Wedding Dress Neckline : Everything You Ever Wanted To Know

Shopping for a wedding dress is more than just showing up at the mall and walking out with the perfect gown – tailor made with your needs in mind. But you already knew that. The details are never ending and dresses come in countless variants making picking your wedding dress neckline very tough.

The obvious first step for any bride-to-be is to understand some, if not all the attributes of a gorgeous wedding dress. It helps to take a step back and go through the basics before you can start looking for your perfect fit. The fabric, style, sleeves and the neckline are some of the imperative specifics you need to go over. Let’s go over one of these now.

The Neckline

Every minute detail adds to the overall look of the dress and brings out the best in you. The neckline is one such dictating factor we need to focus on – depending on your body type, face frame, timing of the wedding etc. A little research can work wonders in helping you narrow down your choices. Here’s a quick guide:

1. V-Neck

The V-necks have been around since forever, but their scope is wider than ever and a lot of designers are playing around with this style. A classic V-neck wedding dress neckline covers the shoulder area and drops in the middle, basically anything that makes a line in the midpoint comes out as a V-shape. This goes with both long sleeves and sleeveless dresses. A deep plunge V-neck started as a prototype at the red carpets, then moved up to runways and now opened a totally different aperture in the wedding cloth line and is a very interesting option to try

Good For: Looks best for apple shaped body type, smaller frames or for brides who do not want too much attention to the bustline. It creates an illusion that makes women look taller, but only downside is, that, it can shrink your chest and might not be a good idea for a smaller bustline.

[Read More: Spring Bridal Collection]

2. Sweetheart

Taking the shape of the top of a heart, this is an enduring design and a hot favourite of many contemporary brides. It draws great attention to the bustline and accentuates at the right places. It makes the neck look longer and not too broad. The sweetheart shape goes very well for strapless, long sleeves or sheer off-shoulder sleeves. A sheer extension to this neckline is a great option as well.

Good For This Body Type: This neckline looks best for banana-body type, hourglass figures with proportionate shoulders. If it’s not one of your strengths, try avoiding this neckline.

3. Strapless Wedding Dress Neckline

This is one wedding dress neckline that is a top priority for most of the brides. It has been a fashion fad for quite sometime and is very elegant choice. It works best with both straight strapless dresses and a square bodice. It exposes the entire shoulder, arms, the chest and fastens at the back.

Good For: This is a great option for pear shaped body type and if you have toned arms, good shoulders, moderate bustline and a flawless collarbone to flaunt. You could probably take a pass if you have larger arms and bustline, because the neck is entirely based on the front of your body and magnifies everything. Also, for women with a smaller bustline, it won’t hold on well and might fall flat.

4. Off-Shoulder Wedding Dress Neckline

It generally is paired with a sweetheart neckline elevating your collarbone and shoulders, extending down from the chest to the arms. It is elastic in nature which allows free movement and flexibility. If you have slightly bigger arms that you want to camouflage or even athletic looking ones, this neckline looks perfect. This Bohemia inspired neckline has been extensively used in the Spring collection and is an excellent fit for summer or beach weddings.

Good For: This is a go-to, for pear-shaped brides, bringing in width near the shoulders. It is a great combination for ball-gown dresses or the ones that balloon up into voluminous skirts.

5. Halter or High Neck

If you have broad shoulders and are looking for a wedding dress neckline that can both be stylish and concealing, this is your best bet. The straps work around the arms moving into a high neck and can tuck away any unwanted bulkiness or attention. This is a more contemporary choice and is generally always sleeveless.

Good For: This style favours brides who have an apple or pear shaped body. Brides with slightly broader shoulders can pull this look with elegance as it compliments their frame. Try avoiding this look if you already have narrow shoulders or a petite frame.

6. Bateau/Boat Neck

Guarded while gently following the collarbone line, it’s circumspection is closer to the shoulder. This will make for an earnest choice if the theme is more traditional or scheduled in a solemn set up. This can be used for both dresses that are both sleeveless or with sleeves. Remember that this generally is good idea if you’re going bare neck.

Good For: This wedding dress neckline can be a good match for pear shaped bodies with smaller bustlines, but can also pop on an hourglass figure. Choose a dress that is not very broad as it flows downwards, one that extends into nice silk ruffles or trains into a slight twirl will make you look taller. However, if you are well endowed this is not for you, there are other options you should probably consider.

7. One Shoulder Wedding Dress Neckline

This is a very contemporary wedding dress neckline design – a good fit for a more modern and outdoorsy setup. As the name suggests, the neckline works with one shoulder either on the left or the right. It gives an asymmetric kind of structure to the design and accentuates the collar bone. You can also combine with a sweetheart neckline or even a “V” to make a unique style statement.

Good For: Women with either banana or pear shaped bodies and with a relatively small bustline can consider this. A mermaid style gown with a lace bodice and silk magnolia skirt looks perfect for spring weddings. You can either go sleeveless or have half or full length sleeves as per your preference. You might want to avoid this if you have square or broad shoulders, since it draws unnecessary attention.

[Read More: Christian Wedding Gowns]

8. Sheer/Illusions Sleeves

The best part about this wedding dress neckline is the number of options you can play around with. It works well with most of the designs like the sweetheart neckline, strapless or even off-shoulder ones. It is like a sheer silhouette that defines and traces the shape of the neck into a silhouette. It is generally made with lace, net or tulle and can also be jazzed up with embellishments, rhinestones, pearls or even intricate appliqué work.

The options are endless and it is a matter of choice. A veil or hair accessory with a tiara and a ball gown skirt will make for a rather splendid ensemble.

Good For: This is one neckline that compliments any body type, so there are no hard and fast rules here.

This guide was made to help brides stay informed, especially when considering made-to-measure gowns. Either way, it is best to understand some of these crucial details before you go meet your designer. It makes the job easier and your designer will definitely be impressed.

Above all, all the very best in your quest for the perfect wedding dress!

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