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Fashion: Cream of the crop
Six women (and one man) sport stylish, summery crop tops and show you how you can sport the look this season
Inhibitions bedamned!
Menaka, 29, Entrepreneur
“I wore my first crop top as a kid. I remember being in a constant tussle with my mom whenever I wore one. I would fold it up a bit high and my mom would roll it back to length. It used to annoy me as her blouse and sari were never a problem…,” she shrugs.
Her inhibitions still remain. “The gawking eyes, of both men and women, and I cannot wear a crop even today if I am to walk down a road,” confesses Menaka.
“It would be a perfect outfit for the Indian summer, but societal judgements around it makes it rebellious and inconvenient to wear in public spaces.”
Fashion advice: “In summers, a mix of multicloured layers looks great with crop tops. Team it with a sari, lehenga or a flouncy-crushed skirt with bangles to put together an indie fun look,” says designer Karan Torani.
How to style the midriff
Tejaswini Sinha, 24, Fashion stylist
I purchased my first crop top at the end of my school, when my friends and I were all set to go off to Goa for our graduation trip. I have always been extremely hesitant when it came to crop tops. Being a fashion student, over the years, I learnt how one can style a midriff-baring top. So now, whenever I do wear one, I make sure that I pair it either with high-waisted jeans or pants or even an overlay,” shares Tejaswini and adds, “Just be confident and comfortable in whatever you wear, midriff-baring clothes included!”
Fashion advice: “The length and fit of the jacket is most important when you opt for a cropped one. The perfect length will be just one inch below your waist line and a well-fit crop top always adds height to your look,” recommends fashion designer Jenjum Gadi.
Break the gender tags
Awoka Awomi, 24, Artist
“I started wearing crop tops while working out. It began when I first trimmed an old T-shirt and it turned out to be pretty comfortable. Since then, there’s been no looking back! They are pretty dope. I don’t have any problems with it and I feel like a man,” he laughs.
“You do you because we humans are the ones who tag gender to clothes and I guess it’s time we changed that. We should encourage people to make a it norm to wear whatever they’d wish to and not put a label on clothing,” he asserts.
Fashion advice: “Choose a crop top that’s not too tight or too short, otherwise it might end up looking like a sports bra! Don’t restrict yourself when it comes to colour or pattern, focus on keeping it fun. Avoid pairing it with loose and flared bottoms, try to keep the look as neat as possible with just one accessory,” recommends designer Jenjum Gadi.
Dress to liberate
Ankita Bansal, 30, Fashion entrepreneur
“I first started to wear crop tops about a year-and-a-half ago. My inhibition was largely about how people would look at me because I wasn’t the conventional size for a crop top-wearer,” says the girl, who also appeared in Indian Matchmaking (2020).
Ankita still likes to layer crop tops up with a jacket, but on most days just putting on a crop top makes her feel “alive and kicking because it took a while for me to understand that it’s no biggie to be roaming around in a crop top,” she says.
“I started with cropped nightsuit tops and slowly eased myself into feeling comfortable. By forcing yourself to wear something just because it’s in trend never works. The process of dressing up should be one that makes you feel liberated, not shy,” says Ankita.
Fashion advice: “High-waisted denims or a pleated school-girl skirt would look cool with this crop top and pairing it with peep toes or high heels can take this whole look from casual to glamorous,” says designer Karan Torani.
Celebrate those curves
Spardha Malik, 34, Fashion and brand consultant
“It’s only when I turned 30, that I made my peace with my body and realised how much I love wearing crop tops! Working in fashion, I always found that people judged you harsher if you weren’t following the unsaid style rules. The rise of social media allowed more access to diverse style icons, which helped reset my mindset,” says Spardha.
She now feels absolutely smashing in a crop-top. “Heck, I can even wear a bikini and feel like Beyoncé now! You’ve got one life, wear what you want. We need to be kinder to ourselves and practice body-positivity,” she says.
Varshita Thatavarthi, 26, Fashion model
“I started wearing crop tops at the age of 14. I used to attend dance classes, where we were sometimes required to wear them during a performance. I was a little shy about wearing them because my stomach would peek out,” recalls Varshita.
She now feels confident in her body, but it has taken time for her to appreciate that. “It’s a process and there are still times when I judge my body and the way I look. I’ve also realised that confidence is key. If you have the confidence, you can rock in any outfit,” she asserts.
Fashion advice: ““Proportion plays an important role. So, a voluminous crop top should be paired with fitted bottoms, and vice versa. Avoid too many layers or accessories,” says celebrity stylist Rishi Raj.
Hiding the muffin top
Shashi Sunny, 60, Content creator
I’ve been wearing crop tops for over three decades now! A year after my daughter was born, I lost my pregnancy belly and I went and bought a cropped blue tee from Janpath. My inhibition was that the muffin top I had shouldn’t show and that top should not be too cropped,” says Shashi.
So, if a cropped top sits well on her and she feels good carrying it, she goes for it. “I don’t like anything that is too revealing such as a low neckline or a cropped waistline. But I’d say don’t be afraid to try something out. If you feel it reflects who you are and how you feel, just wear it!”
Fashion advice: “Remember that straight or flared, high-waisted trousers with a thick waist band help in making the waist look slimmer and tucks in the lower abdomen. Deep V-neck crop tops look great on all age groups. If you have broad shoulders and are top heavy, avoid horizontal stripes and off-shoulder crop tops,” says stylist Nazneen Parmar.
From HT Brunch, May 16, 2021
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