Crop Top Tips From Lily Aldridge, Chrissy Teigen

There are so many advantages to being a superstar model that we can barely count them: An amazing body and beautiful clothes; the chance to wear a million and one designer pieces that the average girl can only dream of; getting to marry a sexy football player or R&B singer. But perhaps one of the best perks of all is being able to shamelessly wear styles and trends that the everyday woman may shy away from or feel terrified of, like, say, a blazer sans blouse or crop tops. It's this last style, in particular, that two top models — Chrissy Teigen and Lily Aldridge — have been rocking especially hard as of late.

Celebrating Sports Illustrated’s 50th Anniversary Swimsuit Issue — on which the brunette beauties are featured alongside blonde bombshell Nina Agdal — Tiegen and Aldridge recently showed up to two separate SI events wearing two different takes on the crop top trend, giving us all a lesson in what makes a good tummy-bearing look and what should never, under any circumstances, be tried at home.

Sporting a sizzling red ensemble at the SI Swimsuit Issue part in Miami, Aldridge showed off her impossibly incredible body in a curve-hugging, below-the-knee pencil skirt and bralette (both by Calvin Klein Collection) that showed off her ample cleavage. Though the skirt — paired with a simple nude pump — was absolute perfection, it was the too-tiny (and too-revealing) top that stopped this look from getting an A+ in our style book.

Never one to shy away from the chance to show some skin, Teigen showed up to the Miami party in a similar style, opting for a tan and aqua crop top and pencil skirt combo from Fyodor Golan. Though much the same as Aldridge’s look, Teigen pulled off the crop top impeccably, showing off a little less of her toned midriff and keeping something to the imagination with her cross-strap bustier top.

Though still sexy, the ladies decided to take a more laid-back crop top approach at a poolside celebration earlier in the day with high-cut shorts and cropped tees. Looking absolutely adorable in an embellished Giambattista Valli top, shorts, and simple sandals, Aldridge proved (to herself and the rest of us) that you don’t have to show it all off to nail the crop-top style.

Once again, Teigen followed suit at the party with a similar loose-fitting top and high-waist shorts, though her ensemble was less successful this time around thanks to the spandex-like shorts that are too tight to be wearing with a midriff-revealing blouse.

We love the pair of models for giving us four different successful and not-so-tasteful approaches to wearing crop tops — and there's even more where that came from — but in case you’re still wondering how to pull off the look yourself come spring, all you need is this slideshow: