How to Wear a Crop Top without Baring it All

I'd originally written off the crop top look as a second coming of bad 90s fashion. If you recall the days of Winona Ryder's prime, short tops and high waisted pants were the ish, though looking back now, the style seems balloony and almost like everyone was trying to make the mom look cool.

Then, last summer Taylor Swift and one of my personal faves, Jessica Alba, started showing up in crop tops left and right and if not the world, I took notice (and really, so did the world). By taking notice, I also began to covet, and then, the story of my life, struggle to style it more modestly - i.e., less belly baring, without losing the fashion element.

Part of the crop top appeal is that sexy little sliver of stomach, though I think the real appeal is the slimming affect that the look gives.

So, if the point is to keep the silhouette, then the trick is to keep the crop and cover up that sliver. My choice de jour is high waisted skirts and pants.

Since I am now keeping this skirt, I'm now in the market for crop tops to go with it. Check out a few of the market hits in the lists below. What do you like best?

Crop tops:

Cropped sweaters:


High waisted pants. The higher the waist, the better.

Layer a crop top over a tank jersey maxi dress or an A-line dress.

You guys, Emma Watson

Even though I'm now 32, and someone I like to consider classy and polished with an educated manner of speech, all bets are off my when my high school friends and I get together. These are the girls with whom I went through my TRL phase, my *N Sync vs. BSB phase (and for the record, *N Sync, always!), to my first concert, and who I still regularly exchange pop culture-fueled email threads. When we're together, we revert back to the speech and slang we used as slightly-awkward but now totally hot babes, down to the same arguments (Katie and Andrea can attest to this as we had the same conversation we've had for decades over which boy band is better this past weekend at my surprise birthday party)

I digress.

The point being, Emma Watson, you guys.

This lady is ON FLEEK. (I also just really learned how to use that phrase this past week so now it's EVERYWHERE.) Lately, she's been on my mind as I've committed to re-reading the Harry Potter series, so now I keep picturing Emma-as-Hermione, but also because workplace gender equality has been the ish (and rightfully so! I work as much as the dudes on my team! Hells to the nawh if they're getting paid more than me!) and Miss Watson is the brilliant genius who will go down in history as moving the situation forward. Have you guys been paying attention to her "He for She" campaign? No? You should. Just Google "Emma Watson He For She" and spend about an hour on every result.

She's got intelligence, assertiveness, and a vision of the future in which she is advocating for a cause greater than her. Also, let's not forgot she played one of the most feminist badasses of all time - Hermione Granger.

Finally, she represents that whole package in what she wears - classy, feminine, and quietly powerful. To celebrate Emma Watson using her celebrity for good, here's a tribute to her and her style.

Click on the links below the photos to get look-alike pieces to create this outfit!

Jersey gray maxi skirt // white button down Oxford blouse

Plaid button down // black culottes

Cropped red sweater // gauzy white skirt

Crossover silk cream blouse // black pleated slim ankle pants

[FAVORITE FIND] 2015 Modest Oscar Fashion (and your own Oscar buys!)

I don't own a TV or have cable service - you guys, anything that matters is streamed these days! - except for nights like tonight, when the Oscars are on and you can't obsess over the red carpet gowns.

Then again, internet again saves the day. A blanket thank you to all the media services out there who have top notch coverage of the Oscars red carpet!

A quick scan through, I've found the gowns I love and ones I don't. Since haters gon' hate hate hate, I'll leave the hating to other blogs and shows. Instead, I've listed my favorites, in order of "love" to "backup to the backup"

If you're a frequent reader, you know I love my sequins. This being a blog about modest fashion, I'm also all about anything with sleeves and long hemlines. Fortunately, the Academy Awards are an elegant affair and you can get at least one of the two in a red carpet dress. Sleeves, length, and style? You hit bingo!

So here we go with Farrah's review:

Best overall: Emma Stone

Except for the slit, this has everything I could want in a modest gown. Sleeves and sparkles and color and a fabulous cut (again, except for the slit, though I get it - sex appeal) - where can I get one in my size?

Best sequins: Anna Faris

SEQUINS! Be still my heart! Everyone knows my love for sequins - it's well documented throughout this blog - and Anna Faris hit it right on the mark with a classic silver ballgown with sequins. This is something I could see Audrey Hepburn wearing, it's so classic. While as a modest dress, we'd need to find some way to cover the bare shoulders and arms, but otherwise, it's perfect.

Bold color: Ava DuVernay

Have you guys seems Selma? If not, do yourself a favor and go see it. With all that the US has dealt with in terms of civil issues the past year, the movie is a great reminder of 1) what a group of committed citizen is capable of doing to change for the better and 2) we still have work to do, but we need to do it in a smart, non-violent way. Ava DuVernay's dress follows what seems to be the trend of the 2015 Academy Awards - the column dress. It's cut almost in a straight line from the hips, giving the person a more statuesque appearance (too bad they can't do this for guys, Kevin Hart). I love the elbow-length bell sleeves and the beaded embroidery across her shoulders and neck. And of course, color!

Best optical illusion: Solange Knowles

I don't necessarily love Solange's "dress" but it did make me look twice. It's a wide-leg pantsuit with an asymmetrical draped "window" style (I'm not sure if that's the right term but I remember seeing Taylor Swift's 2015 Grammy dress called that) that is a super win for modest fashion.

The Academy must have lost my invitation, because I am ready with a dress. Or rather, I would have been. I'd have gone the Angelina Jolie route - being budget conscious but stylish. Asos is my go-to for items in both categories and thankfully, it also carries plenty of sequin-heavy clothing.

Slackin' for Clean Office Style

I'm trying to more creatively draft a one-pager communications sheet for the process initiative I'm helping make happen (essentially, airport immigration lines will get shorter, faster, and capture information better!)

What better way to be creative than do a little online shopping? Since I'm at work, I figured I should have a work-related shopping search. I've  been feeling gray suits lately, and like the idea of having a gray as my go-to neutral. These boyfriend style blazers easily transition to casual evening get ups for dinners with the girls - with a pair of dark trousers or straight leg jeans and a casual white button down.

What I love about boyfriend blazers is that you do not constantly feel the need to shift the blazer back in place after it rides up, as short blazers do. Boyfriend blazers provide a relaxed, easy style while still polishing the overall look. And bonus? They tend to fall below the waist, which provides better coverage for those seeking a modest work outfit.

Less Talk, More Posting

Maybe it's because my birthday is coming up, or maybe in a pre-emptive strike to be prepared for any weddings or bridal showers or glamourous baby showers, or maybe it's just that I've perused one too many post-award show galleries, but I've got gown fever.

I saw a few friends this weekend who also 1) requested that I post more and 2) asked if I had any evening gowns up my sleeve. And yes, yes, I do.

These:

I particularly love the skirt: