Are You Ready for the Tube-Top Return?

After more than a year at home, the ability to go out again signals that it is time for some rethinking of wearing tops. We’ve welcomed back chainmail halters with cowl necks last summer, a la Paris Hilton at her 21st birthday party. Keira Knightley in Bend It Like Beckham’s look. Similar to ours, cropped cardigans, held together by a single pin, have been a staple in the wardrobes Bella Hadid and Kaia Gerber. As summer fades into fall, there is still time to grab one last party piece.

The tube-top Renaissance is here

The rise of the strapless top, once a controversial trend, can be attributed to TikTok’s viral hashtag. The #tubetop hashtag has received more than 52 million hits on TikTok. There are thousands of videos featuring styling tips and DIY tutorials as well as hacks to wear the style when you have big boobs. Tube tops aren’t just for Gen Z. The going-out top, which was loved by early-aughts celebrities like Britney, J.Lo and Ashanti — paired with a knit hot pants and a newsboy hat (Season 4, episode 13), and cargo pants(Season 3, episode 13) — is just as popular as Y2K.

Dion Lee, a New York-based Australian designer, launched the trend by including a fringe-hemmed tub top in his spring 21 lookbook. Christelle Kocher later sent tube tops that showed off midriffs at her Paris Fashion Week show. Etro’s colorful collection featured strapless scarf tops that can be easily tied in the front. Jill Kortleve, a plus-size model, wore a black tube top and hot pink trousers during Chanel’s runway show in the Grand Palais.

The strapless style was spotted on Kendall Jenner, Beyonce and Bella Hadid, a trio that could save even the most hated piece of clothing from fashion purgatory. The elder Jenner sister was seen wearing three different versions of the minimalist garment on three occasions in April. She wore a tan leather style with matching pants, a small shoulder bag, and an orange printed top, which she paired with black leather pants. Beyonce posted pictures on Instagram in June showing herself in a black patent leather strapless mini from David Koma. Hadid wore the same style during Paris Couture Week. She wore a Balenciaga tube top and wide-leg sweatpants to the show.

It’s one thing to see a Y2K trend in Hadid. A controversial trend like this must be accepted by the public in order to make it a true hit. It does.

Global fashion shopping platform Lyst reports that searches for tube tops have increased 79% over the past two months. Particularly, searches for halter, and cropped tube tops have increased by 25% and 27% respectively. ShopStyle, a digital shopping platform, has seen a similar increase in searches for tube tops, up 33% compared to 2020 data.

Alison Stiefel is ShopStyle’s General Manager. “It’s not surprising that shoppers want tube tops this season,” she said. This comes after a year of loungewear and loungewear. Peter Henderson, head of the Lyst Index says that shoppers are “acting on the pent-up demand” for going-out-wear. Tube tops are a party-scene staple and fall under this category.

People want to make the most of the last days of summer. Stiefel suggests that they can either wear the top plainly or dress it up with chunky jewellery for an evening out. You can also pair it with leather pants, Jenner suggests.

SHOP THESE 6 PRODUCTS:

• GIMAGUAS Blue Montego Chess Top – $116.10
• ELOQUII Bandeau Top – $34.95
• MIAOU Leia Corset – $265.00
• EVERLANE The Tube Top – $25.00
• VICTOR GLEMAUD Pink Knit Tube Top – $65.00
• SHERRIS Ruffle Tube Top – $120.00

Brands have added the style to their latest collections in order to keep up with the demand. Gimaguas, a Barcelona-based jewelry and ready to wear brand, recently launched a checkered tube top which can be transformed into a mini skirt. The multifaceted piece can be styled both in one way on the Gimaguas website.

Miaou, another Instagram brand, has a variety of strapless options available. This includes a faux leather corset in teal. Tibi, Victor Glemaud and Eloquii are all here to celebrate the return of the tube-top, in a variety of styles.

Another reason for the tube-top revival? The steady return to fashion trends from the ’00s. The Y2K time capsule is basically where we live. Old trends like low-rise jeans and belly chains are resurfacing in new ways. It was only a matter time before the no-strap-wonder returned to fashion.

We have 52 million TikTokers this time to teach us how to do them correctly — check your TikTok accounts!