Here's the thing about crop tops: We love 'em, but they can go wrong almost too easily. Even if you have the coolest shirt and an equally-as-amazing bottom, the tricky silhouette doesn't guarantee a solid outfit, no matter how great each individual piece may be.

But conquering the crop top isn't rocket science. In fact, it's actually quite easy. While there are tons of styling suggestions in the slideshow ahead that show you just how to work all the super-small shirts you could ever want, the one, fail-safe trick is to keep that belly-button covered with a high-waisted bottom. To be clear, this isn't because we're not proud of our stomachs (and if anyone wants to show off their button by way of crop top, by all means, please do), but, going for a higher cut on bottom (especially via midi-skirt, or a pair of wide-leg trousers) means a better chance of achieving the polished, cool look you were going for to begin with.

Click through to see exactly how to get the job done.