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GQ Recommends
It's bicep-baring season, baby!
By Gerald Ortiz
Photographs courtesy Getty Images, Everett Collection; Collage by Gabe Conte
During the summer months, we tend to focus a lot of attention on shorts around these parts. How long should your shorts be? we’ll ask one day. Can you pull off a blazer with shorts? we’ll ponder the next. But isn’t it time we turned the spotlight on those other two limbs of ours, the ones a little higher up? Yes, Milo Ventimiglia’s tiny shorts and thighs set the internet ablaze, but his carved, veiny arms were popping just as hard in those photos. It’s time, friends, to let your freshly push-up-enhanced triceps run free, to debut that new bicep tattoo in the wild, to defeat that awful farmer’s tan once and for all. It’s time to embrace the best sleeveless shirts for men.
Brad Pitt wears a tank top by Stock Vintage, $125.Lachlan Bailey, GQ, October 2019.
And don't let Milo's post-workout look fool you: when that swampy mid-summer heat hits, there's no need to save the sleeveless joints for the gym. Whether your vibe trends more towards the punkish attitude of Riz Ahmed in Sound of Metal or the glistening aura of Brad Pitt in the pages of GQ, there are endless ways to make a sleeveless shirt work for you.
Riz Ahmed in Sound of Metal, 2019.Everett Collection / Courtesy of Amazon
You also don't need to be Justin Theroux-level shredded to pull a sleeveless shirt off. The more slender likes of Timothee Chalamet and Chloe Sevigny are proof that you can look just as cool—if not more—with your upper arms exposed, even if they're closer to friendly garden snakes than fierce pythons.
Timothée Chalamet in Call Me By Your Name, 2017.Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics
If you're ready to bear bare arms, any shirt you own can become a sleeveless shirt with the quickness—as long as you own a pair of scissors and have a relatively steady hand. Not confident enough in your own ability to cut a straight line? Don't fret: we went ahead and scouted out 19 pre-chopped bad boys to help you take the plunge. Wear ‘em with shorts and beat-up canvas kicks, maybe tuck ’em in with flowy trousers and sandals, and then let the good times roll.
All products featured on GQ are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
1/19
Todd Snyder made in LA muscle tee
Loose-fitting and breezy, for the major gains you'll be making at the gym.
2/19
Carson Wach K2 tank top
Not all tanks have to look like you're an Italian mob boss in the summer. This one is close-fitting and cut like you're a '90s pop star.
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3/19
Our Legacy Box sleeveless cotton crochet shirt
Who knew your grandmother's lace table runner would look totally killer as a sleeveless shirt?
4/19
Khanh Bryan Nguyen sheer graphic vest
Sheer brilliance.
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5/19
Legendary Whitetails Big Rig Blowout sleeveless shirt
With some baggy zip-off pants and some sleek sunglasses, you're practically a Balenciaga model.
6/19
Russell Athlettic performance sleeveless muscle t-shirt
No frills, no sleeves, great price.
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7/19
Rick Owens double sleeveless T-shirt
Rick Owens' perennial favorite sleeveless T-shirt is the the most recognizable tank there is thanks to its unique drape. Of course, a head-to-toe Rick fit is the obvious move, but any sort of long, baggy shorts would do the trick.
8/19
Collina Strada polyester tank top
A splash of gaudy Y2K is good in moderation. This is that moderation.
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9/19
IRO plaid sleeveless shirt
Layer this with your most busted graphic tee and leather pants for a full-on capital-F Fashion move.
10/19
Lululemon Metal Vent 2.0 sleeveless shirt
Does your gym partner prevent odor-causing bacteria? We didn't think so.
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11/19
Spencer Badu viscose tank top
That little notch and back cutout are the perfect shake-up to an otherwise plain tank. Pair it with some flashy flared pants or keep it simple with some relaxed blue jeans.
12/19
Champion classic jersey muscle tee
Steve Brady about to shoot some hoops is an underrated vibe you should definitely be going for.
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13/19
Off Duty "Rown" sleeveless shirt
The stripes say "businessman", the lack of sleeves says "it's my day off".
14/19
Gap 100% organic cotton muscle sleeveless pocket tee
When in doubt, plain and simple will never let you down.
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15/19
Isabel Marant check-print sleeveless shirt
A little bit punk, a little bit delicate, a whole lot of style.
16/19
Issey Miyake Homme Plissé stripe flow pleated T-shirt
The trippy moiré effect will have everyone staring in awe.
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17/19
John Elliott rodeo tank top
Ever since Ryan Gosling in The Place Beyond the Pines entered our eyeballs, we've been drooling over his sleveless shirts. This one from the god John Elliott quenches our thirst.
18/19
Carhartt sleeveless pocket T-shirt
Carhartt's beloved T-shirts are so hard-working that they decided to give the sleeves a little vacation.
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19/19
Jungmaven Malibu muscle tee
Hemp isn't just great for protein smoothies—it also makes for light, airy, beautifully textured tees.
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