This summer may well be remembered as the season when menswear boldly embraced a more risqué, revealing style. Adventurous dressers have been confidently showing off everything from thighs and toes to biceps and more. Short shorts, Speedos, and fashionable flip-flops have all surged in popularity, with celebrities like Pedro Pascal and Jonathan Bailey turning heads on the red carpet, flaunting chiseled arms and uncovered toes. Even Superman reboot stars David Corenswet and Nicholas Hoult have been spotted around New York City rocking tiny, tight ribbed tank tops as if they were just heading to the gym.
In this new era of “slutty menswear” making surprising appearances everywhere, the question arises: Is it ever appropriate to wear a bicep-baring tank or vest to the office?
“There are many ways to navigate workplace style, and the tank top route is only for the bold,” says Jeremy Kirkland, host of the menswear podcast Blamo!, and someone who has firsthand experience—he was sent home from his agency job seven years ago for daring to wear a sleeveless top during a scorching New York summer.
On the red carpet, it looks like Dwyane Wade’s shirtless sweater vest is becoming increasingly common, and some offices are starting to embrace a similar vibe. Pedro Pascal’s formal, all-black take might just work, while David Corenswet’s loafers paired with a tied sweater suggest that a “wife pleaser” tank top might be borderline acceptable in some workplaces.
Yet, even as workplace dress codes have loosened, certain rules still feel ironclad. The long-debated question of shorts at work remains mostly answered with a firm no, and this summer has been no exception. While some have argued to normalize shorts and flip-flops in the office, tank tops have not been afforded the same leniency—they feel riskier, more defiant of dress norms than simply showing some leg or feet.
Philippe Lerebours, a real estate brand manager in Washington, D.C., shares his experience on TikTok, where he regularly showcases his outfits. Despite working at offices with different dress codes, he says he’s never seen men wear tank tops as typical office attire. For him, shorts and tanks are off-limits at the office, though shorts are fair game while working from home. He’s more comfortable pushing boundaries in other ways, like experimenting with fisherman sandals before summer ends.
Though some office dress code views are evolving, there remains a clear line. And for now, a tank top at work seems to cross it.
Despite high fashion embraces of thigh-baring shorts and toe-flashing sandals, the tank top still feels a step too far in most workplaces. Sleeves—and the modesty they maintain—are part of an unspoken social agreement among coworkers. “No matter how casual it gets, I’d take a world full of flip-flops over a world full of tank tops,” Kirkland states.
At Paris Men’s Fashion Week this July, many menswear figures rocked sleeveless styles. Still, the fashion industry and the streets of Paris operate under very different rules than the average American office. Unless you’re in an ultra-creative industry with an extremely relaxed dress code, it’s probably best to save the tank tops for off-duty moments. Maybe in a few years, if this “slutty menswear” movement sticks and shifts cultural norms, the tank top will become more office-friendly. Until then, Kirkland’s advice is clear: don’t be reckless. Tank tops are best reserved for workouts or lounging by the water.