This upcoming spring, the midriff
is fashion’s erogenous zone of choice, with designer after designer sending
models down the runway in belly-baring ensembles. Luckily for some of us the
look is much more subtle than the crop tops of the early ‘90s, as the midriff
poster-child, Zoe Saldana demonstrates. She proves that sometimes just a sliver
of skin is sexier than the full Monty.
Now, not all of us have the guts
(or the lack of a gut) to pull off total exposure. Luckily, there’s a whole
range of midriff-exposing tops on the market – from peek-a-boo tops
to bralets – that lets everyone from the biggest prude to the wildest party
animal participate in the trend.
The Peek-a-boo midriff shows the least amount of flesh, and is best
worn with a high-wasted skirt for minimum exposure and an urban feel. Another
option for the more modest fashionistas is to wear a sheer/transparent material
to expose a section of skin without being too bare. 
The Box midriff is not overtly
sexy, due to the loose fit and high neckline, but it still brings the intrigue
with a flash of skin right at the waist. If you’re a less-is-more type of girl
that prefers a ponytail to a blowout, then this is the belly-baring top for
you.
The fitted crop with straps is a
safe middle ground for the neither shy nor overly courageous bunch. It can easily
be paired with everything from a flowy skirt to ripped jeans.
For the bold and fearless, there are two midriff options that make the rest of us more anxious than live cattle at a Kapaana stand. The Bandeau - a straight across, strapless crop and the Bralet- essentially a bra worn as a top. The Bralet being about as far as you can go with the cropped trend.
So, take heed to my fashion forecast
and forget cleavage. Hit the gym now and dare to bare this Spring.
