Good grief! Another body issue to worry about? - YouLookFab Forum

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Good grief! Another body issue to worry about?

Anonymous

I didn't realize I had a short neck, but according to Imogen's latest article, I guess I do.

http://www.insideoutstyleblog......-neck.html

Yep, the distance from my chin to my shoulder (which is what I assume I'm supposed to measure) is exactly one hand's width. According to Imogen, this means I have a short neck.

Fortunately, I already dress according to her guidelines for flattering a short neck. It's just that I never knew why I chose those particular styles, other than that anything right up under my chin or close to my neck bugs the livin' daylights out of me. I hate turtlenecks (even mock turtlenecks) for this very reason.

I guess I should be grateful to know this information. After all, thanks to Imogen, I found out I have a short waist and a long rise. That was also enlightening.

Please don't anyone interpret this post to mean I'm upset or anything. Let's just say I've lived almost 51 years without knowing I had a short neck and without even thinking it's short. Life's not all bad!

ROFL!

Body Type

30 replies

Latest reply was from

krishnidoux

Veteran

What do you mean by the distance from your chin to your shoulder? Do you turn your head sideways to get that distance? Because when I do this, me, who has a long neck (too long even), I can barely squeeze my hand sideways as well. It depends how I tilt my head too... not accurate at all.

I think women with shorter neck are very beautiful. Example Juliette Binoche.

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Anonymous

I didn't turn my head. I just put my hand up to the side of my neck and looked in the mirror. LOL! From the front, I can readily see that there's only a hand's width between my shoulders and my chin. Whether my neck is actually short or not, I just happen to dress the way she advises for short necks. That may simply be a coincidence. I'd love to know how this test works or doesn't work for other YLFers. Thankfully, this information does not at all influence the way I feel about myself. I'm getting a good chuckle out of it actually.

krishnidoux

Veteran

Well if I do it this way, then yes, there is more space between my shoulders and chin than my hand's width.
But I want to thank you for the link. I read another article from the same blog:http://www.insideoutstyleblog......llery.html
Most informative!

Aziraphale

Veteran

I must have a short neck too, because those guidelines of Imogen's do apply to me. I look terrible with stuff buttoned up to the neck, or in turtlenecks.

Diana

Veteran

I have a short neck too. In addition, I also have a really high, prominent sternum and high collarbones, both of which contribute to making my neck look even shorter.

While I avoid things like buttoned up shirts and fitted turtlenecks (they also make me feel like I'm choking anyway), I've oddly found that a giant scarf around the neck counterintuitively seems to be flattering, probably because it obscures my entire neck and its shortness.

K. Period.

Veteran

I have a short neck too. It typically goes along with a rectangular or apple body type, long legs, short waist. Just like a pear shape typically has a beautiful long neck, long (but slim) waist and shorter legs. When I started viewing it as a package deal, it made me feel a lot better about my short neck, because I love my long legs!

One funny thing. I think it is interesting that she says not to wear chokers if you have a short neck. I agree with that almost entirely. However, I have an oval shaped silver choker that I wear with bigger pendants and it works beautifully to create the illusion of a long neck. The oval slenderizes my neck, while the pendant pulls your eye down. Just another example of "it is always in the details!"

Janet

(website)

Veteran

I guess my neck is on the short side too, but then I have a $%&*# hereditary double chin (no matter what my weight) which certainly doesn't help matters any. Plus I have a lifelong habit of holding tension in my shoulders, which means I often catch myself hunching my shoulders up and forward. I'm working on that.

I usually follow most of those guidelines anyway, fairly instinctively.

catgirl

Veteran

This has always been a worry for me, especially with my swollen thryoid adding width!

Anonymous

I'm not concerned. If my neck were longer, it would probably look strange on my short body. Whenever I think about how short, long, larger or small something is, I compare it to other parts of my body--not to other women's bodies. That's the way to stay sane and thankful for the body I'm in.

Jem

Veteran

How I read it is that one hand width is "average" for neck length. Smaller than a hand's width would be a short neck and bigger would be a long neck? I could be wrong though, of course.

Anonymous

This is what Imogen says:

"If your neck is a little shorter than average (a hand’s width) or wider than you’d like, you may feel that you look a little squat"

I interpret this to mean that a hand's width is a little shorter than average. Still, like I said before, I never considered my neck to be short before I read her article. LOL! This is fun, isn't it?

JR

Veteran

I WISH I had a short neck. I have a non-existent one... But I've always known that. On the other hand, I was well into my 50's before I realized I was a rectangle. Oh well. I'm never any good at these self-analysis things.

Anonymous

I'm SQUAT??? I shouldn't have opened this thread!

LOL, just kidding, Ruth!

Anonymous

Might as well laugh about it. I have to add the short neck to my short waist, long rise, short legs and short stature. I don't have a short nose, but I do have rather short fingers. I learned to play piano at an advanced level, but there are some classical pieces that I'll never be able to play because my fingers are too short. At least I can reach an octave. Some people can't even do that. ROFL! That's life.

Diana

Veteran

Ha, Ruth, I just tried the hand thing and I have, like, 1/3 of my hand that fits between my chin and shoulder if I am doing it right. I have small hands too...

I always knew I had a short neck but I never realized HOW short! LOL. Ah, well, it goes with my extremely short waist, I guess. (Imogen says two hand widths between bust and waist is "normal" - I can barely fit one.)

ETA: Here is a bad webcam photo to demonstrate.

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morethanbeige

Veteran

I think hand's width is average, no?

Jonesy

Veteran

Yes, I think the "a hand's width" is meant to refer to average, not to shorter than average. Your neck might be average after all :). Also, doesn't the size of one's hands factor in here?

Kari

Veteran

In the comments section, Imogen clarifies that a hand width is average.

lyn*

(website)

Veteran

Apparently, I have a short-average neck ... it's about a hand's width. To be honest, when I thought about short necks, it makes me worry about how I'm going to check your thyroid! :p

Deborah

Veteran

Ruth, for some reason I find this a very funny post. I am short waisted, have a short neck and I can't play the piano! Lol!

Anonymous

Kari, thanks for pointing out that Imogen clarifies that a hand's width is average. I was only going by what she posted at the top of her article. I don't feel any different about myself, though. I'm still the same person, with the same body, that I was before I found the article.

After teaching piano for a couple of decades, I can tell you that I had to have a booster cushion for some of my students to sit on. This was meant for young children, but also came in handy for a teenaged girl who was tall but so short waisted (seriously, she was all legs) that she couldn't play properly unless seated on the booster cushion. The cushion is placed on top of the bench and is several inches thick. Even though I'm only 5 ft. 2 in. tall, I never needed anything like that. I think it's because my legs aren't long, so it all balanced out.

Amy

(website)

Veteran

Well now I know. I have a giraffe neck. My neck is longer than the width of my hand...I guess that explains why I like big collars and turtlenecks, lol.

Average is nice, of course. But short and long are also nice. We're like snowflakes...all a bit different, which makes things interesting.

Mander

(website)

Veteran

I remember a few months ago when Imogen's method for figuring out your proportions came up on YLF and I measured myself, only to discover that I am fairly short-waisted and have a short neck, plus I'm a bit swaybacked (or at least stand that way habitually). It also seems that the distance between the top of my shoulder and my bustline is very long. It was enlightening to realize this, and helped explain why certain styles either look awkward or feel uncomfortable on. I've always hated turtle neck or crew neck anything, choker length necklaces, ties, and buttoned up collars. Any time I wear a regular t-shirt I'm constantly pulling on the neck because it feels tight, even if it isn't in reality.

But, short of stretching my neck with rings like that African tribal group whose name is escaping me, what am I going to do about it?

Anonymous

What if you have big fat wide hands?

velvetychocolate

Veteran

Very interesting...

That said, I'm a wee bit confused - how are you supposed to measure this? Turn your hand sideways and place under your chin to see how much distance there is from the bottom of said hand to the very tops of your shoulders? To the collarbone?

Does this have an effect on choosing clothes? Agghh....like you said, yet another thing to worry about. If I'm interpreting things correctly, I have a bit of a giraffe neck. Not sure what difference this makes?

In the meantime - personally, I wouldn't worry too much about something like this. I can see how being short or long waisted might make a difference in terms of finding the right pants and tops etc., but am not sure how the length of one's neck has much bearing on finding well-fitting clothing.

Am I missing something here?

ImogenL

(website)

Not wanting to give anyone a complex, and wanting to clear up any misconception.

an average length neck is one hand width

A short neck is less than a hand width

A long neck is longer than a hand width

Some people feel that their neck is an issue. Lots of people don't. If it's not something that bothers you, don't worry about it.

The illusion of a longer neck will make you look longer and leaner all over. That's all! If you have questions please ask

xx

velvetychocolate

Veteran

Wow - thanks for the quick clarification on how this works Imogen!

Kitty

My neck is just a little longer than my hand so I guess I have a medium neck

It's insane all the little details people will come up with to make us worry about our images. Necks? Really now? LOL

Lyn D.

Veteran

I am not so worried about the length of my neck but rather the loosish skin that has developed there! Long or not I prefer it covered these days.

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