I had a request from Trish regarding feminine tops to wear if you have broad shoulders and wanted to give her some examples and doing a post on the subject seemed the best way to do it. So thanks for the question Trish and here’s my answer.
As always, if you’re not self conscious about your shoulders wear whatever your want.
If you are self conscious, steer clear of spaghetti straps and strapless tops. They have the effect of broadening your shoulders.
Raglan sleeve with wide v-neck and three quarter sleeves
For broad shoulders this is the ideal shape because of:
- v-neck breaks up the expanse of the shoulder
- The sleeves are three quarter and finish at the waist drawing the eye away from the shoulders
- The raglan sleeve further breaks up the width of the shoulder.
It may be ideal but it’s not exactly feminine and sexy.
So, other options ….
Wider straps and added interest bring focus back to the bodySo … other option
Try something with wider shoulder straps and a bit of interest other than at the shoulder. It may or may not work for you depending on your style and how self conscious you feel.
Deep V with ruffles on neckline
Try a deeper v-neck with some feminine frills to draw the eye away from the width of your shoulders. This particular style would basically draw the eye down into your cleavage.
It has the added benefit of being a clothing classic.
Beware the cap sleeve though as it may make you feel wider.
Ralph Lauren deep v and ruffled neck
This Ralph Lauren top is the same sort of look as above but without the cap sleeve and for a more day wear look.
Angular sleeved tunic
The angular shapes of this tunic are well worth a try to create dramatic shapes and draw the eye quite firmly away from the shoulders and to the waist.
Break up the line of shoulders with wrap
If you really love those spaghetti strap tops then still utilise them but go utilise the power of layering and break up the width of your shoulders at the same time.
An asymmetrical top will do the same
An asymmetric top can work really well for you. It confuses the eye about the actual width of your shoulders and looks sexy and feminine.
A more sophisticated raglan sleeve
Finally this is a beautiful classic style that’s just screams bombshell but the inset sleeves are functional as well breaking up the line of your shoulders. It also opens up your chest so give this one a miss if you have small breasts.
I hope there’s something in there which will help you. The secret to this is really just to be aware of how different shapes of clothing interact with your shape.
