In Barcelona and Madrid, All the Most Stylish Girls Wear This Easy Basic

Whenever I'm discussing basics with my friends, I think about tank tops or T-shirts. I never though give a second thought to bandeau tops, which used to be a staple for me back in the early 2000s and 2010s. At one point, it felt like the only thing I wore. I've almost forgotten about them entirely until I went to Barcelona this past June.

At Primavera Sound, I noticed a lot of Spanish girls were styling their denim better than I and also wearing bandeau tops—also known affectionately as tube tops—at a rate I haven't seen in years. It made me wonder why I forgot about the summer staple, which really is the perfect thing to wear when it's too hot to wear anything else.

The bandeau top looks great with denim, creating a sandwich of skin that can be easily tanned. You don't have to choose between showing off your midriff or your shoulders with a tube top. It's diplomatic in that sense.

And while it's great to wear with denim or a skirt, it's also a great piece to wear with swim trunks à la Miu Miu. You can easily take a dip in the ocean with it on, and then dry off and head out to dinner with it still on if you style it with a skirt.

I saw Spanish girls everywhere wearing it every which way, which reminded me of the fact that Carrie Bradshaw was also often seen sporting one on Sex and the City, and Sarah Jessica Parker wore the piece often on the red carpet in the '90s, a reminder that it is, in fact, something everyone needs.

Shop the best bandeau tops, below.