If you’re already selling apparel online, consider adding custom crop tops to your clothing line! Crop tops are an all-year-round essential, but they’re particularly high in demand during the warmer summer months.
With summer just around the corner, adding custom crop tops to your collection is a must! Find out how to keep your customers happy and boost your sales by selling custom crop tops online this summer! 🌸🌊🌞
🏄🏼♀️ Jump Ahead to What You Need
- First Things First: What Is Crop Top?
- A Lesson in Fashion History: All About the Crop Top
- Why Is Selling Custom Crop Tops Online Such a Great Idea?
- Make This Summer the Best Yet By Selling Custom Crop Tops
- Level Up Your Custom Crop Tops Line in 6 Steps
- Start Making Serious Crop Top Sales
First Things First: What Is Crop Top?
If you’re not familiar with crop tops, they’re basically cropped shirts available in a number of styles, including cropped t-shirts, halter tops, and tank tops, among many other styles.
A Lesson in Fashion History: All About the Crop Top
Before diving fully into how to sell custom crop tops, why not learn a bit about the history of this iconic apparel?
🌟 Origins of the Crop Top Trend
Like most fashion trends, the crop top wasn’t always as accepted as it is today. In fact, this current wardrobe staple was not accepted in the United States just decades ago. Eastern cultures were the first to embrace the crop top, thanks partially to their warmer weather and cultural practices. In fact, belly dancers introduced the crowds at the Chicago World’s Fair to the crop top in the 1890s. While this presentation caught the attention of just about everyone, it wouldn’t be until way later that the crop top would catch on in the West.
🌸 1940s Crop Top Trend
It wasn’t until the 1940s that the crop top really had its moment in the United States, and this was all thanks to rationing. The 1940s crop top was more modest and always paired with high-waisted midi skirts to keep the person wearing it a bit more covered up. This was usually considered a holiday look, although these smaller tops included a high collar and sleeves.
🌺 Hippie Fashion & Crop Tops
While crop tops hung around during the years following the 1940s, it wasn’t until decades later that the belly shirt and crop top styles were accepted as mainstream apparel. In the late 60s and 70s, crop top trends gained popularity thanks to the hippie movement and the bohemian style apparel popular during the era. Instead of pairing a modest crop top with high waistlines to keep the body covered, it became popular to use cropped shirts with even lower waistlines and higher hemlines. It wasn’t only the hippies wearing crop tops; celebrities like Cher made them glamorous, which helped cement their place in fashion history.
🌴 80s Crop Tops
The 80s saw the arrival of athleisure as sportswear became everyday apparel for the masses. Working out and showing off the results all that gym time resulted in making the crop top even more of a mainstream garment. Nike released male crop tops, while women were also often seen in cropped t-shirts and cropped sweaters paired with leotards and leggings. Think Jane Fonda’s workout videos. Iconic films like Dirty Dancing and Flashdance put the crop top front and center on the big screen, while Madonna, the queen of pop, wore them often in what was considered racy outfits.
🥥 Crop Tops in the 90s
The crop top continued to be a staple wardrobe piece in the 90s and the early 2000s for several different subcultures. Everyone wore the 90s crop top trend, from punks to Cher Horowitz. Whether with fringe reminiscent of the hippie movement or with a belly chain to highlight toned abs, the crop top was seen everywhere. Although crop tops were popular with pop stars through the 90s and early 2000s, their popularity eventually came to an end as they were replaced by the long and layered tank tops that took over fashion.
✨ Current Crop Top Trends
After a short break, the crop top is back! This trend has resurged in the past few seasons in a number of different styles. From the vintage crop top trend popularized by music festival attendees to the very 80s take on athleisure, just about everyone seems to own at least one belly-baring top. Whether people wear to the gym or out for a night in the town, it’s clear that the crop top is back and here to stay. ✨
Why Is Selling Custom Crop Tops Online Such a Great Idea?
- 🌞 Seasonality: With temperatures rising, crop tops offer a light and refreshing option for all-day wear, perfect for summer outdoor activities!
- ✨ Customization: Stand out from the crowd by offering customization options! Let your customers add their personal touch with their favorite pictures or quotes.
- 🙌 Variety: While t-shirts are always popular, custom crop tops add a fun twist to your offerings. With various styles available, you can offer customers a wide range of options to suit their preferences.
✨🍋 Pro tip: Take advantage of our summer templates and t-shirt designs to create your custom crop tops. Our assets are so flexible and versatile that they will fit your crop top seamlessly without any issues.
Make This Summer the Best Yet By Selling Custom Crop Tops
Selling apparel online can seem like a complicated process, but with the help of a print-on-demand site, it couldn’t be easier. All you have to do is create your designs, put your designs on a mockup, and choose one of the many print-on-demand services available to start making sales!
🌟 Pro tip: Always keep your target audience in mind when designing your custom crop tops! Do some research on platforms like Pinterest, or check out your competitors for inspiration. By understanding what appeals to your audience, you can create designs that resonate with them and increase your chances of success!
Offering seasonal products like crop tops in the summer is a great way to experiment with new POD products while offering your customers your designs on a wider array of products. There are a huge number of print-on-demand sites you can explore, but if crop tops are what you are looking to sell, Printful offers the most complete lines of POD products that include crop tops.
You can also sell your crop tops on other marketplaces like Etsy. Since these marketplaces focus more on original and visually appealing products, mockups will come in very handy here. Instead of looking for models, buying camera equipment, and taking a trip to the beach for the perfect snap of your custom crop tops, check out Placeit’s crop top mockups! We know you won’t be disappointed!
😎⛱️🍦Looking for more profitable goodies to sell this summer? Then keep reading our new Best Print-On-Demand Summer Items to Heat up Your Sales.
Level Up Your Custom Crop Tops Line in 6 Steps
Hooray! This is one of the best parts, as the next steps will help you promote your cool custom crop tops and make some sales from them. So grab a pencil and take notes! ✨😉✏️
🌴 1. Show How to Style a Crop Top
Showcasing various styling options for crop tops can be incredibly helpful for your potential customers, as it allows them to visualize different ways to incorporate crop tops into their wardrobe. The styling possibilities are endless, whether paired with jeans, denim shorts, swimsuits, flowy pants, or leggings! Check out our crop top mockup collection to effortlessly place your design on a variety of models and outfits. With tons of combinations to choose from, you can inspire your customers with countless styling ideas!
The best part? You can showcase these stylish looks across your most effective digital channels! Whether it’s on your website, on social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok, or through email newsletters, make sure to highlight the versatility of your crop tops and inspire your audience with trendy styling ideas.
🥥 2. Revamp Your Selling Platform With Key Information
Make your online presence complete by ensuring your product listings are up-to-date and engaging. Keeping your catalog fresh and with the right information is crucial whether you’re selling on platforms like Etsy or your website. Here are some tips you can implement in your product details:
- Craft catchy titles with relevant keywords to improve visibility and attract potential customers.
- Use high-quality images featuring different models and colors to showcase your custom crop tops. Utilize our mockups to create pictures with placeholders like “custom text” to indicate where customers can personalize their items.
- Provide various color combinations to target different preferences.
- Include an image displaying the available typefaces for customization.
- Remember to include a size chart to help customers choose the right fit and an image detailing important information such as the ordering process, delivery times, and other pertinent details.
By optimizing your product listings with compelling titles, eye-catching images, and essential information, you’ll enhance your customer’s overall shopping experience and increase your chances of making sales!
🏖️ 3. Unlock Social Media’s Potential
With Placeit by Envato, you have access to a wide range of summer templates to meet all your business needs in one convenient place. In addition to creating custom designs for your crop tops, you can easily design eye-catching social media posts and videos to showcase your latest apparel line in a professional and appealing manner. Here are some ideas to consider:
- Share sneak peeks or countdowns to build anticipation for the official launch date.
- Post about a summer sale or discount to entice your audience.
- Announce that it’s a limited edition item, host a giveaway or contest
- Make an informative post about the quality of the fabrics and why your customers will love them.
✨🍉 Pro tip: Use our design bundles to keep your branding cohesive across all your summer social media posts.
Plus, if you need a stylish clothing logo that perfectly represents your brand, you can create one effortlessly with our newly enhanced logo maker! With Placeit, you have everything you need to make a splash this summer. 🌟
🏝️ 4. Dress Up Your Website
Dress up your website or Etsy store to reflect the summer vibe! Consider updating your main header with a summer-themed design to grab your customers’ attention and inform them about your new seasonal collection. Highlight some of your most popular items, including the custom crop tops, to give them extra visibility. This simple but effective strategy can attract customers and encourage them to explore your offerings further! 😉
🍍 5. Run a Giveaway
Launch an exciting giveaway on Instagram or TikTok to boost your summer sales! Encourage participants to like, share, and tag friends to increase your visibility and engagement. It’s a fun and effective way to attract attention to your brand and products! 💫
Offer an entire summer customized package featuring products you plan to sell online. This not only helps showcase the quality and advantages of your offerings but also generates buzz around your brand. Don’t forget to include custom crop tops in the prize package, as they’re the star of your collection. 🌞🫶
🏄🏼♀️ 6. Harness the Power of Email
Take advantage of email marketing to promote your custom crop tops! Send emails to your subscribers showcasing the new product, its benefits, customization options, and size chart. For your most loyal customers, offer exclusive access to a pre-sale event before the official launch of your summer collection—include a coupon to track the effectiveness of your email campaigns!
🥥🌺 Pro tip: For advanced sellers or those looking to start, recommend custom crop tops to customers based on their preferences, previous purchases, or items they’ve shown interest in. Personalized recommendations can significantly increase customer engagement and sales! 🌟
Start Making Serious Crop Top Sales
If you’ve gotten bored with the limited apparel available in your clothing line, why not explore new products? With summer just about to arrive on our calendars, we’re sure your customers would love to see custom crop tops included in your seasonal collection! With Placeit by Envato’s crop top mockups, you’ll have the perfect images to start making serious crop top sales.
Now that you’re out of excuses, head over to Placeit and start making your crop tops! 😉🌴🍹
🌸🥥🦩 To make the most out of this summer, keep reading: May Through August Trends: Get Ready for the Hottest Summer Sales, 43+ Summer Templates to Use This Season, Top 13 Summer T-Shirt Design Trends and How to Sell More T-Shirts This Summer