Madewell vs Aritzia: which top wins?
Both land in the mid tier — the Madewell Brightside '90s Tank at $38, the Aritzia Contour Squareneck Bodysuit at $58, just $20 apart. Here's how they stack up, head to head.
| Madewell | Aritzia | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $38 | $58 |
| Material | Ribbed jersey knit listed as 95% Supima cotton and 5% elastane on the current retailer listing. | A double-lined, high-stretch nylon-spandex knit — Aritzia's Contour fabric — that owners describe as smooth and second-skin without being sheer. |
| Fit | Fitted and streamlined — it hugs the body, with a crew neck and slender '90s-style straps, ending between the bellybutton and high hip. Retailer sizing feedback reads true to size; anyone wanting a looser drape should size up. | Compressive and close-cut with a square neck and thong-cut bottom. Sizing runs snug, and taller or fuller-busted owners commonly report going up a size. |
| Quality | Ratings run four stars or above across the listings surveyed, with over 150 reviews on a single retailer colorway, and no recurring complaints about bagging or pilling surfaced in research. The elastane in the rib is there to help the tank hold its shape. | Owners consistently praise the double-layer construction for staying opaque and holding its shape; the recurring gripe is design rather than durability — there is no snap closure at the crotch, so it comes fully off for bathroom breaks. |
| Best for | Anyone who wants one fitted, non-tee first layer that works on its own with high-rise jeans or under a blazer or cardigan. | Best for fitted, tucked-in outfits — under blazers or with high-rise bottoms — for shoppers who want a base layer that stays put through a full day or a night out. |
| Care | Machine wash, and skip high-heat drying to protect the elastane in the rib knit. | Wash cold on gentle and hang to dry; dryer heat degrades the stretch fibers that give the fabric its hold. |
These two serve the same base-layer role — fitted, tucked-in top under high-rise bottoms or a blazer — but they do it through different constructions: the Madewell is a natural-fiber rib knit at $38, the Aritzia is a double-lined synthetic compression knit at $58. The $20 gap is real but not enormous; the question is whether the bodysuit's stay-put construction and opacity justify the premium over a standard tank for a given wearer's actual use case.
- The case for Madewell
- The Madewell wins on fabric feel and simplicity — Supima cotton breathes, has no bathroom-logistics penalty, and at $38 represents genuinely fair value for its construction with only marginal brand markup.
- The case for Aritzia
- The Aritzia wins on all-day security — the double-lined, compressive construction stays opaque, resists riding up, and holds its shape in a way a single-layer rib tank cannot match when tucked into tight waistbands through extended wear.
The bottom lineWhich should you buy?
Buy the Madewell if the use case is everyday wear, warmer climates, or any situation where removing a shirt-layer quickly matters — the Supima rib delivers honest value and the $38 price is close to what the material actually costs to make well. Step up to the Aritzia if the specific problem is a base layer that must stay anchored and invisible under structured clothing for a full day or a night out, because the double-lined construction is doing material work the Madewell's single-layer knit cannot replicate — though roughly half the $20 premium is Aritzia's brand positioning rather than fabric cost, and the absence of a snap closure is a genuine design compromise that should factor into the decision.
We may earn a commission if you buy through this link, at no extra cost to you.