Learn the best neckline for broad shoulders so you can dress with confidence.
What things have people said to you about your broad shoulders?
I’ll go first.
“Are you a swimmer?”
“Were you a gymnast?”
“Is your sister built like you?”
Sometimes these questions bother me because I wish my shoulders were smaller. But I’ve also accepted that they’re what God gave me, so I’ve had to learn how to dress them.
One thing that makes a huge difference is wearing the right neckline. Here are the best and worst necklines for broad shoulders.
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Table of Contents
Three Things to Know
The Best Neckline for Broad Shoulders
Better Necklines for Broad Shoulders
Worst Necklines for Broad Shoulders
Shop Clothes With the Best Necklines for Broad Shoulders
Three Things To Know
Before we get into specific necklines, there are three things you should know about the best neckline for broad shoulders.
1. Bring Attention Inward
The best necklines for broad shoulders will bring the eye inward and down, creating a vertical line that makes your shoulders appear less wide. You want to balance the width of your shoulders by creating a vertical line in the middle of your body.
2. Make Your Necklines Even Better
Combine a flattering neckline with a flattering silhouette. Make sure that your top or dress style also flatters your broad shoulders. Try an A-line dress or wide leg pants to balance your wider shoulders.
3. Wear Necklaces
Necklaces are a great way to add a vertical line to the middle of your chest, as well as attract attention with some visual interest.
The Best Neckline for Broad Shoulders
V-Neck
A V-neck is universally flattering on all body types, but it looks especially good on us ladies with wide shoulders. A V-neck is the best neckline for broad shoulders because it elongates the body by creating a vertical line down the chest.
Better Necklines for Broad Shoulders
While the V-Neck is the best neckline for broad shoulders, here are some other necklines that work well.
U-Neck
The U-Neck is a version of the scoop neck, but it’s deeper and narrower, taking on a “U” shape. It’s similar to the V-Neck because it pulls the eye inward to the center of your chest.
U-necks are better for broad shoulders than scoopnecks because scoopnecks are often quite wide and make a wide chest and broad shoulders look bigger.
Crew Neck
I personally love crew necks because they’re a classic, timeless style. However, they can have a masculine style to them, so it’s important to style them the right way.
To make them more feminine, add jewelry and pair them with a pair of high-waisted pants. Opt for a more fitted, cropped version with a full or half tuck.
Honorable Mention: High Neck
A high neck tank top is great for women who want to show off their broad shoulders. A version of the high neck tank is a halter top, although halter tops can be low cut.
But if you’re self-conscious about your shoulders, a high neck may show a little too much of them.
The Worst Necklines for Broad Shoulders
If you like your broad shoulders, you may like some of these necklines. For example, if you’ve been lifting and have a toned upper body, you may want to show it off in a strapless dress.
However, if you’re looking to minimize how broad your shoulders look, you’ll want to avoid these necklines.
Boatneck
A boatneck is a wide neckline that makes your shoulders appear wider because its horizontal line draws the eye outward.
Strapless
Strapless tops and dresses show the full width of your shoulders.
Off The Shoulder
Off the shoulder necklines have the same problem as boatnecks; their horizontal line draws the eye outward.
Spaghetti Strap
Spaghetti straps are thin and don’t balance the width of your shoulders. If you’re going to wear a tank top or sleeveless dress, make sure the straps are wide.
Shop Clothes With the Best Necklines for Broad Shoulders
Here are some shirts and dresses with the best necklines for broad shoulders.
Shop
Final Thoughts on the Best Necklines for Broad Shoulders
I could’ve been a swimmer or a gymnast. I have the shoulders for it.
Halter/High Neck: The Halter neckline features wide straps that wrap around the back of the neck, or a high neck with deep armholes. Both look best on a broad shoulder bride or taller woman above 5'7″ and above.
Offset your upper body with volume below: wide-leg pants; fuller skirts. Look for details that draw the eye up and down, not across—vee or scoop necks, vertical embellishments, long scarves and necklaces. Choose soft shoulders, raglan sleeves, halters—anything that isn't crisp and squared-off.
If you're small busted and wide shouldered, a sleeveless high neck looks great. It shows off your shoulders and accentuates the bust. Consider a turtleneck the same as a crew neck. Be cautious if you're generous busted, but great for smaller busts.
6. Stay away from boat necks and wide necklines that visually widen the shoulder area. Instead, opt for a narrow V-neck or scoop neckline to elongate the neck and draw the eye inwards. Then add a necklace or some special earrings to attract attention away from the shoulders.
The best way to balance broader shoulders is to make the body appear longer which halter necks do really well. Whenever you style a dress to make the body appear longer, it plays a trick on the eye that means wider areas (like shoulders in this case) look narrower.
V-neck style brings the focus to your neck area and keeps everything in proportion. If you hide your neck by wearing crewnecks and turtlenecks, the focus goes on your arms. Women with thick arms don't want attention on their arms. So, V-neck dresses are the best option for you.
If you're looking for tops that can make your arms appear slimmer, then V Neck Tops are the ideal options. These tops feature a plunging neckline and draw attention away from your arms. The deep neck helps to lengthen the look of your upper body, making it look slim and toned.
Turtlenecks, mock turtlenecks, cowl necks, and higher necklines will also hide your aging neck and decolletage. If you are looking for a stylish and chic look to hide your aging neck, always remember the timeless popped (upturned) collar as another way to look classy.
The Mesomorph Body Type. The mesomorph is somewhere between the round endomorph and the thin ectomorph. Physically, they have the more 'desirable' body, and have: Large head, broad shoulders, and narrow waist (wedge-shaped).
The inverted triangle body shape is characterised by broad shoulders and / or bust that narrow down to the hips. This makes the body appear like an inverted triangle shape.
Now, broad shoulders can be roughly defined as 1.6 times the size of your waist (give or take), so if you have a 36-inch waist, for example, you might want to look for a shirt with chest measurements of 58 inches or larger.
Here's why very thin strap tops work for broad shoulders: The attention shifts to the waist, away from the shoulders. By showcasing threadlike straps, the broad shoulders become less prominent to the eye, allowing the focus to be drawn elsewhere, such as the waist area.
An easy way to tell is you have broad shoulders is to look at your shoulder width relative to the rest of your body's proportions. Take a look at your upper body without a top on, if it looks like your upper body is a well-defined V silhouette then it's likely you would be considered to have broad shoulders.
The right neckline is everything for a broad-shouldered woman. Opt for V-necks, scoop necks, narrow collars and lapels, collarless styles and mandarin collars. Laser cut or mesh bodices prevent unnecessary emphasis on the shoulder too.
Tops without straps are not flattering on a woman with broad shoulders and could make you appear disfigured. They would allow the eyes notice the width of the shoulders and visualize them to be wider than they are.
Straight, Hourglass, Apple, Pear, Inverted Triangle – works for all body types. The deeper, wider neckline draws the eye downward, lengthening the upper body. Small to large bust. Narrow to wide shoulders – for narrow shoulders, go with a wide scoop and for wide shoulders, go with a narrow scoop.
The best neckline for women with a big butt is those that go horizontal on your shoulders because they will create visual balance for your wider hips. The best one is the off-the-shoulder neckline. Because it creates the horizontal line on your shoulder, it magically makes your wide hips look less noticeable.
Wide sleeves and loose cuts that play around the large upper arms and direct the focus to other parts of the body (such as wrists, shoulders or waist) create an extremely flattering look. You can wear any outfit with boleros or cardigans.
Butterfly sleeves are sleeves that are so short that they can pretty much pass off as sleeveless. The idea behind them is that they end up covering your shoulders and the very top of your arms so this way they end up hiding the problem areas and will help make your arms look slimmer.
Use retinol-based neck creams and serums with vitamin C
Experts agree that creams, serums, and lotions containing vitamin C are particularly effective. They act as antioxidants when applied to the skin and shield it against UV damage while increasing the collagen factor.
People with broad shoulders should always opt for a thick pillow. As a thick pillow would help one to minimize the stretch on the neck. The height of the pillow needs to be a little more for the people with broad shoulders so that it can fill the gap between the neck and the shoulders.
Losing weight and letting the waistline slim is one way to get there. There is another way that you may not have fully considered up to this point. This is as simple as increasing the width of your shoulders. Wider shoulders give the appearance of a smaller waist and relatively speaking the waist is smaller.
A study by Cambridge University of more than 700 women found broad shoulders were the most attractive male asset. Why? Not only do big shoulders make you look strong but the wider you are up top, the thinner you appear at the waist, creating that V-shape that drives her wild.
Wide shoulders are usually strong, which can help you with everyday tasks such as lifting heavy objects or playing sports. You'll also be less likely to injure yourself during exercise. Having well-developed shoulders can indicate strength and health since you'll have lots of upper body muscle mass.
Both the Hourglass and Trapezoid are fortunate to naturally have broad shoulders and chest, which means you don't need any of the extra embellishments or construction details like shoulder pads and wide V-necks to strengthen this area.
Diamond. If you have broader hips than shoulders, a narrow bust, and a fuller waistline, you have what's called a diamond body shape. With this type, you may carry a little more weight in your upper legs.
Inverted triangle body shape - Also known as V shape – broad shoulders that are wider than your waist, hips, and legs. Triangle - The famous pear body shape – characterized by having hips and thighs broader than your shoulders with a relatively narrow waist.
Still, based on biacromial measurements taken in years passed and trends observed by researchers, it's probably safe to say that in the United States average shoulder width is at least 16 inches (41 cm) for men and 14 inches (36 cm) for women.
Halter necklines highlight shoulders while moving the eye upward for a balancing effect. This shape can flatter a variety of body types while also making your necklines appear slimmer. These halter necks can make your neck appear longer and thinner.
In general, avoid wearing off-the-shoulder and boat necklines. These style necklines can be tricky to wear when you have broad shoulders, because it can bring too much focus to your shoulder area which can lend to them appearing even broader, creating lack of balance within your body shape.
Avoid rounded necklines with crew or bateau neckline. Depth: Try for lower necklines to create length, so collared shirt that open at the neck creates a great balance for your face shape.
The Mesomorph Body Type. The mesomorph is somewhere between the round endomorph and the thin ectomorph. Physically, they have the more 'desirable' body, and have: Large head, broad shoulders, and narrow waist (wedge-shaped).
BUILD LOWER BODY MUSCLES TO REDUCE THE APPEARANCE OF WIDE SHOULDERS. Building muscle in the lower body will help to equalize the proportions of your overall shape. By strengthening muscles in the hips, legs, and glutes, you'll create a more even look that can make your shoulders appear leaner.
You'll simply want to find one that directs the eye up and down as opposed to straight across. For example, a crop top with soft shoulders (like a halter) or a scoop or V-neck cropped tee is a fab choice. Pair yours with a fuller skirt on bottom and you're ready to hit the town.
If your collarbone is more comprehensive than your waist, you can say that you have broad shoulders. But in terms of bone structure, you must have a narrow pelvis.
Sweetheart necklines are arguably the most universally flattering neckline. For those with curves, it accentuates those curves gorgeously by balancing out the hips and hugging your chest. For those with smaller busts, it gives the illusion of curves without feeling overdone.
Other elements of this outfit promote the idea of a slender body: the long V-neck attracts the eyes vertically, making the silhouette seem longer (and not wider). The long sleeves also give the illusion of a slimmer figure.
Here are a few suggestions: Try collars and necklines such as V-necks, sweetheart necklines and U-necks will give the illusion of a longer, slimmer neck. Accessories can also visually lengthen the neck and make it appear more slender.
Stylists recommend medium-length or longer hair for a round face because it elongates your face shape. Keeping your hair below the chin draws attention away from the jaw line.
A chin-length cut is perfect for slimming your face. Having the longest stands around your face will make your face appear slimmer. Short hair for round chubby faces work well when there is volume and body to visually elongate your face.
Everybody can look great in a V-neck. The key to wearing this classic, versatile neckline is to choose the depth of the V that best fits your bust size. Smaller busts should choose a less dramatic plunge while larger busts should reach for a deeper V to elongate and balance their silhouette.
A study by Cambridge University of more than 700 women found broad shoulders were the most attractive male asset. Why? Not only do big shoulders make you look strong but the wider you are up top, the thinner you appear at the waist, creating that V-shape that drives her wild.
Both the Hourglass and Trapezoid are fortunate to naturally have broad shoulders and chest, which means you don't need any of the extra embellishments or construction details like shoulder pads and wide V-necks to strengthen this area.
Introduction: My name is Frankie Dare, I am a funny, beautiful, proud, fair, pleasant, cheerful, enthusiastic person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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