What is it?
Tube tops precursor was a beachwear or informal summer garment worn by young girls in the 1950s
became more widely popular in the 1970
returned to popularity in the 1990s and 2000s
In the 90s and early 00s, tube top and low slung baggy pants became the It-Girl combo {from TLC to Britney Spears) with varied aesthetics (tomboy glam for TLC, girly for Britney Spears)
Victoria Beckham made the black tube dress her official Posh Spice uniform during entire six-year Spice Girls active from 1994 to 2000
Sarah Jessica Parker as Carrie Bradshaw in Sex and the City, costume designer Patricia field outfitted her in one tube top after another
Dates back to Ancient Greece
"Apodesmos" in Ancient Greece —> meaning breast band
Consisted of a band of wool or linen wrapped across breasts, tied or pinned at the back
Wrapped across chest for support
Reemerged in the 1940s as the top of a two-piece swimsuit
—> different lengths, from different fabrics and blends, different colours and prints
Tube top fixation extended to the fashion set tooo
—> Versace and Calvin Klein both sent out little black tube dresses on the 1997 runways
During Spring 1999 season, tube tops, monochromatism and minimalism went hand in hand:
- Prada showed pale asymmetric version with a pleated skirt in a similar shade
- Calvin Klein went for more dramatic contrast with a skin-tight mustard top and a pale yellow draped skirt
Tube tops didn’t officially become a thing until 1971
Elie Tahari arrived in New York in 1971 with less then 100$
Son of Iranian refugees emigrated to Israel
Manufacturing error resulted in a pile of fabric tubes, some ended ended up in a New York store owned by garment trader Murray Kleid
—> tube top birthed from a mistake
Tahari discovered his first tubes in Kleids store on sale for 2$ each
Bandeaus made of puckered, Indian-print gauze shot though with elastic would be a hit
Bought piles of tubes from Kleid and resold for 3$-4$
“It was an East Village happening. ‘I am not wearing a bra! I am a modern hippie girl!’ ” Tahari said with a hoot, recalling his clients.
During its rise to fame, garment found itself in feminist circles
Because of “naked appearance” —> “modern hippie girl”
Tahari sneaked into a trade show without exhibitors pass set up his display in the hall
Came with my bags of tube tops and pictures showing how to wear them
Crowds grabbed order forms as fast as he could hand them out
When security officers tried to stop it, Tahari just moved to another hallway.
By the end of the day, he had orders for thousands
—-> beginning of his wholesale-fashion career
With a help of a friend started manufacturing operation to churn out tubes in 1973
Orders came in from From all over the globe
A year later at height of “Saturday Night Fever”, he began to draw inspiration from nights at Studio 54; crafting dresses, halters and tube tops- all of which became synonymous with disco fashion
Later his design evolved to a more elevated aesthetic
Bandeau also worn in roman times
Earliest bandeau-like costume in Cataloyuk, Anatolia in the Chalcoithic era (around 5600 BC) mother goddess is shown astride two leopards wearing a costume
Worn by women athletes
Greco Roman world, women’s athletes wearing two piece garments were depicted
Villa Romana del Casale dates Diocletian period (286-305 AD), mosaic depict young women dressed in bandeau like garments
