One of the biggest takeaways from attending private school is the number of ways you can bend the rules for a dress code and still get away with it. Where is this most commonly applied? The buzzkill known as the 9-to-5 workplace that prides itself on being “business casual.” Yeah, fuck that. As a twentysomething woman who still enjoys a classic mini skirt and getting ratchet on the weekends, I’d like to say that it’s 2018 and about damn time for office attire to expand beyond boring trousers and granny pencil skirts. I demand my crop tops! The only thing that has gotten me through these five miserable months of winter at work (spring has obviously been cancelled, in case you couldn’t fucking tell), would be my daily outfit of oversized sweaters with leggings. I literally dare someone to make a complaint.
At this point, I’m just prepping myself for how sweltering this summer will be once it actually reaches a temperature other than the mid-40s. Once that happens, I will gladly take the opportunity to go shopping and spend a ridiculous amount of money I’ll hate myself for on cute af crop tops I can (possibly) get away with wearing to work. Here are five styles to help a sista out when you’re stuck inside a dreary cubicle this summer.
1. Missguided Ruched Floral Top & Skirt Co-Ord
While we’re trying to show a tiny bit of skin, I’m obviously not a fucking idiot. I don’t advise letting your belly ring show in your morning meeting, unless you literally are trying to get fired. The key to rocking a crop top at work is pairing it with something high-waisted. The higher it is, the less noticeable your shirt length. A trendy matching set basically ensures you’re 95% getting away with it, because you look too put-together for someone to call you out for a flash of skin.
2. Diane von Furstenberg Cropped Cotton-Poplin Top
If you absolutely must wear trousers, consider going for a wide-legged style. If you can do without them completely, skip the trousers all together and go for something more casual like the beloved palazzo pant. A flowy, long-ish crop top blends in well with flowy bottoms. HR may call it improper, but Tyra would call it fashion. And quite frankly, that’s all that matters.
3. Leal Daccarett Venus Top
Cropped tank tops are def underestimated. They’re just as cute as cropped T-shirts, so we should definitely take advantage of a sleeveless high-low cropped top. Pair the style with a tighter bottom, like one with a drawstring waist. It creates a look that says you’re totally making hoe fashion fashion forward, but also, like, really profesh.
4. Love, Fire Ribbed Off The Shoulder Top
We betches effing love a good off the shoulder style. It’s sexy af, but low-key classy at the same time, and the fit looks flattering on literally every body type. Make it fashion at work by pairing with a high-waisted pencil skirt, booties, and long cardigan. The moment 5:01 pm hits, you happen to be (coincidentally and not at all on purpose) dressed for happy hour faster than you can say “tequila.”
5. The Fifth Label Barbados Stripe Long Sleeve Top
Prints that fall under the business casual category (so like, stripes…) make it look a lot less inappropriate and more on the sophisticated side. Style with a midi-length skirt or fitted trousers for a sleek and boss betch outfit. When in doubt, layer crop tops with a jacket to help disguise the fact that your shirt falls above your navel. No one will suspect shit.
Images: Debora Cardenas / Unsplash; ASOS (1); Net-a-porter (1); Shopbop (1); Nordstrom (1); Revolve (1)
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