Spring 2012's Crop Top Trend (PHOTOS)

We've done plenty of navel-gazing throughout the spring 2012 shows. Designers such as Alexander Wang, Prada, Proenza Schouler and Missoni showed a multitude of midriff-baring looks.

And we've come to embrace the trend, which has become a runway staple in recent seasons. Now rendered in boxier cuts and flowy fabrics, crop tops can have a louche, easy charm when paired with trousers or a high-waisted skirt.

Of course, they've been associated with a diverse array of trendsetters over the years. As the New York Times noted in July, "There is one thing that Britney Spears, circa-1980s Madonna, Gwen Stefani, 'I Dream of Jeannie,' the Spice Girls, 'Clueless' and Matt Dillon in 'Over the Edge' have in common: a devotion to the crop top."

We've culled through the spring collections to present the cream of the cropped.