Tube Tops, Meet 2024

It’s summer. Temperatures are high, the number of clothing layers are low, and the need for effortless wardrobe separates that can adapt to the season is peaking. Enter: the tube top. Simple in silhouette yet complex in backstory, this strapless icon shows all the signs of a comeback. Take Rosette NYC as an example of its growing popularity. The cult-favorite brand recently introduced their riff on the tube top to much fanfare. “Our Cherry Blossom tube tops, as with all of our items, came from conversations about what we really wanted to wear,” co-founder Susan Korn tells TZR of her creative process with business partner Doria Santlofer. “Both of us were smitten with tube tops and couldn't find the perfect specimens on the market, so we decided to create them ourselves.” They’re rendered in a soft floral fabric and finished with a rosette, nodding to the current obsession with the floral embellishment.

If you peel back the layers a bit, the tube top’s return isn’t just about the warm weather. It’s the kind of garment that carries history and cultural significance with it. “I would say the most obvious political movement the tube top coincides with would be the sexual revolution of the late 1960s and early 1970s,” fashion curator Michelle Tolini Finamore, Ph.D says, adding that it was part of the “younger generation’s rejection of a more buttoned-up adult sartorial style in favor of body-revealing looks.” One might argue a parallel movement is currently underway with regards to current trends, with examples including cheeky bikinis and sheer dressing.

While the strapless silhouette has been around for some time, the tube top as we know it was popularized in the ‘70s. “The American designer Elie Tahari claims to have played a pivotal role in the adoption of the tube top in 1971, recalling that a manufacturing error was partially responsible for its invention,” Finamore explains. As the story goes, Tahari discovered elasticized tubes made of printed fabric in a department store, snatched them all up, and then styled and re-sold them as women's tops. “The tube tops helped launch his career as a street-savvy designer tapped into East Village vibes,” Finamore says, adding that “the story might be apocryphal but Tahari was certainly part of a broader trend toward more minimal, and body-revealing clothing that started with the 1960s mods and their mini-skirts and continued with the hippie generation of the 1970s.”

While the tube top was strongly associated with the hippie-adjacent midcentury fashions, Finamore notes that the silhouette continued going strong well into the ‘80s thanks to the thriving disco scene. Once the 1990s came around, the tube top remained in the trend cycle. “One of my favorite fashion moments in history is Aaliyah in her self-fashioned tube top made from a Tommy Hilfiger T-shirt that I featured in the exhibition Fashioning America: Grit to Glamour,” Finamore says. This image, she argues, captures a seminal moment in hip-hop streetwear in 1997 when the look was going mainstream. Fast forward a few years, and another style icon gave the tube top her stamp of approval. “We always reference Carrie Bradshaw,” Korn says. “We also stumbled upon pictures of Penelope Cruz in the early aughts donning a white tube top, a white midi skirt, and a pair of white kitten mules, to which we both declared this the perfect summer look.”

With decades of relevance, how might one translate the tube top to their 2024 wardrobe? Korn and Santlofer have a few ideas. “We love it with a pair of baggy shorts (comfort is key!) or capris,” Korn says. "Wear it under a button down, with a ballgown skirt, the possibilities are endless. And no tan lines!” Ahead, discover seven modern ways to style the tube top this summer.

Fresh Florals

Pair a flirty floral tube top with a brightly-hued lace midi for a playful take on summer dressing. Finish off the look with early-aughts-inspired accessories like oval sunglasses, cork wedges, and silver jewelry.

Soft Palettes

Team a pastel-hued tube top with cotton boxer shorts for a summer-ready combination. Complete the effortless duo with a woven bag, chunky leather sandals, and a lightweight knit to toss over your shoulders (in case it’s cool inside).

Wardrobe Building Blocks

Lean into the simplicity of a tube top and wear yours with a pair of classic khakis and black thongs. Add in personalized touches like a quilted handbag and delicately layered necklaces.

Sporty Touches

Complement the clean lines of a tube top with a white linen maxi skirt, and contrast the two with a sporty baseball cap. It’s the perfect vacation look for a day of sightseeing, or for running weekend errands at home.

Sleek Lines

Imbue your tube top styling with classic touches via straight-leg denim and chic mules. Keep it timeless and polished by finishing with a gold stacking bangle and woven tote.

Contrasting Proportions

If the idea of a tube top feels too skin-baring, wear yours with long, relaxed denim shorts and a boxy layer on top. Round off the look with simple flats and a shoulder bag.

Boho Influences

The beauty of a simple tube top is its ability to shape shift into different style aesthetics. Translate yours to a boho setting by wearing it with a flowy skirt and pendant cord necklace.