Women's Tank Top

The armhole and the strap width do the defining here. A tank top is a sleeveless knit with straps an inch to two inches across, wide enough to sit over a bra strap. Armholes cut low enough for the shoulder to move freely. Unlike the underwear-derived layers beside it, this one is finished to be seen: bound edges, a proper hem, and enough opacity to stand alone.

Edges tell you the price. A cheap tank turns the neckline and armhole under and stitches it, which ripples after a few washes. A better one applies a separate strip of ribbed binding that lies flat and springs back. Rib knit through the body draws in at the waist and recovers its shape, while plain jersey hangs straight and stretches out at the hem. Armhole depth is the number nobody prints and everybody notices: cut too deep, the side gapes and shows the whole bra band when you lift an arm.

Where a camisole hangs from thread-thin straps in woven satin and exists to hide, a tank is knitted, opaque and meant to be visible. Adding sleeves turns it into a t-shirt, which brings warmth and coverage at the upper arm. Racerback versions pull the straps in toward the spine, freeing the shoulder blade for training but ruling out most ordinary bras.

Summer, gyms, and the bottom of every layered outfit from October onward are where tanks live. Ribbed cotton handles heat; a nylon blend handles sweat. Skip the style if you are self-conscious about the upper arm, and skip racerbacks entirely unless you own a bra cut for them.

Stretch the neckline binding between two fingers and watch it return; sluggish binding means a wavy neckline by spring. Tuck it in before buying, since a tank that only just reaches the waistband will pull free the moment you sit. Wash cotton ribs cold and dry them flat, because heat shortens a rib and turns a hip-length tank into a crop.