Crop out the crop top

Crop tops made their debut in the 1980s, the trend of the decade that was brought on by the artist Madonna after her music video for “Lucky Star” dropped. In the video she wore a cropped mesh top, and the trend began.

The midriff-showing trend has now come back, to the point where nearly every shirt in the women’s section has the same amount of fabric as a baby’s onesie and shows one’s belly button, and occasionally some under-boob, even when wearing a pair of high waisted pants.

I went shopping at a Levi’s store after Christmas and every single shirt was cropped. I’m a female-identifying person who will wear a crop top on the occasion, such as going to the gym, but I expect to go to Levi’s or a similar clothing store and find a “women’s” shirt that covers my stomach.

It’s not even about the fact that I don’t feel comfortable showing my stomach, or that I get cold easily: Any person should be able to find a shirt that’s in the designated women’s section that is comfortable to wear and doesn’t show an enormous amount of skin. Even all the jackets were cropped – how is that comfortable? Not every person who shops the women’s section wants to show their midriff or have to wear high-waisted pants to cover said midriff. I am a fan of neither, and know many people who feel the same.

Crop tops and high-waisted pants are the only garments I could find in my size, and neither make me feel comfortable with my body. Levi’s is known for its jeans, for having a large variety of styles for both men’s and women’s fits, and yet I couldn’t consider a single one of them without discomfort. There are many people who love their crop tops and high-waisted jeans, but there are many, like me, who don’t. So, why can’t we compromise? Why can’t we have full-length shirts and crops? Why can’t we have the same print/color in both styles, or a variety of options for both?

Give us our damn full-length T-shirts and mid-rise pants so we can feel even remotely comfortable in our skin.