How to figure out Necklines? - YouLookFab Forum

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How to figure out Necklines?

Dee

Veteran

In Helena’s recent jean’s post, Angie had said “FWIW, I think the slim-fit tee is the problem - not the jeans! It's not the best shape. Neckline and sleeves look off.’

Lyn67 then asked the very same question that I have always had about trying to figure out what ARE the best necklines for a person?

Is there some golden ratio out there that could help to figure this out?

Personally, I feel that deep scoop necklines look terrible on me and even some of the crew necklines too, but I don’t understand why? Is it what its paired with? Is it the shoulder line or the bust size? Is it my head size? I have no clue.

Anyone else struggling with this? And what necklines do you feel work best for you?

Dressing

36 replies

Latest reply was from Style Fan

Joy

Veteran

Necklines! I often judge by how they work under a jacket. If a top is too big, the neckline looks floppy . I avoid deep Vs and wide higher necklines for that reason. I often wear a jacket and if it scrunches the top underneath, the top goes. I think it is the bust size and too much fabric.

cat2

Veteran

If you search out content on dressing for your body shape (pear, apple) you may find some helpful guidance.

Helena

Veteran

Following with interest!

quietloud

I’m not sure which necklines look best on me objectively, but personally I feel best in high and/or tighter necklines like crewneck or mock-/turtleneck, maybe a boatneck. I never wear v-neck or scoop neck styles. I am 163 cm and pear/hourglass shaped, with a moderate bust and fairly long neck.

I feel like I heard or read somewhere that the width of your neckline should echo the width of your jawline or something like that, has anyone else ever heard this?

Echo

Veteran

I, too, am inerested in this. I feel that mock necks look better on me than crew necks, and while a small to medium V neck is also flattering, I wear them less because I won't wear them to work. It puzzles me why I find a crewneck unflattering on myself, and why I find mock necks flattering and turtlenecks not as much.

Anonymous

Here it is!
https://insideoutstyleblog.com.....thing.html

kkards

Veteran

I’m my youth I worn all kinds of neck lines…as i got older, I found that high necks, and turtle necks in particular, literally felt like they were strangling me. I’m not sure what the actual rules are, but I just feel better in a v neck or scoop neck. I will on occasion wear a crew neck, but generally even those are wider and lower

SarahD8

Veteran

I need some kind of openness at the neckline and my very best neckline is a scoop neck. Crew necks are The Worst on me (exception: a sweater with a yoke pattern can work bc guess what, that's a faux scoop neck). A v-neck is ok but I try not to settle. Boatnecks will work if they are fairly open and low. If I want to keep my neck toasty a cowl neck is better than a turtle neck (once again, cowl creates a kind of false scoop neckline).

This is just incredibly visually clear to me (like, SO much more obvious than color draping!) so my best advice is to just experiment by putting on different necklines and see what looks best to you.

I don't fully know *why* it works, but my theory is that because I have broad shoulders, a small bust, and a wide ribcage, I need something to break up the "blockiness" of my torso. I think scoop necks work better than v-necks because I have an oval face and very large, round eyes, so the curve of the scoop neck is harmonious with my features.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Necklines can be tricky, but I try not to be too prescriptive with them, because I think they can work in conjunction with other details to either hit the right mark or miss.

For instance, I think I look best in moderate V-necks that aren’t too wide, and open collared button fronts. This is mainly because I have a big bust, not terribly broad shoulders, moderately short neck, small face and head. If I were going to be filmed or photographed from shoulders up, an open button-front blouse or shirt will probably be my neckline of choice.

However! There are times when a crew neck can look better on me, in the context of a full-body outfit — layered under a jacket for one. But also if the top is cropped or tucked, to visually lengthen my squat little torso.

I also think that the other details of a top — color or print, sleeve cut (dolman or set in), sleeve length (cap or short or sleeveless), shoulder details, collar details, roomy and oversized vs fitted — can work to make an otherwise less flattering neckline work. And of course scarves and jewelry can help mitigate a less than ideal neckline.

I like the look of turtlenecks but they are not the best on me because of my large bust. Mock turtlenecks are really awful on me. Something about the point where they cut across my neck is just terrible. Not sure what that’s about but it’s a lesson I had to learn.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Dee, in my experience of dressing varying body types for a living, many variables come to play both visually and emotionally:

These four body type modifiers come to play most frequently:

neck length
bust size
shoulder width
waist length

Hair length plays a role. So does the rest of the cut of the garment, and how you style it. (To Janet's point). Your level of modesty is as important.

And the list goes on!

I am narrow shouldered, VERY long in the neck, regular size in the bust, and regular length in the waist. I wear HIGH necklines well! Turtle, mock turtle, funnel, crew, slash, high boat, high cowl and high drape, and shirt collars are my friends.

Low necklines are laughable on me Scoops, V-necks, wide boat necks, and wraps, are my worst.

I can wear a VERY shallow V-neck, square neck, or shawl neck with lots of coverage and structure - but tend to avoid them.

LJP

Veteran

I admit to being confused by the comment made about Helena’s tshirt and how it fit / or not . I think some of this is beyond me , or it’s just intuitive maybe . Like Janet , with a bigger bust turtlenecks and mocks and most crew necks look pretty matronly on me . Common advice for those of us with a bigger chest is to wear a v neck , but that’s tricky too . Too low and it’s hard to wear . Too high and i look like I’ve stepped off the golf course or something . I just stick with a lower crew and move on . But now I’m worried , lol.

Dee

Veteran

Angie, yes I can see that there might be several variables involved, including even hair length as well as the rest of what you might be wearing. I guess visually you can tell if it’s working or not.
Suntiger, Thanks for the interesting link, it does offer a very good starting point for experimenting with necklines.
Quietloud apparently Suntiger’s link even suggests harmonizing the neckline with the shape of the jawline.
LJP Haha, sorry I didn’t mean to add more to the mix.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

LJP, your strategy works well! A lower crew works really well on you.

Dee, FWIW, I offered my 2 cents on Helena's thread about alternative fitted and fluid tee silhouettes for Helena

Firecracker (Sharan)

Veteran

I have arrived at what I think are my best necklines by looking in the mirror. My preferences for necklines are crew and jewel necks, and my sense is that these preferences are driven 99% by my face shape, not my bustline or shoulder width. Rarely do I find a scoop or v-neck that really like on me. I do like v-neck cardigans, which I wear over my crew- or jewel-neck tees.

Watching the video suntiger linked, I can see why I may gravitate to these lines. My face is long, and I have a relatively "shallow" chest (from shoulder to bust point), something I finally grasped in fitting clothes that I make for myself. So, my "first balance point"--i.e., the repeat of the length of one's face from hairline to chin, where a lower neckline would be flattering--hits about an inch up from my bra band. NOT a good spot for a low neckline worn on its own (LOL)! Although it is about what I think of as the sweet spot for my v-neck cardis. My "second balance point" is about where I think of as the jewel-neck level on me, around the low point of that dip between the two clavicles.

I find necklaces tricky to wear, and no wonder! I'm generally wearing a neckline where I would also like to wear a necklace--up near that jewel neckline. I have quite a few necklaces that hit at that spot, but very few tops that would work with them! A lot of necklaces are made to hit kind of in limbo-land on me, between the two conventionally pleasing lines. I have a few pendants of this length. Sometimes I try one with my t-shirt and v-neck cardigan combo, and I find it just clutters up the look rather than complementing it. (The fact that a lot of my t-shirts are patterned probably adds to this effect.) I have a couple of long pendants that reach to a couple of inches above my navel, which I like to wear with a dress or an open cardigan, if I'm wearing solid colors. These are probably hitting at the second face-length spot that is conventionally aesthetically pleasing.

All of this is interesting to discover, as the "why" behind what I've come to prefer. It does make me see that "v-neck" or "boat neck" as a general category might not be off-limits for me, but rather, where those necklines actually fall on me is the key.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

So many variables!

When I was younger, I was all about a low scoop neck. Now they don’t work on me so well. Changing, softening jawline may be a factor. When I’m at a smaller size, a boatneck can be nice on me, I’d the details are right, but it’s tricky at my higher weight (boobs again). I am not fond of cowl necks at all, I feel like they visually drag down my jawline even more.

I know what LJP means about that high V neck — definitely looks more like gear on me! Fine for tennis or Pilates but not very fashiony looking. Conversely, I have a workout top that is just too low of a V neck to wear for Pilates or yoga, but I’ll wear it to hike (my sports bra shoes underneath).

Sal

Veteran

It is interesting - I know what I like on me and can sometimes see it on others.

My worst is a cowl neckline and my best is a vee or scoop. I can wear crew as long as the sleeves are a good length. I used to love a boat but no longer have any.

Irina

Veteran

So many opinions! I came to understand which necklines I like the best on me, through trial and error. I prefer to wear higher neck crew necks, high boat neck and shallow, narrow v neck, turtlenecks. I often button my shirts all way up. I dislike scoop and any drape. I think I look too matronly in them. I try to visually keep my shoulders small.

Kate

Veteran

I much prefer mock necks and turtlenecks, a higher neck crew neck, if I wear that style at all, shallow v-necks and button up shirts. I most often button my shirts all the way up.

Dee

Veteran

Thanks all for your insights, it looks like most of us are just relying visually to decide if a neckline works or not because there’s just so many variables at play.
However, I do like the idea of using certain balancing points in Suntiger’s link as a guide to help me figure this out too.

rachylou

Veteran

I’d add two more variables to Angie’s list, torso length (as in, short-waisted or not) and slope of shoulder.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Rachy, "waist length" is torso length

Shoulder slope is a good one!

April

Veteran

My neckline preference is based almost exclusively on sun protection. No Vs, no scoops, but no bateau-necks either because they just look dreadful on me. I have become a crew-neck or a mock-neck person, all the way.

Angie, with all due respect, I must protest this torso length = waist length idea. For my height, I have quite a long torso, but an incredibly short/high waist. Long-waisted folks have a whole lot of space between rib cage and hips (Hi Tanya!). I have about one finger-width.

Cee

Veteran

Angie, re low V-necks, have you ever tried layering a solid V-neck sweater or a V-neck cardigan over a lightweight poloneck or mockneck top ?

I've done that kind of " twin setting " since my school years and it's always suited me as well as being more snug and comfy than wearing a cotton shirt or crewneck underneath.

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Bee

I’m a C cup so I would say my bust size is medium? This is conveniently versatile. I can look rather voluptuous in a push up bra, which I usually wear under V and scoop necklines. Sports bras can make me look quite flat so I usually pair them with crews and higher necklines. Turtle and mocks feel suffocating to me as well, so I avoid them as well as anything cut very widely so I won’t look top heavy. My shoulder are wider than my hips and my legs are skinny but despite that I mostly wear short or fitted bottoms so I try avoid anything that amplifies my top half too much.

Cee

Veteran

LJP, re your golf course reference, I see what you mean !

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Suz

(website)

Veteran

Echoing what others have said -- so many variables at play here!

I have some of the same body type modifiers and preferences as Angie and share some with Firecracker (Sharan). So my preferences for necklines resemble theirs.

If you take photos of yourself in the various necklines that you own, and then compare, you'll get a sense of what works well on you, in particular.

LJP

Veteran

Hahahahahhaha! Exactly

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Cee, I haven't done your trick! Wore those V-neck jumpers to school over a shirt and tie - like I bet you did too

Cee

Veteran

I did, but we were given the choice of wearing a shirt and tie or wearing either a cotton skivvy ( poloneck T-shirt ) or a light knit poloneck top.

They were both warmer and easier to take care of than the shirt that needed ironing, so I'd wear them instead

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