Recently, I saw on Facebook some of my middle-aged women friends complaining about crop tops. More specifically, how many of the tops and sweaters at Target were now crop tops, and how they wanted the lower halves of their sweaters back. Reader, as a middle-aged woman, I must heartily disagree. I never want to wear full length sweaters or shirts EVER again. The resurgence of the crop top has come at a very significant time in my life, and I have been waiting for it eagerly, breathlessly, and in a full-on sweat of anticipation. Because, Reader, the time in my life that I’m referring to is menopause.
Or, more accurately, peri-menopause, because, Reader, in case you didn’t know this, you’re not in menopause until you go a full year, twelve entire months, without a period. And I seem to only be able to go eight before that sneaky bitch comes back. And just when I’m about sure that I’ll never need to buy a box of tampons ever again, fuck me. I gotta run to the store. Wearing the black jeans, just in case, because when you only get a period a year, all bets are off. Anything could happen. There is nothing you can be sure of anymore. There is nothing you can count on.
Except the excruciating supernova heat of hot flashes, that, well, may also not come with any sort of predictable regularity. But you know they’re coming. In five minutes, five hours, tomorrow, maybe all of the above. But if there is anything I know in this life, it’s that there will be hot flashes, and nothing is more important than wearing layers that you can swiftly throw on the floor and then run outside, preferably in the snow (and Atlanta isn’t very accommodating on that score).
I think the anti-crop stance comes from a place where the crop top is seen as something youthful and sexy, something that middle-aged women don’t necessary feel that they are (and why the fuck not, ladies? I just want to ask that). It comes from, I suspect, the idea that exposing one’s midriff is a move for attention, for display. And that only certain people (these so-called young people) have things that are display worthy. Well. I certainly weigh more now than I did at 20. I don’t just have crow’s feet, I have an entire crow’s leg. I have some grey in my hair. But, Reader, the crop top is more than the exposure of your midriff for the purposes of showing off that midriff. Fuck showing off the midriff. Because the most important thing about a crop top, Reader, is that it’s VENTILATION. When I wear a crop anything, I have a built in vent for temperature control. I never have to worry about whether or not Atlanta is going to produce a fine snowstorm for me to run around in. I am wearing a crop top, which means my middle portion is already drafty, and I have an edge on the supernova that is going to ignite beneath my skin at any moment.
But also, and for the record, fuck the idea that middle aged women (or men or anyone) can’t wear a crop top and display their bodies. Do what you want. Wear what you want. Feel good about what your wear and how you look.
And most of all, enjoy the ventilation.
All clothing should be ventilation-forward
Well, my dear, you probably ought to keep a sweater handy. Post-menopause you'll probably be cold all the damned time!
Great article, offering me once again gratitude that I sailed through peri- and menopause without those 'power surges.'