A hooded Cropped tops (also called half shirt) is a top that exposes the waist, navel, or abdomen. The early history of the crop top intersects with cultural views towards the midriff. It starting with the performance of “Little Egypt” at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair. Although hooded cropped tops first gained prominence in the fashion industry during the 1930’s and 1940’s. The latter in particular due to fabric rationing in World War II. It was largely confined to swimwear at the time.

It was not until the late 1960s and early 1970s that it achieved widespread acceptance, worn by celebrities such as Barbara Eden (star of NBC’s I Dream of Jeannie) and Jane Birkin. A variant style, the tied-up top or knotted shirt, also appeared in 1940s fashion and spread in popularity during the 1960s. In the 1980s, cut-off crop tops became more common as part of the aerobics craze and as a result of the popularity of the movie Flashdance. Singer Madonna wore a mesh crop top in her music video for the song “Lucky Star“.