How to Crop Your Top Without Cropping Your Dignity

Another blogpost, another 90s trend. The crop top trend first made its return to our catwalks in spring 2012, but saw a revamp this season with the "peekaboo midriff" -a more subtle take on the trend, showing less skin than last year's belly-baring phenomenon and significantly less than the tragic 90s crop. Be aware that this trend is not just for festival fanatics and teenagers, if styled in the right way it can look chic and sophisticated and can actually be a flattering summer look, focusing on your narrow waist and deterring attention away from hips, bums and busts.

For a stylish daytime take on the trend, team a pair of high waisted mom jeans with a brassiette or cropped t-shirt and finish off with a blazer, achieving an on-trend look without compromising your sophisticated style.

Combine two trends at once and match your bold stripe crop top with an evening skirt ala Doutzen Kroes in Michael Kors

My top tip for sophisticated styling of your crop top is to keep it simple. Muted colours and clean prints work best for this look. Be sure not to mix a brassiette with a mini skirt! The key to the "peekaboo" trend is the age-old less is more mantra (less skin that is, not clothes) If you're opting for a shorter skirt or shorts option, wear a long sleeve crop top ala Diane Kruger. Always ensure the waistline and your bottom piece is high waisted to avoid resorting back to the full blown 90s belly-top look which didn't work then and shouldn't work ever.