Indeed, confidence is the lynchpin around which wearing a tank turns. Self-assurance is crucial to pull off this intimidating item. But spring is here (or, at least, it’s coming), and summer will shortly follow – and, if the warm seasons are anything like last year’s balmy offerings, then a sleeveless shirt may be essential for the coming months. And so, I’m jumping out of my comfort zone and into a tank, experimenting with styling and gauging the reaction to it in the real world.

It’s perhaps worth mentioning that taking on the tank trend was, in fact, my editor’s idea. I tried my best to not catch her gaze when she scanned the office for enthusiastic volunteers, but, as you can clearly see, I failed. As a consolation for thrusting the tank upon me, I have been given free rein to peruse the MR PORTER shelves and build outfits that push the boundaries of what I would typically wear without being utterly off the wall for me. My Wish List was made for this moment.

With some finessing from our fashion coordinator, Mr Charlie Schneider, I chose a few tanks to test out in my daily life. One for lounging at home (or grabbing a coffee), one that was slightly more “dressy”, for an evening out, and one that is easy and wearable in a variety of situations.

An off-white tank from underwear experts Hemen Biarritz was very form-fitting and therefore the most terrifying for me to try. So, I started with this one, of course. “Go big or go home… and put on a T-shirt,” I thought. Hugging is the best way to describe the fit, although, at first, it felt like more of a squeeze, the kind your nan would excitedly give you after accepting her offer of tea and biscuits. Paired with a supple leather Nili Lotan jacket, and tucked into a pair of Our Legacy trousers, it felt… surprisingly good. I was taken aback by how much I liked how I looked. I was sure I would feel uncomfortable in a tank, but instead, I was a near-instant convert.

A quiet afternoon of bumbling around the house before making my way to the supermarket for the weekly food shop provided the testing grounds for the second singlet. This time, I went for a relaxed, black option from Parisian powerhouse SAINT LAURENT, which offered an entirely different style from the first. Teamed with a Needles mohair cardigan and straight-legged workwear trousers from Randy’s Garments, I couldn’t help but feel cool in the tank – and I wasn’t even standing in the chilled section. By now, the “gym bro” connotations I had associated with the infamous vest had vanished. Instead, I was channelling the carefree attitude of The Dude from The Big Lebowski. I could almost hear Mr Jeff Bridges telling me that “the tank really tied the outfit together”.

My weekend plans consisted of rummaging through Brick Lane’s many vintage shops and catching up with friends over coffee. But what to wear? Oh yes, a tank. Truth be told, I was now very comfortable with a vest on my chest, even more so when it’s a luxury cotton number by TOM FORD. Of the three I had now become very familiar with, this grey ribbed cotton option was the Goldilocks option – not too tight, not too loose. With the help of a Story Mfg. overshirt and Gucci light-wash denim, I received a fair few compliments from my coffee companions, which gave me a more satisfying buzz than the double shot of espresso.

I admit that going about my daily life in a tank instead of a T-shirt isn’t a drastic shake-up, especially when it’s worn as a base layer, but my week in tanks has converted me. A vest, as we call it here in the UK, is decidedly sexier and more exciting than a T-shirt, and wearing one makes you feel like Mr Tom Selleck.

I have begun to regularly swap out my tried and tested tees for the sleeveless alternative, heading out into the world with open arms. If not quite bare arms. Walking around with my shoulders exposed is still a bridge too far, but I’m feeling surer of myself. I’m continuing to notice the effect it’s having on other aspects of my personal style, too. I’ve always worn a necklace, sometimes two, but the high neckline of a T-shirt creates the cumbersome choice of whether to tuck it in or leave it hanging out. The wide neckline of the tank however frames the necklace, allowing it to sit comfortably on my upper chest. It's a small, but welcome benefit.

When visiting my parents for the weekend, I was greeted at the door by my smirking mum shouting, “I thought George Michael was dead!” She meant it as a sincere compliment, as did my dad when he continued to make a dozen or so Die Hard references over the course of the weekend – all in jest and with admiration for the vest.

Before taking on the tank, I had one main reservation: have I got the swag to wear a vest top? Now, after countless hours spent tanked up, I can honestly say that wearing one has given me more confidence than any other item ever has.

The addition of a tank makes every outfit feel more considered. Whether I was at a dinner date, working in the office or slouching around at home, reliving the emotional turmoil of The Last Of Us, what I wore felt planned out, rather than just thrown on. I have come to a profound realisation – sleeve-less is more.