Crop Tops, something for the longest time I didn't think was 'appropriate' for women of my size. Why would I want my belly showing? Why would I want any of that middle section showing? Why does anyone ANY SIZE want that showing?
It was something I didn't understand because, let's be real, even though I preached body love, it wasn't until about 4 months ago I actually was loving my body. I promised myself last Summer I would wear a crop top this Summer with no regrets. I'm happy to report I have spent the whole Summer in crop tops, not giving a flying fuck what anyone else thought.
There is a secret to the crop top that no one fills you in on into you are in the secret club of wearing them, but I am breaking Crop Top Club rules and sharing with you: just because you are wearing a crop top doesn't mean you have to show any skin.
WHAT?!
I KNOW. Completely shocking right? So many of us get into the idea that crop tops mean showing off our belly buttons (thanks 90's fashion from all the movies we grew up watching). The truth is though that cropped shirts and cropped tops just mean a shorter hem. For instance, with Savvi, we have our Prince top that is a 'cropped shirt'. It just means it isn't long and isn't going to cover your pants line like so many of our other shirts. I found I had to go down 2 sizes to get it even close to being 'an actual crop top' of showing off some skin.
Let's talk about my favorite crop top- the Breathe crop top. I love this top so much I have TWO. I got it in at the same time I had our Met skirt- a high waist pencil skirt- arrive and I immediately paired them together and fell in love. You saw may a little triangle of skin but that was it- the HORROR. I am constantly pairing this shirt with different styles I have- The Magnolia (a hi-lo skirt), the Valencia (a wrap skirt), my Sullivan's (a high waist pants that we don't currently carry), and of course the Met skirt. How I wear most of these has the top of the skirt band going under the band of the crop top. So many people think I am actually wearing dresses! That's not to say that I always wear them like that. Some days I am feeling sassy and pull it down and show an inch of skin. Which is honestly what I usually do because I don't want to hide the fact that I am CONFIDENT in what I am wearing.
There is literally no law anywhere out there that says YOU HAVE TO SHOW SKIN when wearing a cropped shirt of crop top. If you feel more comfortable placing a flowy tank over a crop top, do it. If you feel more comfortable pulling your skirt band into the crop top, do it.
Just do not limit yourself from getting cute shorter tops because you think you will automatically have to show skin. Just like with anything you have, you can show as little or as much as you want. It doesn't matter if you have a flat stomach, a fupa, or something else going on. Stop limiting yourself from fashion choices because of preconceived ideas you have surrounding those items!