There is a version of summer dressing that requires almost no thought and still looks right. A well chosen tank top in the right shade of blue is a big part of how that happens. The problem is most of them fail on fit before you even get to color. Too boxy and they look like a leftover from a gym bag. Too tight and they look like they are trying too hard. What we are after is the cut that sits properly on the shoulder and skims the body without announcing itself.

Blue works harder than people give it credit for in this category. Navy grounds an outfit. Mid blue feels easy without being careless. Even a faded slate blue has something going for it next to tan skin and worn denim.

These are the ones we have actually tested against real summer conditions, meaning heat, movement, and the very reasonable expectation that a tank top should look good more than once.