The Controversial Summer Trend That Keeps Selling Out

Ever since Katie Holmes blew us all away when she casually wore that Khaite sweater set (which included a cashmere bra) to hail a cab last year, the fashion crowd has been fully enamored with the concept of bra tops. And now that summer weather is here, these tiny little tops have taken over our Instagram feeds, and we couldn't help but notice that they've been flying out of stock at various retailers. The most popular iterations are made of sweater or heavy knit material (so as not to be mistaken for an actual bra), but people have also started wearing bikini tops as tops as of late. Wearing underwear as outerwear can be deemed controversial, but it's all about how you style it (more on that below). Consider it the top-half version of leggings as pants.

You can wear a bra top on its own if you're brave, but the most common outfits we've been seeing are bra tops with high-waisted pants, shorts, jeans, or sweats, and a matching cardigan, denim jacket, button-down, or oversize blazer. Consider it the perfect summer trend if you don't have AC. With that, keep scrolling to see how stylish women are wearing them, and shop some of our favorite bra tops that are still in stock.

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(Image credit: @champagnemani)

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(Image credit: @cassdimicco)

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(Image credit: @emilisindlev)

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(Image credit: @bettinalooney)

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(Image credit: @hoskelsa)

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(Image credit: @claire_most)

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(Image credit: @shhtephs)

Next up, the affordable lingerie brands that still feel high-end.

Allyson Payer
Senior Editor

Allyson is a senior editor for Who What Wear. She joined the company in 2014 as co-founder Katherine Power's executive assistant and over the years has written hundreds of stories for Who What Wear. Prior to her career in fashion, Allyson worked in the entertainment industry at companies such as Sony Pictures Television. Allyson is now based in Raleigh, North Carolina, and is originally from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She holds a BFA in theater. Her path to fashion may not have been linear, but based on the number of fashion magazines she collected as a child and young adult, it was meant to be.