Do-It-Yourself Plus Size Crop Tops

I've been obsessing about crop tops the moment I saw this and that! I think that I can pull it off, but I wasn't sure where to get one. Some of the ones I found in Forever 21 won't fit my twins and my budget. And when I finally got this crop top and matching skirt from Erzullie, I had to postpone the much-awaited world premiere until I get my dream boots customized. Nope, this does NOT count as world premiere haha!

For this assignment for POC.net, (Click it, share it!) I decided to ask for Chiara Causaren's expertise on how to create crop tops in the comfort of our own homes. Her old-shirt-noon-crop-top-ngayon posts always never fail to amaze me! Does it take a fashion designer to do it? As long as you can imagine your creation and determine how cropped and flirty it will be, you are good as a pro. Do we need to sew? It will depend on the fabric, but cottony and stretchy ones will curl up nicely even without doing so.

So, let us show you how to chop away!

Level 1: Easy!

You can make a crop top out of old leggings!

1.) Fold your leggings sideways in a flat surface. This will ensure symmetry when you're about to cut it.

2.) Cut a half-circle between the leg sleeves (pundyo) to create the neck hole. The wider the cut, the lower the neckline will be.

3.) Stretch the fabric to keep it from fraying.

4.) Try it on!

You can make a front-tie crop top from an old shirt!

1.) Mark a line on where you want to cut. You may mark a bit longer to have a room for error.

2.) Lay your shirt sideways on a flat surface.

3.) Cut the lower back part up to the line you drew before.

4.) Cut until the middle of the shirt then cut diagonally.

5.) Cut the uneven fabric into half.

6.) Flip it over and tie both ends.

7.) Wear it and flaunt those curves!

Level 2: Moderately difficult, but feasible!

You can make a crop tieback top out of an old shirt!

1.) Lay out your top sideways on a flat surface.

2.) Cut the middle of the neckline up to the bottom.

3.) Cut the lower end at the back, up to the preferred length.

4.) Use the removed part at the back as an extension in the front. Sew it together.

5.) Put it on and tie the loops at the rear!

Level 3: Difficult!

You can make a knotted crop top out of an old shirt!

1.) Cut both sides of the shirt vertically up to the preferred length.

2.) Cut tiny strands all the way up to the middle so the knot design will fall below the bust. Make sure you have strands in even number to make the knotting easy.

3.) Since the t-shirt hems typically curl up once cut, pull them to make it easier to knot.

4.) Knot the strands together in twos. Continue making knotted rows until the bottom to create diamond-shaped holes.

5.) Cut off excess fabrics.

6.) Voila! You're now ready to make heads turn!

Now you’re all set to make your own. It’s important that you take note of the following:

1.) Crop tops are for everyBODY! Whatever body frame you are in, you will look fabulous in it!

2.) If you can’t decide how much of the hem you can chop, the suggested length is about 1-2 inches from the bustline.

3.) If you realized you’ve cut more than you intended to and you’re not comfortable with the amount of skin exposure, pair your crop top with high-waisted shorts, skirts or pants.

4.) Make sure to wear good-fitting undergarments.

5.) Compliment your look with a great smile and have fun in it!

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You think you still need more crop top inspiration? Let me leave you with other Pinay curvies who rock this look. Hot, hot, hot!

L-R: Pasha, Chiara & Nina
Pasha's photo taken from Erzullie, Chiara's & Nina's photos from their timeline and blog, respectively.