https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ask-angie-shoulder-line-question Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Sat, 09 May 2026 23:10:53 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ask-angie-shoulder-line-question#post-76989 Mon, 06 Jul 2009 14:46:47 +0000 Angie 76989@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>You were instinctively right all along, Tam :0) </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ask-angie-shoulder-line-question#post-76960 Mon, 06 Jul 2009 10:33:12 +0000 yublocka 76960@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thanks for clarifying Angie!!! I thought people were saying that strapless *doesn't* work for strong shoulder lines and that was getting me worried! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ask-angie-shoulder-line-question#post-76687 Sat, 04 Jul 2009 17:05:07 +0000 Angie 76687@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Tam! Strapless dresses were *made* for broad shoulders. It makes perfect sense. That's why I do NOT look good in a strapless dress. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ask-angie-shoulder-line-question#post-76643 Sat, 04 Jul 2009 02:10:02 +0000 yublocka 76643@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I find this a bit confusing too. I think I have a strong shoulder line because spaghetti straps and shoulder pads always look awful on me. However I like the strapless red dress I recently got, so who knows really!!! I'm def. a size bigger on top than below though. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ask-angie-shoulder-line-question#post-76156 Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:14:54 +0000 Angie 76156@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I remember your posts about recent bra fittings, Maya. Carissa helped out too. Hope you are sorted. It must be the sloping aspect of your shoulders that makes the bra strap fall off. You’ve seen how narrow my shoulders are and this does not happen to me. I guess my shoulders are square? It's a mystery wrapped up in an enigma. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ask-angie-shoulder-line-question#post-76048 Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:29:10 +0000 Chris 76048@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Maya - I also think bra companies assume anyone with a large cup size has a long decollete. I have several Wacoal styles that are adjustable but still slide on me - even if I adjust to the bottom of strap. I know it shouldn't fit that way.</p> <p>It's part of the "one size/style fits all" thing....</p> <p>Michelle - The one place I do not need to lose weight is my shoulder area lol. I will take upper backside and belly please </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ask-angie-shoulder-line-question#post-76005 Tue, 30 Jun 2009 19:03:00 +0000 Patience 76005@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I also have a strong shoulder line. Growing up in the 80s my mother always told me to skip the shoulder pads because my shoulders were sufficient. As has been mentioned, I think it's really important to pay attention to the rest of your body and outfit when determining how to flatter the shoulders. I have a strong shoulder line but I don't think I tend towards an inverted triangle. My shoulders are quite similar to my hips and I probably gain weight evenly in hips in chest. I do avoid puffy sleeves (paired with skinny jeans turns me into a literal inverted triangle) and I think halters work really well for me. I've never had much luck with dolman sleeves. My bust has also grown and shrunk several times over the past 6 years and that also makes a difference in how to flatter my shoulders. For instance, I think strapless works okay when I'm smaller chested. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ask-angie-shoulder-line-question#post-75992 Tue, 30 Jun 2009 18:34:14 +0000 Maya 75992@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Angie: I went to my local bra fitter a few months ago to address this issue. When she put me in the fitting room and saw me she was actually in shock and said "well no wonder! You have no shoulders!" She found a bra that had adjustable straps which could be moved in. My other bras were altered for free. The just darted the straps so they sat closer to my neck. I do love that store.</p> <p>I don't know if this is true or not, but I think bra straps might also get more widely spaced as the cup size goes up. I don't remember having this strap-falling-off issue when I was a B, C, or even a D cup. It really only started at a DD. So even with my sloping shoulders, I think I wouldn't be an issue at a smaller bust size. There is just such a massive discrepancy in scale between my chest and shoulders. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ask-angie-shoulder-line-question#post-75986 Tue, 30 Jun 2009 18:14:03 +0000 Vani 75986@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I think I have a strong shoulder line. Sometimes, especially in sleeveless tops, I feel it looks a little too strong. Which is what I think Angie is referring to. Somehow I was able to innately recognize this even as a teenager and have always avoided puffy sleeves like the plague. I only have 2 tops with puff sleeves and I only acquired them recently after figuring out ways to soften the effect. Spaghetti straps look very weird on me. I always avoid those anyways because I don't like having to deal with strapless bras. I also feel like flared leg openings help balance out a strong shoulder line. Am I right ladies? </p> <p>Angie, I would welcome a post dealing with naturally wide shoulders and big bust issues If I have missed one, sorry for not having looked. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ask-angie-shoulder-line-question#post-75971 Tue, 30 Jun 2009 17:28:50 +0000 shiny 75971@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Chris, yes, I don't know what you would call it but I am shortest from shoulder to bra band. Even some petite tops will be too long on me in this part. </p> <p>My pretty pear DD16 is also quite short here too - even shorter than me (and she's 4 inches taller) - yet she has narrow shoulders. I always thought she was long-waisted but! She just woke up and I had her do the hand-test: she is MORE short-waisted than me! Only one hand! Wow interesting. </p> <p>She is very long from her waist to her crotch though. She has one of those enviably flat mid-sections that looks amazing in bikinis! Even when she gained weight last year (from a med she was taking) her tummy remained flat as a board. She's since lost the weight and been running a lot, and she actually has washboard abs at the moment. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ask-angie-shoulder-line-question#post-75960 Tue, 30 Jun 2009 16:58:00 +0000 chewyspaghetti 75960@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Chris- I am finding that is an area where I loose weight, and as I go down a size the shoulders slipping off is one of the first places my tops/dresses get too big. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ask-angie-shoulder-line-question#post-75956 Tue, 30 Jun 2009 16:50:49 +0000 Angie 75956@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>There you go, Amy. Our stylish strong shouldered lasses have chimed in. Straight from the horse’s mouth. </p> <p>I have dainty shoulders, but they sort of work with the rest of me so I can build a strong shoulder line quite easily. My shoulders don’t slope though, so my bra straps have never fallen down. That must be a pain, Maya. </p> <p>Chris, your short shoulder measurement *can* be part of the short-waisted integrity of your body. I have clients who are the same as you. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ask-angie-shoulder-line-question#post-75945 Tue, 30 Jun 2009 16:12:55 +0000 Chris 75945@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Does anyone notice that they seem to have a "short" shoulder? Is that even a measurement? I mean the point from top of shoulder to top of breast?<br /> After Joy posted about that in shortwaisted test blog post, it occured to me that I may have the same issue. </p> <p>That, combined with a sloped shoulder - ach! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ask-angie-shoulder-line-question#post-75936 Tue, 30 Jun 2009 15:24:08 +0000 shiny 75936@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Planetamy, I have a tendency towards inverted triangle. My bra band measurement is the same as my hips, but my shoulders - by measurement - are a tad broader. By visual, they look broader than what the tape measurement reads. I guess that's because my shoulders are straight across and strong. </p> <p>I have very little problem finding jackets and tops that fit perfectly in the shoulder, so I tend to think I'm more "average" and this tendency is slight. I tend to think that it's my narrow hips that give me the appearance of inverted triangle, rather than broad shoulders dwarfing my average hips. Does that make sense? </p> <p>One thing about my shoulders however is that when I gain weight, I gain weight in my back. So they may not be all that broad, but yes, gain a few pounds and I start to have some fit issues in my shoulders - the jacket at the back of the neck won't lay flat - but I think it's more because of excess back fat. Also I gain weight in my upper arms, which doesn't help matters. </p> <p>My shoulders do go straight across - no sloping at all. I may gain weight easily and first in my upper body but if I weight train I also happen to build muscle in my upper body very quickly. I haven't weight trained in years but when I did I would quickly get lots of definition in the shoulders, arms, back and chest. </p> <p>My DD14 is very similar shape to me and she's a swimmer. The effects of years of competitive swimming have given her some serious shoulders! She is very much an inverted triangle, particularly during swim season. She has lots of difficulty finding tops and jackets to fit her broad shoulders. </p> <p>Whereas my DD16 is a pretty pear and she has very very delicate upper body, with slightly sloping shoulders. She has lots and lots of trouble finding tops, but I don't think it's because of the slope of her shoulders - they are just teeny tiny and narrow! (Also she has a long torso - if it fits her shoulders, it'll be way too short on her). </p> <p>Ana gave you some good suggestions already, although I will say I have never ever liked dolman or kimono sleeves on me, and I frequently break the rules and wear puff sleeves anyway (it's not frequent but yes I have one or two items with puffy sleeves). And, I adore boat necklines for some strange reason! I guess because as I age I want more coverage for my chest, and crew necks look awful on me but something about a boat neckline is flattering. </p> <p>One trick I've learned is to keep the shoulder line strong - don't bother softening it - and instead build up the hips so they look wider and more in balance. So if I do wear puff sleeves I might pair them with an A-line skirt instead of a pencil skirt. If I do wear a boat neckline I'll pair with trouser cut jeans that are wider than bootcuts. Etc. </p> <p>Otherwise, I would say, skip the spaghetti straps and strapless. In fact, if you hate how you look in these two items, the chances are good you have broad shoulders. Halter tops look really good on inverted triangles. (I prefer halter type bathing suits for this reason). Sleeveless is great - provided it's not a spaghetti strap. For jackets, no shoulder pads. A vest is awesome for those with stronger shoulder lines too. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ask-angie-shoulder-line-question#post-75878 Tue, 30 Jun 2009 03:50:56 +0000 Ana 75878@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Hmm...I'm not sure how to answer your second question. I think it's something you figure out by trying on clothing. Also, by definition, racy rectangles and inverted triangles tend to have a stronger shoulder line (although, not always). </p> <p>I have a "strong" shoulder line, which I have always known because I always felt a bit like a "linebacker" growing up. Jackets and blouses tend to either fit my shoulder and be bigger everywhere else, or fit my torso, but I can't move my arms forward (to Maya's point). Puffy sleeves, cap sleeves, boatnecks, and shoulderpads are definitely out, as they make my shoulders look HUGE in comparison with the rest of my body. Rules are made to be broken, and I do have one or two of these types of tops, but it's definitely a purposeful look I go for when I wear them, it's not by chance at all. Does that make sense? </p> <p>I figure if you're someone with "slight" shoulders, you kind of discover that too (as Maya has described). Straps slip off your shoulder, the seams of tops kind of "droop" off the edge of the shoulder, even if the rest of the top fits, etc. If neither of these situations fits you, you probably have a "regular/average" shoulder line (or whatever you call it) and you might be able to follow rules or get away with looks for both slight and broad shoulders.</p> <p>If you want to soften your shoulder line, wear dolman/kimono sleeves, avoid puffiness or something that is overly structured. Puff or gathered sleeves are out. Tops with deep V necks tend to help mitigate a "strong" shoulder line. Opt for sleeveless or 3/4 sleeved blouses rather that ones with cap or short sleeves (speaking from experience). </p> <p>If you want to "strengthen" your shoulder line, boatnecks and horizontal seaming give the illusion of "broadness." A puff or structured sleeve also has this effect (as Maya has pointed out above). </p> <p>For broad or slight shoulders, it's important that the seam hit at the outer edge of your shoulder, not "drooping" and not in so far it pulls across the armpit or across your upper back. If a blouse does this, either you need a different size or it needs to be altered in some way so that it fits you properly. </p> <p>I hope that helps. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ask-angie-shoulder-line-question#post-75809 Mon, 29 Jun 2009 22:38:15 +0000 planetamy 75809@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>bumping for my second question... </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ask-angie-shoulder-line-question#post-75566 Sun, 28 Jun 2009 23:06:31 +0000 Maya 75566@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>We have a few ladies here with strong shoulder lines. Nicole does but she no longer posts. Shiny and Ana do as well. I think there are at least two factors: How broad your shoulders are in relationship to the rest of your body (particularly your hips), and how straight they are. </p> <p>Personally, my shoulders are almost exactly the same width as my hips, but they slope quite a bit, which makes them seem a lot narrower, especially in comparison with my chest. It is very hard for me to find tops that are tiny enough for my shoulders, yet accommodating of my chest. </p> <p>I am not sure exactly what problems a person with broader shoulders might face when it comes to fit. I imagine they might have to size up in tops occasionally. There might be a lot of pulling across the back (so you can't move your arms forward). These are just guesses of course. I have no experience with it so I can only hypothesize. There might be other issues as well.</p> <p>I could write a book on issues smaller shouldered ladies face, only because I have experience with them. I need all my bras to be convertible, racerbacks, or altered so the straps don't fall off. I always have problems with handbags falling off my shoulder, so I have started carrying them in the crook of my elbow (or carrying a crossbody instead). I even wore a sleeveless top yesterday, with thick straps, and they still slid off occasionally. I also have a vest that has an odd gap over my shoulder, because my shoulders are too sloped to fill it out. On the plus side, I can get away with more dramatic sleeves like cap sleeves, flutter sleeves, puffed sleeves, and SMALL shoulder pads because they give my shoulders the definition they need and help to balance out my chest. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ask-angie-shoulder-line-question#post-75551 Sun, 28 Jun 2009 21:29:14 +0000 planetamy 75551@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Ok, so how do I know whether I have a strong shoulder line or not? And what kinds of garments should I look for if I want to soften/strengthen my shoulder line?</p> <p>Thank you for your responses, Angie &#38; KristenKP </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ask-angie-shoulder-line-question#post-75541 Sun, 28 Jun 2009 20:46:07 +0000 Kristen 75541@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I would add that, for me, I have sloping shoulders -- and I am curvy and strongly-shaped everywhere else. So I need to to go in the other direction and make mine stronger. This summer, I have been compensating lately with different sleeve types -- caps and puffs on blouses that otherwise would be lifeless, and scarves to fill in when my shoulders look too droopy in the outfit. </p> <p>But it's something I've only recently noticed and have started to work on. Forever, I just kept tugging up on my straps and wondering why they didn't fit! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ask-angie-shoulder-line-question#post-75538 Sun, 28 Jun 2009 20:36:03 +0000 Angie 75538@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>o Garments need to *fit* on the shoulder AND neckline – that’s what makes a shoulder line strong, whether it’s a sleeveless garment or not. </p> <p>o Lasses with broad shoulders automatically have strong shoulder lines, but they run the risk of looking like they are going to topple over especially if they are short. They are after striking a balance which often means softening the shoulder line. </p> <p>o Most models today have naturally strong shoulder lines because it’s a prerequisite. It makes the clothes that they wear more flattering. But because they are tall, slim and small-chested, they don’t look like they are going to topple over. </p> <p>Hope that helps. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ask-angie-shoulder-line-question#post-75430 Sun, 28 Jun 2009 03:37:43 +0000 planetamy 75430@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Angie --</p> <p>I've noticed on several of your blog posts you mention keeping "shoulder lines strong".</p> <p>I'm wondering what this means...cause all I can think is shoulder pads! lol<br /> Also, what are some examples of sloppy shoulder lines?</p> <p>Pictures would really help me understand this concept. </p> <p>Thanks!<br /> Amy </p>