Today’s fashion is filled with many choices, and between the fabric types, dress styles, and necklines, it can be overwhelming to select your next outfit. If you’re confused about necklines or new to navigating the world of necklines, our style guide is for you.
Below, we give you essential information about some of the most popular types of necklines so you know what to look for next time you’re shopping for a flattering outfit.
What Is a Neckline?
The neckline refers to the part of a piece of clothing that sits at the top of an upper body garment. Every upper body garment has a neckline, from t-shirts to blouses, to wedding dresses and gowns. Both men’s and women’s fashion have necklines – they’re essential to the design of every upper-body garment created.
Because necklines are so universal and important to clothing items, it’s no wonder that there are numerous different necklines with different intentions, such as to draw the eye up or down the rest of the outfit, highlight certain features, or solidify a specific style.
The Importance of a Flattering Neckline
Finding a flattering neckline is important and often a vital part of how you feel in an outfit. Understanding different necklines and their intentions will help you select one that best highlights your features, draws the eye to certain aspects of your outfit or figure, and completes the overall vibe you are demonstrating with your outfit choices.
No matter which type of outfit you are selecting, a flattering neckline is one of the best ways to show off your unique style.
Neckline Types You Should Know
There are many different neckline types out there today, and every garment is enhanced by the choice of neckline. Whether you have a preference for one type or another, our overview of basic necklines will help you understand what to look out for when shopping for dresses, shirts, and other items.
Asymmetrical
Asymmetrical necklines are not the same on both sides. They typically feature higher neckline styles with cutouts to create shapes around the collarbone area, or they may be as simple as a one-shoulder design style.
Many individuals may consider one-shoulder designs as their own separate neckline category, but because these necklines are not the same on both sides, they are technically in the asymmetrical category.
Boat
Also commonly called a bateau, boat necks sit under the collarbone. This type of neckline is designed to highlight the shoulder and neck; you may see it on light sweaters, short-sleeved tops, or dresses. The aim of the boat neck is to make narrow shoulders look a little broader, something that can help balance a figure with wider hips.
Crew
The crew neck is also often called a round neck, and it is a very common design for more casual clothing, such as t-shirts. Crew necks are a simple rounded shape, and they may start at the bottom of the neck or drop lower depending on the size and style of the garment.
A variation on the crew neck is the split crew which features a slit around the middle of the neckline. This split may stand alone or have buttons included so it can be fastened according to the wearer’s choice.
Cowl
Cowl necks feature loose fabric draped along the neckline, which hangs around the neck and collarbone area. This style flatters many different figures and is especially popular in more formal shirts and blouses. Both thinner cowl necks with looser, more flowing fabrics and heavier cowl necks with more layers of fabric may be seen.
Halter
Halter necklines tie behind the back of the neck, and there is a great variety within this neckline type. You may have thin or thick straps or straps that twist in front of the neck before tying at the back. This neckline is designed to highlight the shoulders and draw the eye up, which can help balance outfits and figures.
Illusion
The illusion neckline is similar to the sweetheart neckline, as it gives the low-cut appearance of a strapless style, and many outfits with this neckline embrace the sweetheart shape. However, the illusion neckline will have a thin, almost transparent piece of fabric that often extends around the neck and connects to the rest of the dress.
Illusion necklines are popular in wedding dresses or other gowns that are designed to look strapless without actually being strapless, and the fabric used to connect the neckline to the rest of the dress might be embroidered with lace or beads to add elegant detail.
Keyhole
Keyhole necklines are those that typically cover the collarbones and reach up to the neck but feature a keyhole cutout around the cleavage area. There may be a small keyhole or a large one, and the top of the keyhole might have a button or other fastener. You may commonly see this neckline on more formal shirts or blouses that are mostly modest with a hint of subtle sexiness.
Off-the-Shoulder
Off-the-shoulder necklines are exactly what they sound like – this neckline crosses underneath the collarbone area, and the straps wrap around the shoulders. They expose the collarbone, shoulders, and neck, and it is the perfect neckline style for warm weather or for drawing more attention to the décolletage.
Plunging
Plunging necklines are one of the sexier neckline types, and this neckline will plunge down past the breasts in women’s fashion. They could also stop higher, right below the cleavage area, or drop down lower to the belly button. The main intention of the plunging neckline is to draw the eye to the décolletage area, and this neckline is often seen in evening wear.
Queen Anne
The Queen Anne neckline is most commonly seen in formal wear and on wedding dresses, and this unique neckline features a sweetheart neckline with sleeves on either side. These sleeves wrap toward the back of the neck, leaving the collarbone and neck area exposed. Queen Anne necklines are best paired with simple jewelry to accentuate the collarbones and cleavage created by this design.
Scalloped
Scalloped necklines feature curved designs around the shape of the neckline; the scalloped design can be added to many other neckline shapes, such as crew necks, plunging necklines, or scoop necklines.
Scoop
The scoop neckline is similar to the crew neck in shape, but it tends to cut lower on the upper body. Scoop necklines will typically reveal collarbones and some of the décolletage area, and they are often seen on semi-formal clothing or office and workplace attire.
Spaghetti Straps
Spaghetti straps are another design element that can be added to many other necklines. Spaghetti straps are thin straps that hold the garment up and connect it to the rest of the garment. This design is commonly seen with sweetheart, V-neck, and square necklines.
Square
Square necklines have a square shape that typically cuts across the top of the bust and highlights the neck and collarbone area. They are fitting for both larger and smaller busts, and they can be combined with different strap types, such as halter necks and spaghetti straps.
Strapless
Strapless necklines have no straps to hold them up, instead relying on a tighter bodice to hold the garment up. These necklines typically cut across the top of the bust area and go underneath the arms, something that helps the garment stay in place. Most strapless necklines are seen in casual clothing or in semi-casual dresses.
Sweetheart
The sweetheart neckline is commonly strapless, but it may be combined with different types of sleeves or straps depending on the overall design. This design features a neckline that appears much like the top of a heart, with the top rounded shapes covering the top of the bust area and a slight dip in between to highlight cleavage.
Sweetheart necklines are very popular in formal clothing and wedding gowns, but they may also be seen on more casual items too. This design highlights the shoulders, collarbones, and neck.
Turtleneck
Turtlenecks, also known as a high neckline, cover the neck and stop below the chin area. They may be lighter and thinner or feature extra fabric that piles up into layers under the chin. Because of the added warmth that turtlenecks provide, they tend to be a popular choice for winter clothing and are seen on many sweaters or long-sleeved shirts.
U-Shaped
The U-shaped neckline is similar to the scoop neckline, except it doesn’t make its way down toward the bust area as much. The U-shaped neckline tends to stop above the bust area and may show a little bit of cleavage. This neckline is a popular choice for t-shirts or other semi-casual clothing items.
V-Neck
V-necklines are flattering to most figures, and this neckline is created with two lines on the shirt dipping down to create a V shape. Both men’s and women’s fashion feature V-necks, and they may be more modest or have a deeper plunge that shows off more of the bust area.
Which Neckline Is the Best Choice for Me?
Choosing the best neckline for your figure can be confusing, especially when so many options exist. The key to choosing a flattering neckline is keeping in mind your specific body type and looking for a neckline to balance your body. For instance, if you know you have wider hips and more narrow shoulders, you may want a neckline that brings attention to the shoulders and makes them appear broader to balance your overall figure.
In addition to these tips, you should keep in mind that whichever neckline you feel the most comfortable and confident in is the right choice for you. Confidence is one of the key items of fashion, and this is essential to have before more on to more of the nuances of design.
Figuring Out a Flattering Neckline
Figuring out which neckline is the most flattering might seem overwhelming when you first start looking into the many different types of necklines out there. Use our style guide to learn more about popular neckline types and select one that best suits your personal style and your natural body type.
