Mainly an excuse to share more pictures with you, I will also use this post to illustrate a basic “personal best” what-to-wear principle:
The best neckline shape to flatter your face is roughly the shape of your jaw
This seems like it should be obvious, but we miss it because most advice is from the paradigm of what flatters the figure rather than the face.
(Read more back here, where I explain the basics of how deep the neckline should be. And see dcrmom model several different t-shirt necklines, noting the lines they emphasize in her face, in this fashion lab.)
In the pictures of me at the Torri d’Europa, Karen noticed my square jaw. Which totally explains why I long for square necklines and despise v-necks. Yet I was wearing a v-neck in the picture. Ugh! I should just get rid of that top!
(Oh, and one more link, and one more thing I did wrong: combining colors in layered necklines.)
But then I found a headless pic that I had overlooked, one in which I was wearing the offending tee but cleverly combined so as to form a (rounded) square neckline.
What do you think? (Click on the pic to see it bigger.)
You are so right. I have a pointy chin and V-necks feel and look most becoming.
Wow, I don’t think I would have ever thought of that. Of course I had to run to the mirror to see what my jaw looks like. I think my face is a basic oval, sort of, and I like v-necks and crew necks that are not too low. I tend to think of how my neckline relates to my bust more than anything else. I’d like to see more photos of you in square necks!
I’d like to have more pictures of me in square necks. I’d like to have more square necks! The past several years it’s been tough to find anything but vees. As you saw pictured here, I need to resist the temptation to wear that which looks good on others, but merely mediocre on me.
So do you consider how the neckline shape relates to the bust? With my figure type, that wouldn’t naturally occur to me, but I’m sure I’ve heard others say that too. Measuring the depth of the neckline is really helpful; the truth is when the neckline is at one of the balance points, attention is directed to the face. Conversely, whenever the neckline is out of balance, attention is drawn to the bust. Here’s a post that explains how to find your balance points: https://betweenmypeers.com/2007/05/10/choosing-necklines/
I’m not very technical, but based on the What not to Wear Trinny & Susannah, I try to follow their advice. I have a very small chest, so I can wear turtlenecks and crew necks. I do wear v-s and I love them, but they are not low v-s. I like boat necks too. I can’t wear anything with a low neckline. Whereas women with large chests can wear lower necklines, deep scoops, v-s and squares.
I’ve been seeing at least a few squares out there. I tried on a maternity top with a square neck but it didn’t give enough coverage.
Yes, I think it’s getting easier to find square necks out there now. And I also like scoops of a not too deep variety. I just need to go shopping. 🙂
Yay for travel pics!!!