Alexandria Stylebook

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On Trend: The Cropped Top (But Don't Worry, No Belly Buttons!)

“That top is too short!” “Oh, no. Crop tops are not coming back? Please tell me they are not coming back!”Yes, these are actual customer comments.I truly believe when a customer sees a cropped top, she has an immediate image of her belly button being the star of her outfit. It needn’t be! I am on a mission to change this thought process.Cropped tops need not be midriff bearing; in fact, there is an easy technique that should become common knowledge. Given the multiple year fashion trend of long tops over leggings or skinny jeans (LOVE!), the return of cropped tops should be viewed as a fresh trend.  You don’t need to be 5’10” like me to find cropped tops daunting. An easy fix: chose a top that is short yet longer on the crop top spectrum and pair it with a high-waisted bottom. We have heard plenty about high-waisted jeans but don’t neglect the chic and sophisticated look of the stripped, split-legged pants in the first picture. Also do pair a cropped top with cropped pants….the wide legs of these linen pants put the outfit in perfect proportion. The most important strategy of keeping your belly under wraps is to try on the outfit!  You must make sure the pant’s rise meets the bottom of your cropped top. Be aware that pants labeled “high-waisted” will each have a different rise so don’t assume they are uniform. Pick the best for you and your body type!