The Tube Top Renaissance Is Here, So Here’s How to Wear One

If you were a teen in the 90s, just mentioning Bum Equipment sweatshirts, Buffy the Vampire Slayer (the TV show, not the campy movie) and tube tops probably takes you right back to strolling your middle school halls. The latter, much like slip dresses and chokers, is beginning to regain its footing in the fashion stratosphere.

J.W.Anderson Fall 2017, Missoni Spring 2017, Tibi Spring 2017; Images: Imaxtree

Today’s tube tops and bandeaus have very little in common with the pieces worn by Britney Spears, Gwen Stefani and certain Spice Girls back in the day. Designers are now using tube tops and bandeaus as layering devices. J.W.Anderson placed a black tube top under a crisscross bra for a covered-up approach. Missoni provided us with pseudo tubes by wrapping extra fabric around models’ midsections. And Tibi had us rethinking what’s office-appropriate by slipping a black bandeau under a khaki blazer.

Images: Tony Barson/FilmMagic/Getty Images, Venturelli/Getty Images for GUCCI, Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images, Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images

And celebs appear to be just as nostalgic. Being the Chanel woman she is, Kristen Stewart got first crack at Chanel’s bandeau-laden Cruise 2018 collection and modeled one of the pieces at Cannes. Immy Waterhouse’s basic black bandeau was amped up by crochet wide-leg pants at The Fashion Awards. Solange Knowles’ performance outfits are almost as iconic as her red carpet looks and for SXSW, the singer went matchy-matchy with a purple one-shoulder tube top, shorts and thigh-high stirrup stockings. Cobie Smulders also coordinated at a premiere, but her Emilio Pucci slightly scalloped banded top and maxi skirt featured a pretty flashy pattern.

Images: @ciprianaquann, @double3xposure, @alealimay, @couturekulten

If you want to know how to wear a tube top and bandeau in 2017, here are some basic styling points to follow:

• Layer over or under other pieces
• If going solo, pair with a high-waisted pant or long skirt
• Avoid excessively shiny fabrics, but don’t shy away from patterns

Because we’re betting your closet is lacking in the tube top department, here are 19 modern picks for you to stock up on.