If you have looked around on a Thursday, Friday, or Saturday night, it should come as no surprise to you that crop tops are trending and in a big way. Madonna started it all back in the mid-1980s and celebrities have been pubbing it ever since; however, according to Vogue, the crop top trend is exploding in spring and summer 2014. Why is the trend so popular? It’s an empowerment of the female body.
Francesca Burns, Vogue’s fashion editor, says, “Never has there been a more attractive incentive to hit the gym than this summer’s diverse offering of crop tops.” The motivation of exercise often comes from how exactly you will look on spring break/summer vacation/Newton Prom (yes, really), but is being healthy not a good enough incentive? Now, there are “crop top diets” and a prime focus on looking good for that one night. But why is it that we want to work for a crop top?
Crop tops are so popular, especially amongst Collegiettes, because the exposed midriffs almost always lead to attention from the opposite sex. That’s right! Girls can say that they dress for themselves all they want, but showing off some belly is an obvious way to say, “Hey! Look at me!”
Now, I will not sit here (eating ice cream) and tell you that you should not wear a crop top. Think about it: BC’s Pom and Cheerleading squads (not unlike other colleges) are actually required to wear crop tops on occasion. Why? Is it to show off the athleticism of the girls? Is it to draw attention to them? Who knows! But it is fairly clear that crop tops are a showy way to expose a part of the body that most people do not see on a daily basis.
Let’s not deny that there is some empowerment in the conquering of your sex appeal when wearing a crop top. If you have gained the courage to wear a crop top, you have every right to feel like hot stuff. Arguably, crop tops should be a staple in every woman’s wardrobe, on occasion, to proclaim the “look at me!” declaration. Crop tops are not about being stick-thin; they are about confidence!
While talking about her body image on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Mindy Kaling proudly said, “It takes a lot of effort to look like a normal/chubby woman!” She admitted that she, too, exercises and that even though she does not look like an iconic female gym-goer, she still has the right to subscribe to the crop top trend… and you do too!
Photo Sources:
http://www.collegefashion.net/would-you-wear/would-you-wear-a-crop-top/
http://stylenews.peoplestylewatch.com/2014/04/01/mindy-kaling-jimmy-kimmel-crop-top/
http://ohthatsyou.com/blog/2012/07/how-to-pull-off-a-crop-top-no-matter-your-age/