There’s a two-word phrase in fashion that could divide a room right now: Crop Tops. Well, okay, there’s more controversial fashion than that, but crop tops are a seriously good hot topic. Whether you love them, want to love them, or are loving running far away from them, they are proving to have some serious lasting effects, and it’s hard to argue just how practical they are with high-waisted bottoms.
But do they have to be so dang… cropped?
7 Casual Summer Tops That Look Cute With High-Waist Jeans
Good news: They totally do NOT. I went on the hunt for some solid in-between-ers. Crops that aren’t so short they leave little to the imagination, but tops that also don’t fall heavily over my high-rise jeans giving me a ’90s-style baggy grunge look.
For reference, I do appreciate an extreme crop top moment, as well as the laid-back baggy look, but it’s healthy to keep some balance for myself, too, ya know?! So I went on the hunt to find really good staple tops that can work any day of the week. These are all neutral-colored, light for summer, and on my slightly longer torso, they hit at just the right spot (jump to the bottom of the article if you want to get deeper into torso lengths).
Good Luck Gem Crop Camp Shirt
The ‘camp shirt’ is known for being one that teeters towards the casual side of fashion, but has the ability to be dressed up when called upon. This one has a unique boxy cut that is very on-trend right now, and would be fantastic with high-waisted trousers for work!
Both the jeans and the shorts I’m wearing in this post hit right at my belly button, so you understand where the shirts lay in comparison. The shorts I’m wearing below moved really fast, but never fear, this is the same pair with the same rise to rock with these tops, just with a shorter cut in the leg.
Camp shirts seem to be having a moment right now, so I rounded up a few other super-cute alternatives that would be amazing to wear this summer!
Free People Haley Racerback Brami
This brami was a pleasant surprise, wearing more like a tank top than I was expecting. It’s form-fitting in a very flattering, body-hugging sort of way, and the only top that made my faves list that wasn’t a loose style.
The fabric is incredibly soft, and the top is very forgiving in how to wear it. I can easily tuck it in behind the waist band of my bottoms (and it stays as I move around), or you can scrunch it up if you’re feeling a bit bold and want to have a sliver of skin peeking out. It would be perfect to throw a kimono-style jacket or shacket on over, too!
Abercrombie & Fitch Cropped Relaxed Tee
This relaxed tee from A&F might simply be the best classic crop of all time. It wears like your favorite soft tee you’ve owned forever and has a slightly longer sleeve length which is my favorite!
I’m absolutely obsessed with throwing this top on with shorts — it makes for an instant summer staple. If you rock a super high-rise pair of shorts or jeans, or perhaps have a shorter torso, this would make for a nice little tuck in the front! The top comes in other colors — black, coral and a few tie-dye options as well!
shorts (similar) | top | sandals
Free People V Easy Tee
Maybe my most favorite of the entire roundup: this top is light, has the v-cut, which helps break up the look visually and is such a good price!
While the staple neutral shades stay pretty well-stocked, Free People releases some fun color versions of this that go quick. I’m patiently waiting/hoping for the lime soda color to come back in my size! It grabs a 4.8 star rating with over 100 reviews — this one is a keeper (and, actually, the exact top I’m wearing as I write this).
Aerie Offline Tie Front Cropped T-Shirt
Maybe the softest of the bunch, this shirt comes with raw edges that make it feel perfectly casual and fun. The tie in front makes it more interesting than just your classic tee, and it’s a price that is too good to pass up.
This top currently comes in eight different color options, and all of them are sooo good and very earthy feeling. If you’re someone who tries to camouflage your middle section, the cute little front tie really helps cover up the area, even though it’s considered a crop top!
Free People Play It Cool Top
This top is the longest of the roundup, and arguably the most unique! I’m actually quite obsessed with it. Made with 55% linen, this one just feels like summer, but with more interest than any other linen shirt on the market right now.
Not only is the front slightly longer than the rest of the tops I tried on, but the back dips down even longer — so I guess you could say I’m almost breaking the rules with this one, but it’s still so good with high-waisted bottoms! The sleeves are gently capped and have a dramatic opening allowing for extra breathing room to keep us cool on hot summer days. Free People has been adding new colors of this one as the weather warms up, and the latest “candied lilac” is tooo pretty.
shorts (similar) | top | sandals
Mango Knitted Polo Shirt
The perfect summer sweater…this top is light and cropped for the cutest top on breezy days or evening bonfires!
I love the dropped shoulders on this sweater, along with the subtle neon stripe that is stitched throughout, making it more than your average pick. It’s cozy worn alone, or would be the perfect layer to throw over your new Free People Brami when the wind blows. You can also grab this sweater in a few colors, too!
shorts (similar) | top | sandals
Getting Specific On Sizing – How to Measure Your Torso
Torsos have a lot of influence when talking about cropped, or not-so-cropped tops; let’s take a moment to chat about them. According to a quick Google search (because I honestly have never given my torso much thought) the average length of a woman’s torso is between 16.5 and 19 inches. Under 16.5 is considered a short torso, and past 19 is considered long (males have slightly different numbers). So how do we measure that?
First, find a buddy to help you, because it can be difficult to measure your own back. Next, locate the largest bulging vertebrae (C7 to be exact) in your neck (easy to find when you bend your neck down). Now locate your iliac crest — easily found when you place your hands on top of each hip bone — and have your thumbs pointing inwards towards your spine to find a middle point for measuring. That distance between your C7 vertebrae and iliac crest is your torso measurement.
My torso measures at 19.5, just enough to be considered long (for reference, I’m wearing a medium in every top). Finding your own measurement will help give you perspective at how these tops would look on your own body!
High-waisted bottoms have been at the forefront of fashion for a while, and while I’m not saying the low cuts of the aughts won’t come back around (cuz I’m already spying some), I do think there’s something so freaking wonderful — and practical — about a high-waist bottom. They cover the area where I naturally hold my extra weight, they make legs look longer (which almost any woman of any height can appreciate, even my 5’9” self), and they leave zero problematic moments of underwear showing. I mean — wins all around. So what do you wear with them when you want to be in style but feel like you’re wearing more than, ahem, just a bra? These seven tops are the perfect place to start!
Xx
Amy
Let’s be friends on Instagram! Sharing life from my sleepy little beach town, my professional photo work, and the occasional drink recipe, because it’s 5 o’clock somewhere.
