Crop tops have been a thing for a while now, and the trend shows no signs of stopping. With that in mind, we asked 10 fashionable women to style a basic crop top — and here are the results:
Courtney
Blog: Color Me Courtney
Instagram: @colormecourtney
"My style is 'girly with a twist'; I love taking classic pieces and styling them in unexpected ways. I like clothes that are youthful and playful, but somewhat modest too, and I like to layer and mix and match.
"I wear crop tops a lot with high-waisted skirts for more coverage, and today I layered my crop over a shirt with a Peter Pan collar to give it some detail and elevate it a little, then added some pops of yellow that transition from summer to fall."
Alyssa
Blog: Publyssity
Instagram: @publyssity
"Some days I dress super traditional, some days I lean towards something funkier or more edgy — but I always try to incorporate something a little unique, even if it's just my shoes or a piece of jewelry. I wear a lot of black, so it was easy enough to style this top with my go-to bag and heels, and I chose more embellished jeans as my statement piece."
CeCe
Blog: Plus Size Princess
Instagram: @ceceolisa
"I love wearing flirty dresses and skirts, and pink is my signature color. My outfit also has to be comfortable — anything I have to fidget with all day is out of the question — so I understand why crop tops are intimidating for a lot of people. But since my fashion philosophy is about figuring out how to make trends work for you, a full, high-waisted skirt seems like an accessible way to start (you can always show more skin as you get comfortable). Plus I thought the big bows on my shoes are unexpected, and the stripes are really fun!"
Lydia
YouTube: Lydia Hudgens
Instagram: @lydiahudgens
"My personal style kind of changes depending on what I'm doing. I'm a photographer, so when I'm working, I tend to wear things that are more flowy because I want to move easily; but I'm very hippy and I like to show off my shape, so when I'm going out, I wear a lot of crop tops and body-con pieces.
"I've changed a lot in the past few years — I used to be all vintage, wear all color, but now I've pared it all down. This skirt is from a collection I love called Line by K, and I wanted to keep the shoes and bag very minimalist as well."
Serena
Blog: The Spicy Stilleto
Instagram: @theserenagoh
"My style has undergone a huge transition in the past few years. In New York City, I feel like your neighborhood can really influence you: I used to live in the Financial District and I'd wear much more elevated looks with high heels, but now I'm much more laid-back. For this outfit, I wanted to add texture with my ripped jeans, and add some interest with a very ladylike shoe and spare accessories."
Sarah
Blog: Style It
Instagram: @styleit
"As a size 28, I don't get much of a chance at self-expression in fashion; there's just not enough on the market for that. But from what's available, I've been leaning towards a kind of 'summer goth' look — definitely lots of black.
"For this outfit, I wanted to wear a choker, these '90s-riffic Steve Madden shoes (okay, maybe 'summer Delia's goth'), and soft, slouchy pants that are perfect for hot weather. These ones even have pockets, which is always a good thing! For fall, I plan to keep the look going with dark florals, vampy lipstick, and a great American Horror Story: Coven hat."
Apneet
Blog: Who Is Apneet?
Instagram: @whoisapneet
"My style changes throughout the week, but there's always a tomboy element to it. When I'm running around photographing things, I'm usually in a T-shirt, jeans, and sneakers — but on weekends, I can get more girly. I like wearing crop tops with overall dresses that have a side cutout, so you get a little bit of skin, but not everything. And I pretty much wear my Vans every day."
Aileen
Blog: The Style Boro
Instagram: @thestyleboro
"I tend to either go very girly girl and va-va-voom, or kick it in sneakers and sweatpants; it just depends on what mood I woke up in that morning. For this outfit, I chose a pair of culottes — I lost a lot of weight after an accident recently, but since I'm Latina, I love any cut that gives me more curves — the shoes are suede, which I kind of have a thing for, and the clutch is actually meant to hold a wet bikini, but I love how colorful it is and that it reminds me of the beach."
Sandra
Blog: La Pecosa Preciosa
Instagram: @lapecosapreciosa
"I like fashion that's sophisticated and classically feminine. I almost never wear pants, so my friends associate me with skirts and dresses — they'll always point out that something is 'a Sandra dress' or 'a Sandra skirt.' Since I don't wear a lot of crop tops, I thought this Eloquii skirt would be a good pairing piece that would still represent my style."
Patrice
Blog: Looking Fly on a Dime
Instagram: @patricejwill
"I like a high/low feel and keeping things on budget, so I'll go to fast-fashion stores, but mix those elements with thrifted or vintage pieces. My mom loves thrifting, and I think I got it from her. I love the thrill of the hunt, and fashion is so cyclical that you can pretty much always find something secondhand that's also on trend. The shorts, purse, and dress I'm wearing are thrifted — the dress is actually plus-size, but I have no rules!
"I also love color. I'd love to look like a bag of Skittles every day, but sometimes you just have to anchor your look with a neutral like this top. I try to dress the crazy things in my closet down with more basic stuff. It's all about balance."