The right neckline can do more than just make an outfit look pretty. It can elongate your neck, balance your proportions, soften sharper features or beautifully frame your face.
With celebrities constantly experimenting with everything from plunging halters to sculptural one-shoulder styles, there’s plenty of inspiration to steal. The trick? Pick a neckline that works with your natural features instead of fighting them.
Here’s your cheat sheet to finding the most flattering neckline for your neck and face shape.
Square Neck -- For long necks and softer faces
IMAGE: The straight, structured lines of a square neckline beautifully balance softer facial features while drawing attention to the collarbones.
If you have a longer neck, this is a particularly flattering choice because the horizontal line creates a visual balance.
Nagma Mirajkar’s romantic puff-sleeved dress proves that the result can be equal parts feminine and flattering.
Photograph: Kind courtesy Nagma Mirajkar/Instagram
If you have a longer neck, this is a particularly flattering choice because the horizontal line creates a visual balance.
Nagma Mirajkar’s romantic puff-sleeved dress proves that the result can be equal parts feminine and flattering.
Photograph: Kind courtesy Nagma Mirajkar/Instagram
Halter Neck -- For shorter necks and oval faces
IMAGE: A halter neckline naturally draws the eye upwards and creates the illusion of a longer, more defined neck.
It works especially well on oval faces, where the strong lines around the neckline add a little structure.
Nitibha Kaul’s plunging halter proves this doesn’t have to mean sporty either.
Photograph: Kind courtesy Nitabha Kaul/Instagram
It works especially well on oval faces, where the strong lines around the neckline add a little structure.
Nitibha Kaul’s plunging halter proves this doesn’t have to mean sporty either.
Photograph: Kind courtesy Nitabha Kaul/Instagram
Cowl Neck -- For longer necks and angular faces
IMAGE: The soft, draped folds of a cowl neckline add volume around the chest while creating a beautiful contrast against sharper facial features.
If you have an angular face or a longer neck, that extra softness can create balance.
Aashna Shroff’s beaded version takes the effect from subtle to statement.
Photograph: Kind courtesy Aashna Shroff/Instagram
If you have an angular face or a longer neck, that extra softness can create balance.
Aashna Shroff’s beaded version takes the effect from subtle to statement.
Photograph: Kind courtesy Aashna Shroff/Instagram
Sweetheart neck -- For shorter necks and strong jawlines
IMAGE: The curved, plunging shape of a sweetheart neckline opens up the decolletage and creates the illusion of length, making it a great option for shorter necks.
It also beautifully softens stronger jawlines by introducing rounded, feminine lines.
Rakul Preet Singh’s embellished choli shows exactly how glamorous the effect can be.
Photograph: Kind courtesy Rakul Preet Singh/Instagram
It also beautifully softens stronger jawlines by introducing rounded, feminine lines.
Rakul Preet Singh’s embellished choli shows exactly how glamorous the effect can be.
Photograph: Kind courtesy Rakul Preet Singh/Instagram
Scoop Neck -- For longer faces and longer necks
IMAGE: A scoop neckline creates a soft horizontal curve across the chest, adding width and balancing longer facial proportions.
It’s also a lovely choice if you have a long neck and want to create a little more visual fullness around the neckline.
Shehnaaz Gill’s ornate gold-trimmed version turns a simple scoop into the star of the outfit.
Photograph: Kind courtesy Shehnaaz Gill/Instagram
It’s also a lovely choice if you have a long neck and want to create a little more visual fullness around the neckline.
Shehnaaz Gill’s ornate gold-trimmed version turns a simple scoop into the star of the outfit.
Photograph: Kind courtesy Shehnaaz Gill/Instagram
Off-Shoulder -- For long necks and narrow faces
IMAGE: Want to show off those collarbones? An off-shoulder neckline puts them front and centre while creating a strong horizontal line across the shoulders.
That makes it especially flattering for longer necks and narrower faces, adding width and balancing the overall look.
Krithi Shetty’s sculptural wrap detail makes the effect even more striking.
Photograph: Kind courtesy Krithi Shetty/Instagram
That makes it especially flattering for longer necks and narrower faces, adding width and balancing the overall look.
Krithi Shetty’s sculptural wrap detail makes the effect even more striking.
Photograph: Kind courtesy Krithi Shetty/Instagram
One-Shoulder -- For balanced features and oval faces
IMAGE: A one-shoulder neckline is basically fashion’s answer to ‘Why be symmetrical'?
The diagonal line creates visual movement and draws attention upwards, making it particularly flattering on balanced or oval face shapes.
Tamannaah Bhatia’s dramatic tuxedo-style lapel takes the asymmetric look to another level.
Photograph: Kind courtesy Tamannaah Bhatia/Instagram
The diagonal line creates visual movement and draws attention upwards, making it particularly flattering on balanced or oval face shapes.
Tamannaah Bhatia’s dramatic tuxedo-style lapel takes the asymmetric look to another level.
Photograph: Kind courtesy Tamannaah Bhatia/Instagram
Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff
