Question about cleavage. - YouLookFab Forum

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Question about cleavage.

Jean Gray

I tried on this top in green and turquoise the other day and really liked them. EXCEPT the neckline seemed a little low. I don't think it looked quite as obvious on me as the model.
http://www.jcpenney.com/jcp/X6.....rchresults
I decided this wasn't a top I would always want to layer underneath so I didn't buy it.
I've read that Angie thinks a little cleavage is not a big deal.
I'm just curious, where do you personally draw the line as far as how low cut your tops are and what adjustments do you make if your top is a little lower?

Dressing

21 replies

Latest reply was from

Lynne

Veteran

I'm not comfortable with too much cleavage, although if it's just DH and I going out I don't mind a little. I find it distracting if others are showing a lot of cleavage, too. So I guess I'm team cover up :).

Mo

(website)

Veteran

I am very sensitive to cleavage, which is funny because I have a small chest! I am getting better about it, but I often grab a safety pin and give myself that extra inch. Or I will layer a cami under. In the pic below, it's both a safety pin *and* a cami lol. Pic 2 is just the pin.

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Aziraphale

Veteran

I depends on where I'm going in the top. If it's an evening out, I'm OK with a deep v or crossover-style top, so long as none of my bra is exposed. I don't love the look of half your breasts hanging out, but a little subtle cleavage is sexy. But during the day, not so much.

I have the problem of v necks sometimes being too low on me, because I'm very short. If I want extra coverage, I'll put a very thin cami underneath the top. Once in a while, for vest or tank tops, I've had the top taken up at the shoulder, to make the v higher.

rosee

Veteran

I'm probably more conservative in this respect, but I usually don't go lower than 4 fingers between my collar bone and the shirt collar. I often layer with tanks and camis as well, especially for dresses with deep-v collars. Anything lower than that I find really uncomfortable (especially when I bend over... hello taataas!) and I pretty much have gotten rid of those shirts due to lack of wear. I do have a pretty nice decolletage, but I still feel "less is more" for exposure in this respect. I found similar t-shirts to the one you posted and some I didn't buy, one I did but I gave it away already.

Also, you are right about fit varying between people. I had a great Patagonia top that I wore a few times but it was way too low on me (I have a smaller frame). I gave it to my friend it looked great on her and wasn't that low (she has stronger shoulders, so it fit her better for some reason).

ButterflyLady

(website)

Veteran

I am short, and have high boobs, so a lot of scoop necked tops are far too low for me to feel comfortable, without another layer underneath. And as you say, sometimes you don't want to wear another layer.

In the evening, I might wear something slightly lower, but in general, I prefer not to flash too much!

modgrl

(website)

Veteran

I am not keen on this particular t-shirt. It looks like a junior's cut and you would constantly be tugging at the neckline. I would look for a scoop neck cut, maybe they have it in the misses petite section?

ETA: Sorry I added the "petite" section; that's where I should be looking not you!

Kate

Veteran

It's very much a personal call, with some social norms thrown in to prevent too much cleavage. Like Angie, I think a bit of cleavage can be tastefully done. It's kind of like drinking alcohol - moderation is key, and different amounts are appropriate for different environments and for different people.

I also see a difference between on top cleavage and in between cleavage. In the first pic Mo posted her chest isn't entirely covered, and you can see that the very top of where her breasts start is exposed. I'm comfortable with that in all but the most conservative situations. In the second photo you can see more "true" or in between cleavage, and for me that only comes out on specific occasions.

So I don't have a problem with the amount of cleavage that it sounds like this top shows on you. But if you're not comfortable with it, you probably won't wear it, so don't buy it!

MsMaven

Veteran

This is one of my constant gripes--it is so hard to find a V-neck or even a scoop neck that doesn't require a bottom layer to prevent showing too much. I am tall and don't have high boobs and it is still a constant problem for me. It's not so bad in cooler weather, but unacceptable in the warmer months. I have a similar problem with wrap tops.

Perhaps we should make a list of brands that do a better job of cutting reasonable necklines. It isn't always possible to take up length in a shoulder seam.

Steph

Veteran

I have zero problems with cleavage. I definitely don't wear it to the office or in a professional environment, but I will wear cleavage when I am out casually, going to dinner, or going to an event. I certainly don't show my bra or my nipples, and I don't think I am in any way trashy about it, but I'm busty and I don't really see a reason to hide my chest.

Some examples of what I find acceptable, but others here have expressed shows too much cleavage. (I am pretty sure Angie has said she doesn't mind the cleavage in any of these dresses, for what it's worth.)

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Aziraphale

Veteran

Steph: you go, girl. You've got it, and you're (tastefully) flaunting it!

I have no problems with cleavage either, in the right setting. Mine's not quite as fab as yours, mind you.

biscuitsmom

Veteran

Im not quite as brave as Steph (and I think she looks great in those dresses!) but I dont mind about 2-2.5 inches of cleavage showing as long as its not in a work setting....I have a hard time avoiding it, cuz I have a G cup and I *hate* anything near my neck!

Patty

Veteran

I like decolletage/reasonable cleavage (individual's preference) on women---on men not so much!

londonkiwi (now back in NZ)

Veteran

I think as others have said that it is situation dependent and then what you feel comfortable exposing (to a certain extent).

Diana

Veteran

I don't mind showing a bit of cleavage, as long as the top of my bra isn't showing. I really dislike visible sideboob though...

My breasts have grown a cup size in the last couple of years, so sometimes I'll put on a top I haven't worn for a while and later realize that I have major cleavage going on, which can be a bit uncomfortable if I'm at work or something... but in general I don't mind.

Aida

Veteran

I don't have a problem with wearing low cut tops, but I have a small chest that is low and set a bit wide so I can go lower than many and still look appropriate (pretty much impossible for me to show cleavage since I don't really have any ). I think it's a lot to do with your comfort level, how much is exposed, and whether it's "tasteful" (also subjective, but I'm meaning "not deliberately trashy"). I'd have no problem wearing the top you posted.

Anonymous

Almost every top I try on shows cleavage, and I absolutely hate it! I think my cleavage starts higher than on most women and I'm not sure if it's because I'm petite? I almost always have to wear a cami underneath, but we live in HOT southern Mississippi, so layering is not my cup of tea. Modesty is my #1 priority and I strive to show absolutely NO cleavage. The design of tops today almost seems intentional to draw attention to breasts and I find it totally ridiculous personally. Some women love to have it hanging out for the world to see, but not all of us do. Designers must think we all do because tops that don't show cleavage are nonexistent in my world. There are always crewnecks, but those are entirely unflattering on me.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Like Steph, I don't mind flaunting a little of it, of course with the appropriateness of amount vs. occasion. I will admit that this is a part of my body I am very comfortable with, so I don't mind showing a little cleavage.

One rule of thumb I've always thought helpful: if you're gonna show a bit of cleavage, cover up more leg; and if you're going short in the hemline, bring up the neckline a bit.

Arya

(website)

I have no problem with cleavage showing on myself or others, though in my experience a *lot* of cleavage can be distracting...for everyone involved. I'm often bent over a desk or lab table, so I try to be conscientious of how much bra & breast might show in that circumstance, as I don't want to flash everything to my classmates.

Of course, as we've clarified here, breasts come in so many shapes and sizes that all impact how much is seen. I have full, high, and widely set breasts, and I find that I often have some upper breast showing (like the model), but never much actual cleavage (like fabulous Steph)...all due to the shape and position of *my* assets.

If something really feels very low and I want to be modest, I'll layer a cami underneath. Most of the time, though, I'm not worried about modesty so I have fun and wear a colorful (full coverage) bra underneath so that whatever might peak looks intentionally coordinated.

rae

(website)

Veteran

I have a large chest area between my neck and my boobs, so exposing even more chest seems like overkill to me, personally. I don't mind a little bit on other people, though. Key word being *little* - I also don't love when I feel confronted by someone's entire rack...

catgirl

Veteran

I am utterly cleavage- phobic, dating from the days when my girls were much bigger than they are now. In Hawai'i I saw these little stretchy bandeau tops which are meant to cover up in a low v-neck and I'm going to look for some.

It's not that I mind others showing cleavage at all; it's totally my own body issue. Plus I live in a climate where cleavage-baring is not all that common - perhaps in a hot/tropical climate I would be forced to change my mind, or my eye would adjust.

Anonymous

Just a personal observation, but unless it's for evening, cleavage doesn't seem as obvious with a deep narrow V neckline (like Kate's wedding dress) compared to a wide scoop neckline.