If you want to update your wardrobe without spending money, learning how to crop a shirt is a great place to start. People now crop their shirts to create new looks and rock trendy fits.
Transforming old clothes and t-shirts may appear frightening, but don’t worry — you won’t need a sewing kit. All you need is some time and a good pair of scissors. You can create cropped shirts with the right skills and understanding.
Crop tops are very fashionable right now with many fashion designers and stylists attesting to this. They look fantastic and are an excellent way to stay cool this summer.
Whether you’re looking to cut your shirts or even avoid cutting, I’ve got you covered. Continue reading to learn more.
What are Crop Tops?
Crop tops are shirts with hemlines ending just over the belly button region. By design, this exposes the lower stomach area. This stylish top design is trending, although it first appeared in the 1980s.
In the 1980s, fashion trends were flipped, and several popular styles, such as crop tops, emerged. Crop tops became more prevalent, especially with people picking up workout routines in the 1980s. Madonna and the Spice Girls were some of the famous faces wearing this brand of style back then.
Aerobics became extremely popular overnight in the 1980s. This prompted many fashionable fitness teachers, including Denis Austen, to wear cool mesh crop tops.
Often, people would wear crop tops over a body-fitting suit. Although it wasn’t as revealing, it encouraged people to comfortably try various cropped shirts.
In the 1990s, crop tops went out of style again. But two decades later, these designs re-emerged in the market. Now, they’ve become a fashionable way to flaunt a navel piercing. People also wear the designs to honor the body, while some use them during their baby bumps.
You’ll find many popular styles in crop top fashion. Some include blouses with puffy sleeves, baggy t-shirts cut to shape, workout crop top designs, and tube tops.
A Detailed Guide on How to Crop a Shirt
Before cutting a shirt you love, it’s preferable to practice on a less desirable shirt. This can be a painting shirt or an old shirt you use for gardening. Make use of that garment as a guide.
To cut the bottom of the shirt, place it on flat ground, with the front facing up, and cut it off with sharp scissors. Here are some simple steps to follow:
- To begin, I recommend cutting off a small portion, putting the shirt on to see how it appears, and then making any additional cuts to get it in shape.
- You can always cut more off, but once you cut the fabric, it’s gone!
- You can leverage the practice shirt as a guide once you’ve determined the perfect length.
- Place the model t-shirt on a level surface.
- You’ll need to leave between an inch and half-inch uncovered to allow you to make necessary alterations later on.
Steps to Include a Drawstring
Making a DIY crop top at home that flatters everyone can be challenging. One way to personalize it is to add a drawstring at the hem. Here’s how to do that:
- Choose your preferred area for the drawstring and draw two lines on the surface of the t-shirt accordingly.
- Then insert the grommets (metal loops that ensure holes don’t close up). You can purchase them cheaply at many stores.
- Select a string to thread through the hem. Options you can use include elastic cables and shoelaces.
- Attach a safety pin toward the end of the line and pass it through the hem.
Although it may take some time, you’ll love the result.
Four Cutting Techniques
Knowing the right cutting technique can save you time and energy when creating your cropped shirt.
Let’s examine four effective cutting tips that can help you out:
Check that Your Seams are Straight
It’s important to ensure all seams are well aligned when cutting your t-shirt. Additionally, shoulder seams should be placed on each other carefully.
Without adequately aligning your seams, your top will come out uneven.
Use High-Quality Scissors
Blunt scissors frequently cause frayed or raw edges. You need sharp scissors for a neat, fray-free edge.
A rotary cutter is another way to make sure your cuts are sharp. However, if you don’t want to get this cutter, you can simply use a sharp pair of scissors.
Better Safe Than Sorry.
Cutting your shirt too short can be a great mistake, as there’s often not much you can do to restore it to the previous length. Therefore, before you cut your garment, put it on to determine the perfect size you desire.
Once you decide how short to cut your shirt, leave an inch or two at the bottom and try it on again. It may look fine on the table but may be too short when you try it on.
Avoid Fraying
One thing you want to avoid when cropping a shirt is fraying. This is why you must use sharp scissors when carving out your design.
However, fraying may still occur even with the right cutter. Therefore, always cut with precision and care to ensure you don’t mess up your shirt. Using Dritz Fray Check Liquid is a great way to avoid fraying. The liquid helps you to treat edges seamlessly and ensure they remain smooth.
Making a Crop Top Without Cutting It: Here’s How
Do you fear chopping up your favorite shirt collection? Don’t worry – there are ways to redesign a baggy shirt without cutting it.
To achieve a crop top look without actually cutting your shirt, you will need hair ties and an elastic sports bra.
Roll Your Top
Get your sports bra ready for this look. Roll up your t-shirt from the bottom, and tuck it under the bra neatly. This will give the shirt an even-cut appearance, with room for adjustments if needed.
Front Knot
This crop top style is great for a figure-flattering look. You’ll enjoy it if you’d like your top to appear loose behind and tight at the front.
Make a tube out of extra fabric in the front of your shirt. You can choose to tuck it under the sports bra from the front, or you can keep it in a tied-up shape by securing hair ties.
Side Knots
If you’re interested in learning how to achieve a good unique crop look, a side knot is a great option. Pull together the extra fabric on the side of the t-shirt and use hair ties to secure it.
You can even tighten them under your bra after they’re in place. Once you do that, you’re set to go.
How to Make Crop Tops for Men
Trendy ways to crop a shirt for men in stylish fashion also exist. Let’s run through how you can easily achieve this look:
- Begin by putting on the shirt and marking the crop top’s bottom using chalk.
- Then remove the shirt and place it on a flat surface, ensuring the front side faces up.
- Start your measurement from the shirt’s bottom through to the chalk mark.
- Ensure you mark this distance using chalk, giving you a straight line to determine where the new hem should be.
- Note that when cutting through the chalk line, it should pass through the two shirt layers.
- Finally, smooth out the edge and clean up any frays when you’re done.
Final Thoughts
A crop top is a terrific garment to wear in the middle of summer. This is a great way to look good while also helping the environment by reusing old shirts, and it can be a fun DIY project to undertake with your family at home.
Using this guide, you can improve your wardrobe by creating new cropped shirts you could rock with your old shirts. Since fashion is all about keeping up with trends and creating your own, the shirt-cutting skills you learned in this guide are great for you. With such skill sets, you can make your own fashion statement and have a new wardrobe!
So, now that you know how to crop a shirt, organize a fun craft day where you can make your crop tops while sipping your favorite beverage. These DIY ideas should help you figure out the easiest methods for cropping a shirt. All that remains is for you to be brave, grab your scissors, and get creative. Once you have your shirts, you can style them as you please.