Check out previous posts in the Dressing your Body Series: Intro to Body Types, Intro to Body Proportions. You’ll learn how to assess your body’s specific proportions and choose figure flattering clothes.
Neck length is one of the body proportions to take into consideration when creating an outfit. Specifically, neck length, clothing necklines, scarves, necklaces, earrings, and hairstyles all work together to create a look. Below I’ll outline how this works.
For the purpose of classifying neck length, I think in terms of long, regular and short. Most people have average sized necks so if you’ve never really thought about your neck or noticed it being short or long, it is probably regular length. There isn’t an exact science to determining your category. It’s a “know it when you see it” type measurement! I find it helpful to look from the side view at a person’s neck. At that angle you can more clearly determine if it’s long, short, or regular length.
Let’s look at each length and how necklines, hairstyles, and accessories are affected:
Short |
Regular
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Long |
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High Necklines – Turtlenecks, high collared dresses/shirts | Can be difficult to pull off as it will make short necks look even shorter. | Go for it but be mindful of hairstyle and accessories. Might want to wear hair up. | Turtlenecks, collars, and sheaths with high cuts look gorgeous with long necks. Magazines have countless photos of models in these exaggerated styles because the effect is stunning. Why waste such a great silhouette? Stock up on high cut blouses, dresses, and jackets! |
Low Necklines | Low necklines are a great option. Look for v-neck and scoop tops/dresses. By showing more skin you’ll visually elongate your neck. | Just like women with shorter necks, you’ll look great in low necklines. | Be careful not to end up with an awkward, gawky look. You may not want to put your hair up as it will further elongate your neck. A statement necklace can balance out your proportions or dramatic earrings. |
Short hair or wearing hair up | By having short hair or pulling your hair back, you can expose more of your neck and potentially make it look longer. | Great idea! Consider wearing your hair up to show off your neck. | Short hair or pulled up hair will make your neck look longer because of the exposed skin. Be careful pairing short hair with a low neckline as it can over-accentuate a long neck. |
Scarves or large necklaces | When wearing large necklaces, choose ones with thin chains around the neck area. This will reduce bulk around your neck. Wear scarves at a lower stance so some of your neck is exposed. | Women with regular length necks will want follow similar guidelines as short necked woman, especially if you’re petite/small framed. Scarves and large necklaces can easily look overwhelming. | Women with long necks can pull off neck scarves and bulky scarves gracefully. No bunching around the collar, no feeling overwhelmed with the material. Make use of those scarves, long-necked ladies! |
Long
Long necks are associated with sophistication and elegance but with the wrong neckline or accessories a long neck can look gawky and awkward. Below you’ll see Lisa Kudrow, blessed with a long neck, in varying necklines from very low (left), low (middle), high (right). The height of the neckline affects how her neck appears. Which do you prefer?
Regular
Women with regular length neck can wear an assortment of necklines, hairstyles and accessories in a flattering way by keeping in mind that short hair/hair worn up and low necklines elongated the neck while high necklines and scarves/large necklaces make it appear shorter.
Kim Kardashian is an example of a regularly sized neck. Here she is in different necklines. You’ll notice that she puts her hair up when wearing the very high neckline (left). Do you have preference among the 3 necklines?
Short
If you have a shorter neck, low necklines will help make it look longer. You’ll see this below with examples of Rachael Ray in different shirts:
Can you see how accessories, hair, and neckline affect how long their neck appears? Which necklines do you prefer on Lisa, Kim, and Rachael?