How To Wear A Crop Top – 22 Different Ways

Thanks to the Spice Girls and Britney Spears, who gave us some major fashion trends and inspiration for styling crop tops. So if you want to learn the very many ways to wear a crop top because you cannot stop going gaga over it, then you will be super excited to know that you have landed yourself perfectly in the right place. These tops were a thing during the 90s, and today they are trendy among many too. So knowing how to style them the right way is highly recommended. Now with one scroll at a time, go and give this article a read. Come on!

How To Choose A Crop Top According To Your Body Type

Crop tops can be worn by anyone, regardless of their body shape. The key is finding a style that makes you feel confident. Here are some tips to help you choose and style crop tops for different body shapes.

1. Hourglass Shape: Choose fitted crop tops that highlight your waistline. You can pair them with skirts or pants that flare out slightly to create a proportionate look.
2. Pear Shape: Choose crop tops with eye-catching details like ruffles or off-the-shoulder designs to draw attention to your upper body. Pair them with high-waisted skirts or pants to highlight your waist.
3. Apple Shape: If you carry more weight around your midsection, opt for looser, flowy crop tops that provide comfort while skimming over the stomach area. Pairing them with high-waisted bottoms can elongate your legs.
4. Rectangle Shape: If you have an athletic build with fewer defined curves, you can create the illusion of curves by wearing crop tops with bold patterns, ruching, or asymmetrical designs. Pair these crop tops with high-waisted bottoms, like belted skirts or pants, to define the waist.
5. Plus-Size: Embrace your curves with confidence by choosing crop tops that accentuate your waist. High-waisted skirts or pants work beautifully to create a defined waistline!

Now that you have learned how to pick crop tops for different body shapes, scroll down to check out some beautiful ways to style different crop tops. Keep reading!

How To Wear A Crop Top – 22 Different Ways

1. Crop Top With A Long Skirt

Long skirts with T-shirts, shirts or flowing tops are a thing of the past. Now, it’s all about those crop tops. You can pair your long skirt with a flared or off-shoulder crop top and use accessories for layering and amping your look.

2. Crop Top With Lehenga

Combine the best of both the worlds by pairing a crop top with a lehenga or a long ethnic skirt. And, the best part about this is that your crop top can double up as a choli on more than one lehenga or worn with jeans, trousers, etc.

Quick Tip

You can flaunt the Indo-Western style with traditional accessories like kundan earrings, thick sets of bangles, stone necklaces, and comfortable heels or embroidered jooties.

3. Crop Top With Denim Skirt

It is established that crop tops make a genius addition to denim skirt outfits. A simple crop top paired with midi or maxi denim skirts makes for an extremely modish and stylish look. So, next time you have a last minute casual outing plan pop up, pick your handy denim skirt, a basic black or white crop top, and statement jewelry to go with it.

4. Crop Top With Jeans

One of the easiest ways of wearing your crop top is to just slide on a pair of jeans and pair it with it. You have absolutely nothing to worry about since it goes with all kinds of jeans – be it high waisted, mommy pants, flared or bootcut.

5. Crop Top With Palazzo

Crop tops are a fun, airy, and elegant way to style palazzo pants. You could dress up or down with your palazzo bottoms. Go for regular plain or printed palazzos with simple crop tops for everyday wear or a heavy silk palazzo with a chiffon crop top for a special event or a party.

6. Crop Top Blouse With A Saree

Have an event to attend and do not have a blouse ready? No problem! Just pick up your plain white or black crop top (depending on the color of your saree) and thank us later. Off-shoulder and ruffled crop tops with sarees are the fad right now. All of this without the pain of getting a blouse stitched. Why not?

7. Crop Top With Shorts

Just go with this look blindly because it’s the perfect outfit for just about anything you have planned – a day at the mall, a beach vacation or dinner with friends. Matching shorts and crop top sets are a thing. Further, loose crop tops for women can be paired with shorts for a boho chic look.

8. Crop Top With A Pencil Skirt

Wondering what to get for date night summer wear? Pencil skirt and crop top it is! And, it does not have to be anything fancy, just a usual pencil skirt from Forever 21 or H&M with a cute crop top are all you need.

Quick Tip

A bell-sleeved crop top looks excellent with a high-waisted pencil skirt. It enhances the body contour and makes you look sleek and confident.

9. Crop Top Indo Western Style – Dhoti/Harem Pants

After everything, if you are still looking for interesting ways to style your crop top – pair them with dhoti or harem pants. Bring out that inner hippie. Also, this makes for a fun yoga costume.

10. Crop Top With A Jacket

Love the idea of crop top, but you are not very thrilled with all of the skin show? Join the club. Add another layer to it in a way that it does not take away anything from the crop top yet looks stylish. A leather jacket, denim shirt or a long jacket will do. A perfect monochrome outfit idea.

11. Crop Top With Peplum Skirt

A peplum skirt and a crop top are one of the most fashionable ways of styling. The peplum skirt adds an interesting definition to the outfit and makes you look urbane chic.

12. Crop Top With Flared Skirt

Another version of the peplum skirt is the flared skirt. A well-fitted crop top with a knee-length flared or A-line skirt is the perfect casual wear you need to spruce up your dinner plans with friends or that someone special. Add a long neck piece and a pair of wedges or platform heels – you are sorted for the perfect streetwear style.

13. Flared Crop Top

Flared crop tops can instantly bump up your style quotient without actually doing much. These tops go perfectly well with shorts, jeans, and linen shirts. If you have not tried this style – add this to your Pinterest board already!

14. Crop Top As A Formal Shirt

Crop tops swing both ways and can be worn for a formal set-up if styled the right way. Go with a pair of straight cut formal trousers, silk or chiffon well-fitted crop top, a statement neckpiece, stilettos, and a leather handbag. You could also layer it with a blazer or wear a formal shirt (crop top style) to take your look to the next level.

15. Crop Top With High Waisted Shorts Or Trousers

High waisted skirts, trousers, and palazzos with crop tops are so in right now. High waisted formalwear pants with a shirt can make for a formal attire; a pair of printed palazzos with a crop top can pass off as party wear; and just a plain high waisted jeans or skirt with a ruffled chiffon top, peep toes, and a cute tote or sling bag can be the perfect outfit for a get together.

16. Crop Top With Suspenders

Play peek-a-boo with suspenders – be it full length or half. Gone are the days where suspenders were worn with regular T-shirts – now it’s all about crop tops. Also, it is an attractive style for those of us who love this style but are not ok with the idea of revealing too much skin. Again, it can just be as simple as pairing your suspenders with a plain black or white crop top or one with an off-shoulder style.

17. Crop Top With A Maxi Skirt

A maxi skirt and a crop top are perfect for the spring. You can go with a printed skirt like this one and a plain crop top, or the other way around. But keep one of them plain unless you want to flaunt the crop top matching set look. The crop top can be off-shoulder, full sleeves, loose or flared – just about anything will seal the deal for you.

18. Crop Top With A Flannel Shirt

Flannel shirts are everywhere, just like crop tops. So, might as well bring them both together. If you are conscious about showing off your midriff, layer up your plain crop top with a shirt or tie it around your waist, just like how we usually do with flannel shirts anyway.

Delaney, a YouTuber, shared her personal experience and experimented with styling crop tops on her YouTube video. She states, “I love styling crop tops with like a flannel, a button up, or an overshirt. So, this can be taken two ways; you can either have a cropped flannel or overshirt button-up, or you can wear a crop top under a full-length flannel or button-up overshirt. So I love doing both (i).”

19. Off-Shoulder Crop Top

Is off-shoulder your favorite style? That makes two of us! Pair your off-shoulder crop top with your regular jeans, high waisted trousers, palazzo pants or even a maxi skirt. And, they all make for stylish options. Just add a choker neckpiece to complete this look.

20. Denim Shirt As A Crop Top Tie Up

Or, just use your denim or plaid shirt and tie it up as a crop top. It works like a charm!

21. Crop Top With Mini Skirt

When done right, a crop top with a mini skirt is a high-fashion combo that can help you turn heads wherever you go. It looks incredibly sexy as it flaunts your figure like nothing else! You can easily dress it up or down by changing the fabric and silhouette of the skirt.

22. Crop Top With Denim Jacket

If you are going for a casual look or want to look a bit more modest, a denim jacket over your crop top is your best choice. The combination looks extremely chic and appropriate whether you’re running errands or catching a flight. Put on a jogger or wide leg jeans, and you are in one of the most comfortable outfits there is.

Apart from these 22 looks, you can also try layering our outfits with trenchcoats, jackets, cardigans, and more. Check out some expert layering techniques to make the most of your crop top outfit.

Layering Techniques

Layering makes crop tops suitable for various occasions. By pairing crop tops with jackets, cardigans, or kimonos, you can create layered looks that are perfect for casual, professional, or formal settings.

1. Denim Jacket: A classic denim jacket layered over a crop top gives you a laid-back vibe. This combo works well for everyday wear and weekend outings.
2. Blazers: For a more professional appearance, layering a structured blazer over a fitted or loose crop top is a great option.
3. Cardigans: For cooler days throw on a long cardigan over your crop top. This combination works well for layering during fall or winter.
4. Kimonos: A flowing kimono is perfect for adding a bohemian touch to your crop top. Kimonos with bold patterns, fringes, or embroidery can transform a basic crop top into a statement outfit.
5. Leather Jackets: Add a bit of edge to your crop top with a leather jacket. This combo works well for evening events or casual outings.

With the right jacket or outerwear, your crop top can transition from casual daytime to chic evening wear effortlessly.

Infographic: Smart Ways To Wear A Crop Top

Crop tops are truly a blessing. You can literally pair them with almost anything and yet look like a gorgeous diva. Want to discover how? Then scroll down and read the infographic below to learn how to style a crop top smartly!

Illustration: StyleCraze Design Team

Frequently Asked Questions

Are crop tops inappropriate?

Although crop tops are a fashion trend, they may be considered inappropriate for professional wear. However, pairing them with high-waisted pants and skirts makes them suitable for most events.

Can I wear crop tops if I’m fat?

Yes, crop tops are suitable for people with chubby body types. Pair a crop top with a skirt or high-waist jeans.

Is 30 too old for a crop top?

No, 30 is not too old to wear a crop top. Crop tops can be worn at any age.

Can you wear a crop top with leggings?

Yes, crop tops can be worn with leggings. But make sure it’s a loose crop top and the leggings are thick.

Looking for ways to rock cropped blazers? Check out this video for stylish outfit ideas. From casual to chic, there’s a look for every occasion!

Was this article helpful?

Author Editor Fact Checker

Pratima AtiFashion & Lifestyle Writer

 

Pratima Ati is a postgraduate in International Business from Staffordshire University. After working in Marketing and Business Development for a few years, she jumped ship to pursue two things she loved – fashion and writing.

Read full bio of Pratima Ati

Madhumati ChowdhuryAssociate Editor

Madhumati is an associate editor with seven years of professional experience. She has previously worked as an editor, proofreader, and a writer with various organizations, helping her navigate through the various facets of content creation and refinement with ease.

Read full bio of Madhumati Chowdhury

Srijani Roy Chowdhury Associate Commerce Editor

Srijani is an associate commerce editor with a master's degree in journalism and mass communication from the University of Calcutta, West Bengal. She is certified in makeup techniques and is also a certified style and image consultant.

Read full bio of Srijani Roy Chowdhury