I have a fat neck and a round face! This has been intensified in recent years by pandemic pouf (eating more and moving less due to being stuck at home and dealing with the anxieties that come with a global pandemic) and menopause - That time of life when you constantly want to eat all the things and your joints hurt and you don't seem to have the motivation to move your body (among about 79 other symptoms)
All through my life, being interested in fashion lead me to believe that I should stick to a certain few design styles because of my body shape -including fat neck and round face - in order to look my best. There are certainly styles that we can wear that will flatter and enhance our bodies, but as part of my wardrobe revolution I am becoming increasingly aware that it doesn't have to be all about wearing a particular style because it is designed with your body shape in mind. I am free to accentuate my body as I choose and wear what makes me feel the most confident and the best version of myself.
With this in mind, let's look at Necklines.
There are so many different types of necklines, and then you can add layering with scarves, necklaces and other garments, so the possibilities are endless! I'm going to categorize a few of them and discuss some of their effects.
High necklines
The higher the neckline the fatter and rounder my neck and face can look.
There are turtlenecks which provide warmth, hide a scrawny aging neck and add body to a skinny neck. They can also give the sense of a shortened neck, and a wider face.
Round or crew necks that cut in at the base of the neck. These are simple and are a no fuss style which can be a great base for accessories, or give you a more sedate look if that's what you are after.
Boat necklines cutting across from shoulder to shoulder can look dramatic, giving you a broad, square shouldered look, or can be slightly curves to give you a softer look.
Collared necklines come in many styles, and when done up to the neck they can give a formal, cooperate or uniform look.
These high necklines can come in as many shapes as you can think of. They can be plain and simple, a-symmetrical, round, square, have many folds or just a few, have collars that rise up to your face or ones that sit flat down on the garment. They will often give the effect of shortening your neck and making your décolletage or chest area look large. If that is the look that you are after then great, but if you have a high neck garment that you love but you don't like the way it exaggerates some area of your body then try adding another layer over the top with a deep V or curved neckline, or wear a long necklace or a scarf hanging untied.
I don't wear a lot of these high necklines but when I do I usually accessories it in one of these ways to help stop my neck from looking so fat and my face from looking quite as round.
Middle necklines.
Showing a little skin below the neck seems to be the most 'flattering' way to wear garments for nearly all body shapes.
Personally as someone with claustrophobic tendencies who can feel a bit like I'm being choked by the higher necklines, I find the middle necklines most comfortable.
Scoop necklines are easy to wear and can be casual, formal or cooperate depending on the fabric and the depth and width of the scoop. They can appear to elongate a wide neck and they bring a softness to a garment. It can be more difficult to wear a necklace with this neckline as they can tend to fall inside the larger opening, so try wearing larger earrings, or stick to a short or extra long necklace.
The deeper and wider this neckline is the more it will draw the eye to the bust area. Proportions can make or break the look you are going for.
V necklines are more dramatic than a scoop. They can have the effect of cutting your body up, and draw the eye towards the face. This cutting could lessen the look of a large bust area. The deeper the V the more dramatic and the wider the V the softer the look.
Low Necklines.
Deep scoops, deep V, strapless, sweetheart and the like often become a major design feature of a garment and feature greatly in the area of formal and bridal wear. These garments can be fun, dramatic and whimsical, and are an integral to the overall look that is being created.
If you have a very large bust, you need to consider weather you can wear the appropriate undergarments underneath these low necklines and if your bust is very small you may want to choose a style with folds or gathers in the bust area to soften and enhance.
Another design option you can consider here is to have the deep, low neckline at the back of the garment.
On a sheerly personal note, I find some of the deep V necklines I have seen on celebrities lately to be so distracting as I can't seem to look away from their bust area. I'm not sure if I am waiting for something to fall out or what, but I can't concentrate on what they are saying because of their neckline. hahaha!
Other necklines.
As I said at the start, neckline options are literally endless. Here are just a few more to consider.
Off the shoulder neckline - This cuts right across your shoulders and could give an impression of squaring up your shoulder area if worn straight, or for a softer look wear the neckline lower on one side. It can restrict your movement if there is no elastic, but can also give the flattering formal look of a strapless neckline with some extra body and cover.
Off one shoulder neckline - A fashionable and dramatic neckline which can slim down the upper body with it's diagonal line, giving the effect of cutting through shoulders and décolletage in a more subtle way than a vertical line. This and other A-symmetrical necklines can lead the eye around the body and create a story for your garment.
Cowl Neckline, where the neckline falls in soft folds - This can be a subtle boat neck with one soft fold, all the way down to a deep deep scoop with multiple folds. The type of fabric and the cut used will have an affect on how the folds sit, like a sheer chiffon cut on the bias with it's floaty folds and a solid de-lustered satin which will have more permanent folds. A few soft folds can enhance your curves and many folds can enlarge the bust area. This is definitely a neckline to consider wearing at the back of a garment for a soft dramatic look.
In the end, wear the garments with necklines that you love!
Layer them up by adding a deep V neck over a turtleneck or a strapless over a collared shirt, or any of the other endless ways you can come up with.
Wear them backwards if that works to create a different effect.
Cover them with scarves or necklaces, or wear them plain and understated.
Moving along with the idea of having a wardrobe revolution I just want to be thinking about the styles I like and how they are working for me (or not) beginning with neckline preferences. These ideas can be added to a vision board or styling library that is then on hand to inform future garment purchases and sewing projects.
My SuzziMaggs Summer 2021 Collection will have garments with neckline style options so you can choose the one that you like best. It will be launching in early October.
As always, I thank you for reading, I appreciate you,
Love Suzanne
Receive $15 off the current collections with coupon code: COLLECTIONS until September 30, 2021