Crop tops were once just the preserve of thirteen year old N'Sync fans and the super svelte of the fashion world.

These days the same slender set are showing off their tiny tums in a variety of midriff-baring tops - cue Kendall Jenner, Stella Maxwell and Gigi Hadid all strutting the streets of New York in next-to-nothing casual-wear. Which is obviously great for them, though not necessarily the thing to push the rest of us into de-robing.

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But lately, we've been seeing a real surge in the number of different body shapes to take to the streets in stomach showing outfits. A move has begun to reclaim the crop for all of woman kind, be it in the form of bralets, cut off tees or sportswear.

According toa study commissioned by Dove this year, there are still only 20 per cent of women in the UK who will admit to having 'high' self-esteem about their bodies, though this may also be in part down to the British reluctance to come across as too self-aggrandising.

According to other studies from only a few years ago, that statistic was less than 10 per cent. So things have definitely changed.

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We've a lot of people to thank for the dawning of a new age of body positivity.

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From models like Ashley Graham and Iskra Lawrence who have been fiercely outspoken about the love they have for their curves, through to the inimitable Serena Williams, whose body is one of the most powerful and iconic in the world at the moment.

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Lena Dunham doing her bit to reclaim the crop while filming Girls

Just walking through the streets of London this past summer, not only was it noticeable that more and more women are proudly walking around in their sportswear, but many of them are also proudly wearing the sort of sportswear that shows off exactly what it is they've been working so bl***y hard on in the gym.

Which is great.

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With this latest Fashion Month's catwalks being awash with little bralets, maybe it's now the case that by SS17, more and more women of all shapes and sizes will feel brave enough to adopt the style for themselves.

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LAUNCHMETRICS SPOTLIGHT
Bralets on the Victoria Beckham SS17 catwalk

What do you reckon - are you going to be part of the crop top reclamation revolution?

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Natasha Bird
Former Digital Executive Editor

Natasha Bird is the Former Executive Editor (Digital) of ELLE.