How to wear cropped pants

I heard two radio hosts the other day arguing about who should wear cropped pants and who shouldn't. One host (a man, age 28) had the Who Really Cares attitude. The other host (a young woman, age 23) maintained that certain women with certain body types just should not sport the short pants look. She held firm in her position.

Is it inappropriate for some gals to wear cropped pants? Does it really matter? This Oprah.com source doesn't ban anyone from such a fashion choice but it does issue some guidelines for wearing the item.

Getting away with the cropped look can fall short, say the Oprah experts. Unless, of course, you pay serious attention to style and proportion. Like this.

• Go plain. No cargo pockets, drawstrings, or stripes. Details are just too much.
  
  

• Cropped pants that hit mid-calf are fine for tall women, but if you're shorter than 5'4" -- go lower so you get every bit of length possible.
  
  

• Wear looser crops with tighter shirts, not fitted pants with blousy tops.