Gen Z sparks the return of croptop fashion

Crop tops have been around more than ever lately, but 2025 isn’t the first golden age of this trend. Gen Z may think crop tops are just a viral trend on TikTok, but in fact, this item has a much deeper history.

Crop tops first appeared in European women's ready-to-wear in the 1940s, when textile shortages forced people to cut back on fabric. Two decades later, they became a symbol of women's liberation, then exploded in the 1980s thanks to the rise of sports and hit movies like Flashdance. It was also around this time that crop tops began to gain traction among men, especially in sports, where American football players often ripped their shirts after fierce fights. From the field, crop tops crept into popular culture, becoming a style statement for the LGBTQIA+ community and appearing on screen in icons like Prince, Apollo Creed in Rocky III, Johnny Depp in A Nightmare on Elm Street, and Will Smith in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

In the 2000s, the crop top’s history abruptly ended when Millennials reversed the trend – lengthening their T-shirts and ditching the sleeves instead. If it weren’t for Gen Z, who re-embraced the dynamic and edgy look of crop tops, they might have been forgotten.

When it came to Millennials deciding the ideal length of a T-shirt, the 1981-1996 generation seemed to have lost interest in bold cuts. Instead of shortening the hem, they simply rolled up the sleeves—still showing off their muscles, but in a different way. Not only did covering up the midriff reflect a desire to go against the grain, it also ushered in a new style.

In the late ’90s and early ’00s, Millennials were fascinated by layering—the art of layering multiple T-shirts, especially popular among skateboarders. They also paired them with low-rise jeans that revealed the elastic waistband of underwear brands. In this context, men’s crop tops all but disappeared from ready-to-wear. Part of the reason was the stereotype of the time, which held that anything labeled “feminine” or associated with the LGBTQIA+ community could be a target for attack. The early ’00s were filled with homophobic content—from the bad jokes on hit shows like Gilmore Girls and Will & Grace to the harsh language in music.

In 2005, Kanye West was one of the first to speak out about racism in hip-hop, speaking to MTV News. But it wasn’t until 2010 that pop culture really began to change. Artists like Macklemore, Tyler, the Creator, Frank Ocean, Kendrick Lamar, and even Eminem—who has apologized for his past use of racist language—have helped pave the way for a more open generation where fashion is no longer limited by stereotypes.

The men’s crop top made an official comeback in the late 2010s thanks to Gen Z – a generation that is not afraid to challenge norms, even turning clothing into a political statement. If blokecore emerged among LGBTQIA+ and women as a way to reclaim a space in football that had once excluded them, the renaissance of the men’s crop top also reflects the open and inclusive spirit of Gen Z.

Entering the 2020s, as nostalgia brought back the 80s, young designers were quick to embrace the trend and bring crop tops to the runway. Martine Rose, Charles Jeffrey, and Bianca Saunders led the wave, but it wasn't long before even the veterans got in on the act.

At Prada, crop tops appeared as pleated blue shirts or tight-fitting polos; Loewe turned the polo into a statement piece, teamed with a belt to create a double-hip effect, accentuating the waistline. Once again, the most innovative thing comes from the past - revived by young people, then reshaped by designers to suit the times. And one day, Generation Alpha will have their turn to decide: will they follow or continue to push the boundaries of beauty and self-expression?

Photo: Getty Images