Ribbed knit white undergarment sees the light of day

think the masculinity that Latino culture has imbued into the white tank was adopted by queer culture, which then played on extreme forms of masculinity and femininity.”

Additionally, it is an essential part of the American proletariat uniform, which, as recent catwalks demonstrate, fascinates designers of high-end labels looking to subvert stereotypical signifiers of class and social status.

Customers are responding. Evi Berberi, a representative for Lyst, a global fashion search platform, said that since April, searches for tank tops had gone up 184%, continuing a trend that has been on the rise since last quarter. From March to June, fashion resale marketplace Depop had a 33% increase in searches for “ribbed tank tops” and a 44% increase in listings for that item, a representative for the company said.

“Today there’s a terrific rebirth of sexuality and gender identification,” Chavarria said. “While there are garments in the world that are known to be specifically male- or female-presenting, the kids today just have fun mixing it up. I think the ribbed tank still has an identity associated with its history that makes it sexy and stylish for even today’s generation.”

And while all this pontificating may very well be true, it also undercuts a simpler, emotional truth powering this trend. The ribbed tank top, for all its associations, is sexy, easy, versatile and effortless.

“I think it’s iconic,” King Princess said of the tank top’s enduring appeal. “I do think that basic wear — like a good T-shirt, a good tank top, a good pair of jeans — these are the things that have been endlessly reinvented. That fascinates me, to take a silhouette over time and reinvent, reinvent.”