Necklines Guide

Necklines That Suit You

While deciding the neckline of your dress, take care that you wear the ones that may enhance your positive attributes and hide your body flaws. Remember that all necklines may not look good on all dress form, and on all body-types. ‘Balance’ is the keyword in deciding the neckline of your dress. Choose the neck-style that may make you appear more in proportion and more in balance.

“Neckline categories” and “styling tips” for different body types:

The Halter Neckline
The Square neckline
The Crew Neckline
The ‘V’ neckline
The Scoop neckline
The Boat neck/ Bateau neckline
The Turtle neckline
Off- shoulder neckline
The Sweetheart neckline
The Keyhole neckline
The Cowl neckline.

The Shape Of Your Face And Neck-line

Oval shape

Long and narrow shape

Round and wide face.

Your Body Frame And Necklines

Small body frame

Average built-up
Large body frame.

NECKLINES

Halter Neckline

The halter neck-line consists of two triangular points of fabric of varying width ( depending on the style chosen). The points run along the chest to the back of the neck in some pattern. Sometimes, it may be a single triangular piece of fabric that is fastened around the neck with the help of some strings or straps.

GOOD FOR:

* The halter-neck is best suitable for average to small busted women. It lays bare your arms providing greater exposure to your well-toned arms and narrow shoulders.

* This neck-line suits people with hourglass body-type the most.

BAD FOR:

* Those with heavy arms,broad shoulders and large chest should avoid wearing this as this will make you look wider than they actually are.

Halter neckline

Square Neckline

A square or rectangle shape neckline can help give an elongated look to your short neck and narrow shoulders.

GOOD FOR:

* For those with round face this neckline will help you down-play the roundness of your face and get the illusion of a square one.

* Pear shaped body-type goes well with this neckline as it helps to give the shoulders a broader look.

BAD FOR:

* Those with very square shoulders should not go for this neckline.

* Similarly, those with square face should avoid wearing this neckline as it can make your face look squarer.

Square neckline

Crew Neckline

This neckline is high, round and closed all around the neck. It is named after the neckline found on the crewmen’s jeresy. This is usually collarless and fits tightly at the base of the neckline. This style is a usual pattern with knitted fabrics.

GOOD FOR:

* Heavier-set women or those with short neck.

BAD FOR:

* Those with square face should avoid wearing this as it will make your face appear wider.

* Round face will look rounder in this neck-line. So if you have a round face, avoid wearing this.

* If you have a wide neck or a large chest avoid wearing this neckline as this will make your neck appear shorter and your bust look wider.

Crew neckline

‘V’ Neckline

V- Neckline is the most flattering neckline on most women because it emphasizes the oval shape of the face and makes the neck appear longer.

It creates a slimming effect and depending on the depth of the V- neckline it can be used to create the illusion of a broad shoulder or a narrow shoulder.

The V- neckline can dissect large chests, but it can also create an interest for a smaller bust.

The V-neckline with a width greater than the length will help you make your narrow shoulders appear wider. A deeper V-neckline will make your wide-shoulders look narrower.

GOOD FOR:

* If you have a small neck or a round or square face, wear garments with a V-neckline as it will give an elongated look to your neck and make your face appear narrower.

* The V- neckline is good for both with small and large bust size.

* This neckline suits banana body shape as it makes the chest appear large.

* The V-neckline is also good for Apple body shape and round body shapes as they make the body appear less round.

BAD FOR:

* Those with a long face as this neckline will only make your face appear more longer.

V-neckline

Scoop Neckline

A Scoop-neck is a deep U-shape neckline. It is characterized by a large width and a full curve that dips down the chest.

It balances all body-flaws and gives an illusion of a good proportion.

GOOD FOR:

* It will work good for those with narrow shoulders by giving them the maximum exposure and making them look broader than they actually are.

* It will make your body shape get closer to the hour-glass shape by making the upper part proportional to the bottom part.

* It creates an illusion of a larger bust size. Those with smaller bust can go for this neckline.

* This neck-line will look good on those with a short neck or a long face.

BAD FOR:

* Avoid this neck-line if you are skinny or your face is narrow as it will make you appear leaner.

Scoop neckline

Boat / Bateau Neckline

The boat neck is marked by the horizontal line that closely follows the collarbone and helps enhance narrow shoulders by creating a widening effect.

This neck-line suits faces of all shape.

GOOD FOR:

* This neckline is suitable for those with small bust-size.Particularly those with a banana body shape.

* It can help balance wide hips to the upper part of the body frame and make your figure look closer to the hour-glass body-type.

BAD FOR:

* This is not an ideal one for those with broad shoulders or a short neck.

Bateau neckline

Turtle Neckline

The turtle-neck has an extended tight-fitting high collar. This neckline is reminiscent of a turtle’s neck when extended, fully, from it’s shell.

It helps to add an illusion of height and gives you an elongated look.

GOOD FOR:

* This neckline will look good on those with long necks, narrow shoulders and faces.

* Looks good on Banana body shape

BAD FOR:

* Those with round face or short neck should avoid wearing polo necks.

* Avoid wearing polo-neck if you have a large chest.

* Women with Apple body shape should avoid this neckline.

Turtle neckline

Off-Shoulder Neckline

The off-shoulder neck-line sits below the shoulders and runs along the collarbone to meet the sleeves.

This neck-line suits women of all shapes and sizes.
However, this necklines suits women with medium built and an average bust size, the most.
Pear-shape women can look their best by wearing this neck-line.
Those with narrow shoulders can give this neckline a try as it will help you give your shoulders a broader look.
If you have heavy arms avoid wearing this neckline. Or pair it with a stole or cashmere shawl to hide heavy arms.
Ball gowns or evening dresses are mostly done in this neckline.

GOOD FOR:

* This neckline suits more on women with medium built, and an average bust size.

* Pear body shape women can look their best by wearing this neck-line.

* Those with narrow shoulders can give this neckline a try as it will help you give your shoulders a broader look.

Off shoulder neckline

Cowl Neckline

A Cowl Neckline is similar to the turtle neckline except that a Cowl-neck incorporates a greater amount of extra fabric, hanging in a scooping fashion, on the neck-line.

The neckline features folded fabrics that are wider and that drape looser than the close-fitting turtle-neck ones.

There is no fixed standard size for cowl necklines.It may be quite small and gather neatly right near your neck.

It may also feature lots of extra material that hang and cover considerable area of your chest.

The neckline is, like all others, a designer’s creation moulded in the fashion they like. The neckline can be highly embellished or plain. The neck-line may feature details like knife-pleating, cinched decollete, pleated cuff, sequins, beads, crossed ribbons, etc.

It may be widely seen on sweaters, camisoles, casuals,wedding or evening gown’s etc.

GOOD FOR:

* For petite women, the neckline may give volume to your bust area and make you appear more curvaceous and sexy.

* Pear-shaped women with smaller busts and larger hips may appear in balance and proportion in this neck-line.

BAD FOR:

* Volumnous women with a fuller body may appear larger in this neck-line. So, they should avoid wearing the neckline.

Cowl neckline

Necklines

Sweetheart Neckline

The sweet-heart neckline is reminiscent of the shape and cut from a heart.

A sweetheart neckline is arched and features two curves over the bust-line that rise over the underarms and reach high over the breasts, to provide considerable coverage to the breasts, and again drop to meet at a point in the middle of the bust area. The resultant is the top shape of a heart.

The neckline has a concave down and curved bottom edge that is doubly scalloped to appear like the top half of a heart.

A Sweetheart Neckline is quite different from a V- Neckline, though the style may somewhat appear the same to some people.

This style is incorporated, mostly, in strapless and shoulder-less dresses. However, few garments with sheer long sleeves and spaghetti straps may also feature the sweet-heart neckline.

The neckline is often incorporated in wedding dresses, evening gowns and in many casual wears, tank-tops etc.

GOOD FOR:

* The sweet-heart neckline suits women of all shape, size and body-type.

* The sweetheart neckline is ideal for women with both, small or large bust size. The neckline provides modest and considerable coverage to the breasts and helps create support.

* The sweetheart may also be done with an overlay of sheer material designed to rises higher than the heart shape. This style makes the torso and neck look longer. Thus, helping petite women look taller.
Sweetheart necklines accentuates the bust-line. Petite women with small breasts and narrow shoulders may wear them to appear more curvaceous.The vertical dip of the sweetheart neckline visually elongates the face and provides balance and proportion to the overall body.

Sweetheart neckline

Key-hole Neckline

A key-hole neckline is very similar to a halter neckline except that the converging diagonal lines meet in front of the neck to form the shape of a “keyhole”, just below the collar-bone.

It sits high on your neck and provides coverage to the breasts.

The keyhole neckline is very versatile and may have may forms and shapes.

It may be just a simple slit in the neck of a blouse or a dress. This split is usually secured at its top with a hook and eye or loop and button.

It may also be a circular or an oval slit in shape that is secured with a button and loop at the top.

A circle or oval shape is difficult to cut and sew and the material must be of the right kind to achieve the desired smooth finish.

This neckline well-placed in the garment gives a feeling as if jewel is being worn.

The neck-line resembles to the halter ones except that the halter ones open in the front to form a V-shape, while a keyhole neckline makes a hole just beneath the shoulders.

There is no standard size for the key-hole. It may be cut large or small depending upon the choice of the designer.

When the opening is placed too low or is opened too wide, you may show more of décolletage.

These necklines are infrequently incorporated in the dresses, Swimsuits and evening gowns.

GOOD FOR:

* This style may look good on women of all ages.

* Women with small bust area may wear the neckline as it may help enhance a small chest.

BAD FOR:

* Keyhole necklines may show a lot of cleavage. It may also help you accentuate your bust area.Therefore, women with larger bust-size

(apple body type) must avoid wearing this neck-line unless they aim to achieve the look.

Keyhole neckline

Shape of your face & Necklines

Oval face

If you have an oval shape face, you will look stunning in almost any kind of neckline you go for. You have the most balanced and well shaped face.

Long & Narrow face

If you have a long and narrow face, the neck-styles which run broader on the shoulder will look great on you. This will make your shoulders look broader. The wide-cut neckline will attract the attention from your narrow face to your shoulders.

* Avoid wearing deep necklines that create an illusion of a longer neck.

Round & wide face

Wear deep necklines that run down your neck creating an illusion of a longer neck.

Go for necklines that dip sufficiently to provide an elongating effect.

* Avoid wearing the necklines that divert the attention from the horizontal to the vertical.

* Don’t go for necklines more in width than length.

Your body frame & Necklines

Small body frame

Women with a smaller body frame should opt for necklines that are more broad at the shoulders. This way they provide greater exposure to the shoulder.

Crew-neckline, Jewel-neckline, Sabrina, Bateau -neckline will look good on you.

Average Built-up

Women who are Average built women are lucky enough to go for any kind of neck-line that they wish to wear. They are able to carry all kind of neck-line with equal ease and charm.

Large body frame

Women with a large body-frame should opt for necklines that stress and create an illusion of a more vertical line giving an elongated look.

Empire-necklines, V- necks, Queen Anne necklines can all look good on you.

NOTE:

See to it that the necklines are carefully crafted on your dress to give a smooth and refined finish.

The fabrics involved in making of neckline is very important as all necklines do not get shape in all fabrics.