spring 2025

Alessandro Viero / Gorunway.com

Celebrities and the street style set are on board with the summer approach. Back in February, remember when Timothée Chalamet hit the Berlin Film Festival in a pink Chrome Hearts tank top? He proved that with a fun color and designer logo plastered onto it, a tank can, in fact, be red carpet worthy. Ditto for South Korean model Hyun Ji Shin, who hit Fashion Month in a fringed tank top and wide-leg trousers—the street style photographers instantly went wild for the textured top.

Timothée Chalamet in a Chrome Hearts tankPhoto: Getty Images