News + Trends

Men in crop tops: belly-baring is unisex - and has been for a long time

29.7.2022

Translation: machine translated

It was already known in the 80s that the belly-free look is not just for women. Now crop tops for men could become mainstream again.

The tummy-free look has become so established that even bralettes are worn as tops in everyday life. You won't attract attention with a crop top - unless you're a man. Then you will absurdly attract more attention to your upper body than if you were completely topless. But that could change soon.

Cropped tops are increasingly finding their way into the men's department. On the catwalks of luxury brands like Fendi, Celine or Jacquemus, belly button flashes are no longer reserved for women. Glossy magazines put "Euphoria" crush Jacob Elordi or celebrity scion Romeo Beckham in belly-baring cuts for their editorials. Chart-toppers Harry Styles and Lil Nas X also go for the cropped silhouette in music videos and on red carpets. So the crop top for men has already arrived in the show and fashion biz - and on our streets?

Crop Top und Bauchkette bei Fendi Frühling/Sommer 22.

Ultra kurzes Turtleneck bei Jacquemus Herbst/Winter 21. — Crop Top und Bauchkette bei Fendi Frühling/Sommer 22.

Maybe you can spot a bare midriff or two on Fifth Avenue or the Champs-Élysées - but the sight is still a rarity on the pavements at home. You're more likely to see completely naked torsos in the city. Yet the crop top was once a sign of masculinity, a spawn of sports culture. Back in the 80s, when men were more willing to experiment with the length of their liblis.

Apollo Creed trained without a belly.

American footballers and gym bros shortened their workout tops to show where all the sweat was going: into their obliquus abdominis muscle. The crop top was the tank top on steroids back then. A way to show off biceps and six-pack - without going completely bare.

A historic belly-free moment, and a testosterone-filled one at that, is captured in the third part of the boxer film series "Rocky": Rocky Balboa's opponent Apollo Creed wears a super-short tank top during a training session on the beach (in combination with high-waist hot pants, also worth mentioning). In the same decade, musicians Lenny Kravitz and Prince are also big fans of the free midriff - and in the early 90s, another prince joins the club, the Prince of Bel Air aka Will Smith.

With its increasing popularity in pop culture, the crop top gradually slipped out of its athletic context. More fashion, less sweat - and apparently less masculine. When the garment experienced renewed hype in the noughties, it was mainly seen on women, where it still belongs in most minds. But now that the lines between men's and women's fashion are increasingly blurred and unisex clothing is booming, the re-arrival of the men's crop top in the mainstream doesn't seem far off.

Modejournalist Fabian Hart trägt dezent bauchfrei.
Source: Instagram: @fabianhart

Influencer Nathan Hopkinson zeigt Nabel und Unterhose. — Modejournalist Fabian Hart trägt dezent bauchfrei.
Source: Instagram: @fabianhart

Men in crop tops soon in the Galaxus building?

At the office, I want to know from my colleagues if they would join in on the trend. The first person I'm drawn to is communications manager David, affectionately known in the team as Mr. Biceps. If you train your arms diligently, you might also have a six-pack that you would like to show off. But no, he is a "lower-lip guy", so crop tops have to take a back seat: "In my case, I can only imagine them as a sports tenu - Apollo Creed style." Next I ask our commercial apprentice Yanis. But he's "not a big fan" either: "I think it often ruins the proportions of an outfit and doesn't enhance the look any more than a traditional shirt."

Next up: social media manager Fabian - if you're not afraid of nail polish, you probably dare to wear bellyless tops. And indeed, he owns a crop jumper: "But I've always worn it with a T-shirt underneath so far, because I have a bit of trouble with my belly." However, he is not totally averse to omitting the first layer in future: "In principle, I would wear a crop top, for example in combination with high-waist or dungarees."

The fear of looking feminine

But why is the inhibition threshold so much higher with crop tops than with a completely naked upper body? It's probably because of the stereotypical image of masculinity that is still anchored in many people's minds, David suspects: "We associate the topless look with burly construction workers, for example, whereas crop tops are more associated with women. If I'm honest, I feel a bit like that too." Fabian adds, "In my experience, many straight men stay away strongly from looks with female connotations for fear of being perceived as homosexual. This shows that 'gay' is still seen as a curse word and explains why queer men are often more open to androgynous looks."

In any case, the three agree on one thing: if men dare to experiment with their style and make statements, that is definitely cool - regardless of whether the look corresponds to their personal taste or not.

Our range is still a little behind in terms of crop tops for men - but hey, it's up to the man: