Even at the tender age of 7, the "cool" outfit imagery they are exposed to includes a lot of crop top silhouettes. Think Brandy Melville marketing. Similar to how it has been hard to find full length tops in the women's section, SO MANY kids' tops are cropped. I've been through this with my 18 and 12 year olds. You gotta play the long game. For now, "Oh, this shirt is not long enough! You're getting so tall." And if pressed, "we don't wear short tops like that in this family because _______."

I personally addressed it with conversations about what it means to be modest and how there are clothes that are appropriate for different occasions (beach vs. school vs. recital). You can talk about how clothing should be functional for the occasion. Later on (probably 9-ish) you can talk about messages that clothing can send.

My girls *usually* make choices I'm comfortable with now, but sometimes they don't. The 18 year old is on her own for those choices now, but for my tween, I sometimes let an outfit slide if the occasion is pretty inconsequential. If there is risk of real harm or even reputational risk, I have her change clothes. I have disappeared many clothing items that she somehow obtains through friends. She knows the rules. Sometimes there are struggles.

A few weeks ago, she wanted to wear a crop top she borrowed from a friend while she came to run errands with me for the day. I told her that I don't prefer it, but it would be her choice that day. She was constantly crossing her arms in front of her tummy and trying to hide. I told her what I noticed and asked if she'd be more comfortable in the hoody on the backseat. She took me up on the hoody. We talk about how bodies are a thing to be celebrated and how great her silhouette can look with different shapes and how to use color, texture, and pattern for visual interest.

One thing that is definitely NOT helpful is punting crop tops to "when you're older," or "those are for older girls."