As we get older, there is a lot of emphasis on our necks. You can put moisturizers on your face, wear high coverage make up, slather on sunscreen, even have plastic surgery but there are two areas in which you cannot hide your age: your hands and your neck.
There are cosmetic procedures that tighten your neck but the skin itself is a struggle to keep wrinkle and spot free. We can't keep getting procedures done every ten or so years and sadly, insurance doesn't cover them anyway.
So let's review clothing necklines and how to use them to enhance your face, your neck and your esteem.
1. There is the turtleneck. A great coverage neckline but living in the South limits our time to wear these.
This neckline hides a myriad of sins and is warm but Spring and Summer (and usually Fall) in the South makes this style impossible to wear year round.
2. Mock turtleneck. For some reason, it receives a lot of mocking (sorry for the pun). I like the mock neck (and so did Steve Jobs) because you don't have all that fabric around your neck and yet it hides wrinkles, spots and sags. Still, you can't really wear them in the Spring or Summer due to being too warm.
3. Boat neck. I love this neckline. It is flattering, provides great coverage and is versatile. Just be sure your bra straps don't show. Young women often wear tops that show their bra straps (I blame Patricia Field who showed a lot of bra, even as a top alternative, on "Sex and the City," but I digress). It is NOT a fashion look, particularly for women "of a certain age." Just wear the right bra underneath.
4. Ballet neck. Although I love this neckline, it does highlight that fatty area at the base of the neck in the back (if you have that... not sure? Look in profile with a mirror to see if you do). It is such a pretty neckline from the front, you might want to wear it and ignore the back. Your choice, of course.
5. V-neck. A great neck for wearing if you don't have a lot of wrinkles, sags or spots on your neck and chest. Happily you can cover those with a great necklace to distract from your negatives. And this neckline looks great under a jacket or sweater.
6. Crew neck. The most common neck and a great all season one that provides coverage but still looks flattering. It is available everywhere and is a great option for us.
7. Collared neck. A great neckline for all occasions and one that can be dressed up with jewelry or scarves with the greatest of ease.
8. Jeweled neck. Just a beautiful way to have your top and jewelry in one piece.
9. Funnel neck. Fun to wear but one that constantly needs adjusting if you move around a lot.
10. Mandarin neck. This neckline always reminds me of The Beatles, somehow. And it still is stylish to wear and provides a lot of nice coverage as well.
11. Scoop neck. This one can be tricky for us but it certainly is pretty.
12. Bow neck. A beautiful look to highlight your face and smile and it provides great coverage.
Again, these are just suggestions to look at, try on when you're shopping and consider for your wardrobe...You need to wear what you are comfortable in and what looks best on you. You certainly can see that you have a lot of options. And when you add in the fabric choices, prints or solids, clothing bottoms (skirts, jeans, slacks, suits), your head could begin to spin. I don't mean to add to your dilemma of covering your neck but I want you to know that you are not alone and you can wear anything that suits you.
Nora Ephron wrote a great book,
"I Feel Bad About My Neck" for the same reason I wrote this post...we age, we get stringy, stretchy and splotchy. But hold your head up, stick your neck out, and walk proudly knowing that this is going to happen to everyone eventually...male and female. It's how you care for others that shows how you care about yourself.
She also stated:
“I look as young as a person can look given how old I am.” I say, A-men.
Until next week, I remain,
Stylistically yours,
Sooz
On the Converse website, they go for $80. I got them for only $24.99, minus the 10% senior discount. So much fun to wear (but they're not as comfy as my Skechers Go-Walks!).