Which necklines are most flattering after 50?

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By Renata Hellier | Global Fashion Stylist Journal

“Cover up after fifty” usually means close the door on your face. I say the opposite. Your neckline is the frame around the most expressive part of you: your eyes, your smile, the collarbone you have carried through every chapter of your life. Choose that frame with intention and the whole outfit follows.

Here in Milan, the women who look most at ease are not following an age rule. They know their shape and choose the neckline that serves it, then let the jewellery finish the line.

Start with the chart below, find your shape, then read your section. Not sure which shape you are? Take the body-shape quiz first; it takes two minutes.

What your neckline does for your shape

Your neckline sets the proportions of your whole upper body. Here is what it does for each shape, and what to reach for tomorrow morning.

Apple

• Choose a deep V or open neckline. A V-neck or wrap draws one long line from your face to your waist and opens the décolletage you want people to see.
• Wear a long necklace down the centre. A long pendant or Y-necklace that follows the V keeps the eye moving up and down rather than across the middle.
• Pass on high, clingy necks. Tight roll-necks and crew necks in thin jersey shorten the torso; if you love a roll-neck, wear it under an open blazer.

Pear

• Go wide and bright at the top. Boat necks and true off-shoulder bardot necklines broaden the shoulder line to balance fuller hips.
• Let the neckline be embellished. Beading, a printed collar or a statement blouse ending at the high hip makes the upper body the hero.
• Statement earrings or a printed scarf. Bold earrings or a colourful silk scarf knotted at the neck bring the eye straight up to your face.

Hourglass

• Fitted V, wrap or sweetheart. These follow your bust and point the eye to your waist; a high, boxy neck adds bulk.
• Keep the neckline and waist talking. Finish the top at the waist or wrap it, so the neckline leads down to a defined waist.
• Statement earrings, light necklace. Let earrings carry the drama; a short pendant sits neatly in a sweetheart or V.

Ruler

• Sweetheart and halter shapes. Curved and angled necklines add softness and dimension to a straight frame.
• Layer the necklaces. Two or three fine chains at different lengths add texture where the cut is straight.
• Pair it with a waist. A sweetheart top with a belt or peplum below creates a full curve from neck to hip.

Inverted Triangle

• Soft V-necks and halters. Both draw the eye inward from the shoulder and soften a strong upper line.
• Skip boat necks and shoulder trims. Wide necklines, puff sleeves and embellished shoulders add width where you already have it.
• Long layered necklaces, worn vertically. Long jewellery creates a vertical line; keep scarves long and hanging, not wrapped wide.

How to wear it

• Do the lean-forward test. Lean in as if you are listening across a dinner table. If the neckline opens further than you would like, choose a firmer fabric or a higher V.
• Match the necklace to the neckline. A V wants a necklace that follows it, such as a Y-necklace or long pendant. A boat neck wants nothing at the throat, so let your earrings speak. A wrap is already a line, so keep it to drop earrings.
• One statement near the face. Bold earrings or a striking necklace, rarely both. Two statements at the neck compete for the same spotlight.
• Let silk do the softening. A printed silk square knotted at the base of the neck brings colour and movement upward, which is exactly where a Pear wants the eye. Apple and Inverted Triangle: tie it long so it hangs in a vertical line.
• Honour the afternoon. If a neckline looks beautiful in the photograph but irritates you by four o’clock, honour the afternoon. Comfort is part of elegance when the day is long.

The neckline edit

Three necklines and three finishing pieces, each with a job.

Shop the necklines

Prices shown at the time of writing; check LTK for today’s price and availability.

Read next

• Which sleeve lengths and necklines work best after 50?
• Which colours can flatter me after menopause?

Your neckline is not something to apologise for. It is the frame around your face, your voice and your presence. Choose the frame that honours your shape, finish it with intention, and let people see you.