Ten years ago V-necks on tops, dresses and knitwear were widely available. As fashion trends moved to higher necklines, they became less and less available. At one point, garments with V-necks were almost impossible to find, which was a missed retail opportunity because they look good on most women. There should always be a good selection of V-neck merchandise in stores during the height of a retail reason.
V-necklines are very popular with my clients. In addition to looking alluring and feeling breezy, they tend to create a visually flattering effect on women with the following body type modifiers:
- Large bust: A lower neckline breaks up the expanse of the bust very effectively. Conversely, a high neckline tends to make the bust look larger.
- Short neck: A V-neck elongates the length of the neck. A high neckline shortens the length of the neck.
- Broad shoulder line: A V-neck narrows the width of the shoulder line by accentuating vertical integrity.
- Petite height: A shorter person tends to look more proportioned in a V-neck because of its elongating and vertical qualities.
- Short waist: Sometimes a V-neck can offset the short length of a waist by drawing the eye in a vertical direction.
If you can tick one or more boxes above, you’ll probably enjoy wearing V-necks as long as they aren’t cut too wide or too low. And you’re in luck because Spring and Summer 2017 collections are full of V-necks. They’re back with a vengeance!
My body type modifiers are the polar opposite to those best suited to V-necks. I’m regular height with a regular size bust, regular length waist, narrow shoulder line, and extremely long neck. My long neck looks even longer with my very short hairstyle. My preference is for high necklines that shorten the length of the neck and widen the shoulders. I do wear unbuttoned shirts that create an effective V-neck, but in that case the collar makes all the difference.
Over to you. Do you like to wear V-necks, and if so tell us why?
