remedial neckline help

cinnamon fern

Since I was a teenager I've had a theory on what necklines are good for me - v-neck, cowl, slash - and what ones are bad - crew, boat, turtle, halter, strapless, tank tops. I have also favored blazers/jackets with collars, but not shirts with collars, which makes no sense when I think about it.

So, is any of this right? Are eg turtlenecks in fact OK for me? Pictures just to illustrate different necklines.

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13 years ago

Dressing

6 replies

Latest reply was from texstyle

Aziraphale

Veteran

I think you look good in your turtleneck. Most necklines seem good on you, actually. I think it's because you've got a regular size bust and torso, and your neck is not too short or long.

Here's my understanding (borne out by observations of different necklines on my own body):

- Turtlenecks visually shorten the neck and increase the apparent size of the bust. Since I don't want my regular size bust to look bigger, and I have a shortish neck, I avoid them.

- V-necks elongate the neck and "open up" space on your chest, narrowing the waist and making the torso appear less busty. They look good on most people, except maybe those with very long necks. Something about exposing a triangle of skin tends to be flattering. A button-front shirt with a few buttons open a the top also exposes a "v" of skin, which has the same effect. These -- vee necks and partly unbuttoned, collared shirts -- are my most flattering choices.

- crew necks make the neck appear shorter and the torso appear blockier and bustier. They work best on slim people with smallish boobs. I wear them sometimes, when I want full coverage, even though they don't look quite as flattering as vee necks.

- boat necks make the shoulders appear wider and the neck appear shorter.

- cowl necks are a good alternative to turtlenecks for busty women with short necks

13 years ago

CocoLion

(website)

Veteran

Honestly you look good in pretty much everything. But I think you are looking for better feedback than that so let me try.

The most flattering necklines on you, at least to my eye, are 1, 3, 4, 5 and 8. 3 and 5 have open necklines but not too deep with the added benefit of a strong shoulder line thanks to the jackets. #8 has a high neckline but again the jacket opens up things a little and provides that strong shoulder line through the jacket. I think the last blouse (9) opens things up too much and over-softens the shoulder line. #6 looks nice on you as well but I admit to feeling "confused" about cowl necks in general, well maybe confused is the wrong word, maybe biased is more like it as they seem to look terrible on me.

So, I summarize by saying you look best in a moderately open neckline but not a deep neckline and the high necklines look good with a jacket (or might look great without one, but there's not picture of this option). Pictures 1 and 4 are perfect example of a moderately open neckline. (You look so pretty in #1 BTW -- what skin!) #4 has that dolman sleeve like #9 but the longer sleeves and boatneck line show off your nice shoulders while the v neck of 9 together with the sleeve length make your shoulders look more narrow than they actually are.

OK I hope that is helpful and the kind of information you were looking for.

To me you have a long neck and like many models, look fantastic in boat necks.

13 years ago

ManidipaM

Veteran

I agree with CocoLion that excessive depth may be the only thing to watch out for, in your case. You have such a tall column of neck, that even when you wear a V-neck, the added collar of a blazer or jacket actually works better to balance things out better. In contrast, the yellow top in #9, and I suspect maybe the dress in #3/5 on its own, might slice up your shoulder line and overemphasize the vertical.

This could be why cowlnecks work so well for you too---they dip in front to show off your pretty skin and collarbones, but also provide shoring up at the sides. Turtlenecks absolutely do work for you, and a boatneck is beautiful!

13 years ago

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I looked at this last night and honestly couldn't say that ANY were not good. So I thought I'd come back in the morning and reconsider. And I still feel that way. You look good in all of these, to my eye. Some might be marginally better than others, but I'm not sure it's the neckline vs. other details in the outfit swaying my verdict, so I hesitate to pronounce. My advice would be to go on a case by case basis without any firm ideas about what "won't" work - just try on and see.

But what concern drove the question? Maybe there was something specific?

13 years ago

cinnamon fern

Veteran

Thanks!

Cocolion - since this is the only really clear picture of me you have seen I feel I should say that it is a little misleading. A friend took it for my work website and he erased my frown lines and whitened my teeth Plus I'm wearing a lot more make-up than I can usually be bothered with.

Suz, you're right, there was something a bit more specific. The yellow top and the turtleneck were both kind of experimental purchases, to see what they'd look like. I' much happier with the look of the turtle than the yello top, which kind of surprised me. But, they are both going back.

Now I'm wondering how much of my perception had to do with long hair vs short hair - and how much was never accurate to begin with. I don't know why I'm always surprised to see that my self-perceptions are inaccurate, when I see this with other people on the forum all the time! (Eg people posting a litany of 'figure flaws', followed by a very cute picture.)

13 years ago

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

I immediately found that #1 and #4 look particularly great on you (kind of to my surprise because I've been such a v-neck girl myself). Now I'm questioning my own v-necks! Photos are so helpful for this kind of thing. The slightly rounded necklines on #1 and #4 really add such a lovely shape and balance. I think you look nice in other necklines as well but these stood out for me.

13 years ago

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