Basics may be the trickiest part of any wardrobe, and the white tank top is no exception. There are a few boxes that any good white tank top should tick: It should be lightweight enough to weather summer heat or layer under your favorite fall cardigan, versatile enough to throw on with no more than just a pair of shorts or your favorite cardigan (and jeans), and, perhaps most importantly, make you feel like a off-duty ’90s model. To find the best white tank tops for women, we asked ten stylish gals — including CEOs, photographers, celebrity stylists, and a Strategist writer or two — about the ones they rely on (then, for good measure, we combed our archives to add any tanks with exceptional praise that we’ve written about). Below, the 16 best white tank tops for women, including ribbed classics, satin styles, and a few that go beyond the basic with subtle details like buttons or scalloped necklines.
Best overall white tank top for women
While Los Angeles–based apparel company Re/Done is probably best known for its repurposed jeans and vintage-looking cropped T-shirts, it also makes a pretty much perfect white ribbed tank top that’s favored by celebs like Bella Hadid (who is wearing it in the photo above). “The Re/Done ribbed tank adds an elevated look and modern twist to the basic staple,” says stylist Jasmine Caccamo. “Although $80 for a white tank top seems a bit over the top, if you ever were to get a glimpse and feel this top, you’d completely understand,” adds stylist and designer Alljahni Mack. “It’s very well made from the softest cotton you may have ever felt.” Like any good white tank top, this one’s quality is one reason it can be dressed up or down. Another reason, according to Strategist beauty writer Rio Viera-Newton: This tank is “famously flattering.” Strategist writer Hilary Reid agrees, telling us, “The cut and the way the straps fall on the shoulders and chest are particularly flattering.”
Best (less expensive) white tank top for women
According to Rio, the perfect ribbed tank “must be formfitting yet stretchy, not too see-through, with relatively slim straps.” But Re/Done’s is not the only one she’s found that meets these criteria. These far less expensive Zenana Outfitters tanks (which break down to just $4 a piece) do as well, she says, telling us they are “neither too cropped nor too long — perfect for tucking into pants, or leaving loose with a lower pair.” She adds these tanks are “snug with a bit of stretch for comfort, and have thinner-than-usual racerback straps.” Perhaps most importantly, Rio says they’ve actually proven to be a solid dupe for Re/Done’s tank: “I wore one underneath an open white button-down, and get this: Someone actually asked if the tank was Re/Done.”
Best longer white tank tops for women
While you might see this six-pack of men’s ribbed Hanes tanks as something more appropriate for your little brother, Caccamo says women can’t get much better than “a good white basic Hanes tank for men.” A big reason Caccamo likes these tanks, she explains, is because they run a little longer, so “you can layer them over a bathing suit or pair them with a skirt and knot it at the center, where the hem meets your belly button.”
Best henley-style white tank top for women
If you’re looking for a white tank top that’s got a bit more going for it in terms of subtle details, stylist Alison Deyette suggests these henley-style ones from Gap that can be buttoned (or unbuttoned) around the chest. While you can certainly wear them buttoned up for more of a classic white-tank look, Deyette’s advice is to “unbutton a few buttons and stack on a few pendant necklaces; suddenly, what could have looked ho-hum is alluring.”
Best white muscle tank top for women
Muscle tanks, which feature more fabric covering the shoulders and wider arm holes, are more like sleeveless T-shirts, which some women prefer for the extra coverage and breezier feel. Kiku Chaudhuri, a co-founder of hair-care brand SHAZ & KIKS, is one of those women, and she loves Everlane’s muscle tanks because they work with so many outfits and in so many situations. Chaudhuri wears hers with leggings to work out — “and if I’m trying to be extra, I tie a little knot at the bottom,” she says. Then, she can simply swap out her leggings for “high-waisted trousers or shorts” and wear the tank for the rest of the day. “It’s pretty airy, so you can easily go from a sweaty workout” to working from home or running errands, she promises.
Best lightweight white tank top for women
When we asked three Everlaneologists about their favorite buys from one of our favorite brands, writer Robin Reetz name-checked the Air Cami, “because it’s airy, comfortable, and I think has a super-flattering neckline.” While Reetz says she’s “got a smaller frame with a larger bust,” she’s seen it on friends with various chest sizes, “and although the fit of course varies, it always looks flattering.” Strategist newsletter editor Mia Leimkuhler (another Everlaneologist) seconded Reetz: “I agree about the Air Cami — I’m honestly confused why I don’t see this on everyone.” Leimkuhler adds that the tank is also very well cut, calling it “low enough in the front and back to give it an open, breezy feel, but still high enough in the back to hide your bra strap.”
Best size-inclusive white tank top for women
Ashley Judge, the founder of online retailer AlwaysFits, says that “as a mom and CEO, my uniform is black leggings, a slip-on flat shoe, a cardigan, and a top that is often white.” When it comes to her white tank tops, her criteria is simple: “Nice enough to wear to work, but comfy enough to not change after.” Judge says this unfussy white tank from Eloquii checks both boxes. The medium-weight, relaxed-fit tank top is available in up to a size 24, so it’s a great option for women with larger busts.
Best (slightly embellished) white tank top for women
Reid first came across these ribbed tank tops after reporting on our story about the best white T-shirts for women. In recommending her favorite tees from the Vermont Country Store, Emma Allen, the founder of Everyday Oil, told Reid that the retailer also makes great tank tops. Reid bought a three-pack and says she was instantly impressed. Unlike the other ribbed tanks on this list, these “have very subtle scalloping” on the neckline, according to Reid, who adds the tanks are “slightly sheer in a flattering way, but don’t look like underwear if you wear them out of the house (even though the VCS markets them as underwear).” Plus, she says “the fabric is extremely soft,” adding that they remind her of Re/Done’s tank “but at a much lower price.” Reid does note they run small, though, so sizing up may be a good idea.
Best V-neck white tank top for women
Deyette calls Splendid one of those “go-to brands that we all succumb to eventually and pleasantly realize that there’s a reason we all become followers.” When it comes to this tank top, those reasons include that “the fabric is soft” and “the price is just right” for something you can wear over and over (and over) again, according to her. Also, Deyette says the V-shaped neckline makes this tank look slightly more unique.
Best henley-style V-neck white tank top for women
Along with the Everlane muscle tee, Chaudhuri has this Free People tank in her rotation. She says it “looks casual, has a little pizzazz, but doesn’t try too hard.” That pizzazz is in part from the henley-style buttons at its chest, which, together with the tank’s V-neck, “add a little something special” to it, she says. “The fit is just right, not too tight or too loose, great stretch fit, and the material is very comfortable.”
Best satin white tank top for women
If you’re looking for a slightly fancier white tank, photographer and graphic designer Shini Park says one cut with a silky satin is great “for formal occasions, without sacrificing the comfort factor.” Her favorite satin tank is this, from ASOS, which she says is “perfect for day-to-night and summertime formal occasions on a budget.” In addition to its fabric, another detail she loves are its slightly wider straps, which also make the tank look a bit more elegant.
Best high-neck white tank top for women
Nicole Akhtarzad Eshaghpour, a market editor at Who What Wear and the curator of the Instagram account Trust Me Buy This, told us she wore this tank for basically all of last spring and summer, “and nothing changed this year.” She notes that the “ultrahigh neck and thicker cotton” make it feel a little more “dressed up” than your average white tank, but assures it’s still, of course, “a super-low-maintenance thing to wear.” In addition to the higher neck, the tank also has more generous cutouts for your arms, which Eshaghpour says help keep it breezy even on the muggiest summer days. Another thing she likes about this tank: “It’s not cropped — a rarity these days — which has made it an option for me, even at eight months pregnant.”
Best shaping white tank top for women
In our roundup of the best shapewear, celebrity stylist Ali Levine told us about Yummie, which she says is “perhaps best known for its tanks,” which she often has clients wear for red-carpet and press events. “I like how soft yet fitted they are,” Levine told us, adding that she “especially loves them for underneath sheath dresses and blouses.” With details like two movable inner panels, a reversible neckline, and a nonslip hem, the tank could even be worn on its own “with a nice pair of trousers,” she notes.
Best white muscle tank top (with shoulder pads) for women
For a decidedly ’80s take on the tank, Caccamo says to try this muscle tee from the Frankie Shop. She says that the added shoulder pads “take it to the next level,” and we really dig the wide armholes and oversize fit.
Best white tank top (with a built-in bra) for women
While it’s pricey, Caccamo is also a fan of this cropped spandex-blend tank because of its versatility. The built-in bra and breathable fabric allow you to wear it to workout, while the scoop neckline and subtle crop make it perfect for “throwing on under a lightweight blazer for a quick, easy, effortless look.” Plus, that built-in bra eliminates the need for additional undergarments, which adds to the tank’s Angelina Jolie–in–Girl, Interrupted look (while still letting it offer some support).
Best statement-making white tank top for women
This “edgy, athletic, and functional” Peter Do tank with asymmetrical straps may be the most expensive on our list, but Park says it’s worth it because it “redefines what a white tank can be: a statement piece.” The tank top is made in Portugal from 100 percent cotton and also has a tonal embroidered logo at the hem for an added design detail.
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