Neckline

Miscellaneous Definitions — accessories, trims, tools and general fashion terms from Apparel Search

The neckline is the top edge of a garment that surrounds the neck. The neckline is primarily a style line, but it can also be a boundary for shaping — for example cowls, darts or pleats — and it governs how a garment frames the face, how it goes over the head, and how formal or informal the whole garment reads at a glance. Because it sits at the border between clothing and wearer, small changes in neckline shape produce large changes in character.

  The neckline is the top edge of a garment that surrounds the neck.

The neckline is primarily a style line, but it can also be a boundary for shaping, e.g., cowls, darts or pleats, similar to the waistline.

Types of necklines

Necklines can be grouped into categories according to their shape and where they cut across the body:

wrap around the neck itself. Also called turtlenecks.
pass around the base of the neck on all sides. Also called the T-shirt neckline.
have a curved U shape, where the arms of the U pass over the shoulders. Scoop necklines can be demure or plunging, depending on the depth of the U.
are necklines with a broad opening, but which pass nearly horizontally across the figure near the collarbones. Also called bateau necklines or Sabrina necklines.
are similar to boat necklines in that they generally cut across the figure nearly horizontally, but significantly lower, below the shoulders and collar bone. Such neckline usually pass over the arms but, in the strapless neckline, may pass under the arms. These necklines accentuate the shoulders and neck of the wearer.
asymmetrical linear necklines that cut across the torso diagonally, usually from one shoulder to under the other arm.
feature a high neck with deep, raglan-type armholes or else two straps from the bodice that meet at the back of the neck. In both cases, they form diagonal lines that converge inwards to the neck from the sides. Although such necklines reveal a lot of shoulder, their convergence makes the shoulders seem smaller. Halter necklines can have a horizontal bottom edge, or their two side edges can meet in a V.
are formed by two diagonal lines from the shoulder that meet on the chest. These necklines can be demure or plunging, depending on the depth of the V. The surplice version of this neckline (known as a portrait neckline) is a pretty alternative. The V may also be truncated by a small bottom edge, forming a trapezoid.
are characterized by three linear edges, the bottom edge meeting the side edges at right angles. The bottom edge cuts across the figure horizontally and the side edges pass over the shoulders. A special case of this is the slot neckline, in which the side edges are very close (roughly the width of the collar-bone points), forming a narrow slot.
has a curved bottom edge that is concave down and usually doubly scalloped to resemble the top half of a heart. The side edges often converge on the neck, similar to halter necklines. Sweetheart necklines are good for accentuating the bosom.
are akin to halter necklines, but the converging diagonal lines meet in front of the neck, forming a "keyhole". More generally, a neckline that features a central hole, usually just below the collar bones. These necklines are seen infrequently.

Learn more about the many different types of necklines in our fashion industry terminology section.

Turtle Neck

Moc Turtle Neck

Modifications of necklines

The shape of a necklines can be modified in many ways, e.g., by adding a collar or scarf, overlaying it with a gauzy material or decorating the edges with scallops, picots or ruffles. The neckline can be a sharp edge of fabric or a more gentle cowl, and can also be accentuated by pattern(s) in the fabric itself.

Ruffs were popular in the Elizabethan era.

Shop for clothing by neckline types.

Shirt Necklines

T-shirt Necklines

Sweater Necklines

Ball Gown Necklines

Choice of a neckline

The neckline can frame the shoulders, neck and face, and change their apparent width, height and angularity. It is generally advised that the neckline shape be chosen to balance the wearer's natural features. Thus, a face with round curves is well-framed by an angular (linear) neckline and collar, whereas an angular face is softened with curves. Similarly, a short neck and face will appear lengthened by necklines with strong vertical (or nearly vertical) lines, such as a plunging V neckline (or a long knotted scarf or necklace); conversely, high necklines such as the jewel or turtleneck types balance long faces. Broad shoulders can seem more narrow with style lines that converge inwards (e.g., the halter neckline), whereas pear-shaped figures can be balanced by diverging or horizontal lines, e.g., an off-the-shoulder or boat neckline.

The designer should also consider the amount of décolletage the wearer would like and whether the visibility of undergarments (such as bra straps) is relevant. These factors may influence the depth and width of the neckline, respectively.

Shirt Categories

Tailor

Hemline

Clothing Definitions

The above article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/neckline).  10/6/06  Above article modified by Apparel Search
Fashion Industry

The Edge Closest to the Face

Of all a garment's edges, the neckline works in the most sensitive territory. It borders the face, and the eye of anyone looking at the wearer reads the neckline and the face together, as one composition. A high, close neckline crops the composition tightly and reads as covered, formal or warm; a deep or wide neckline opens it, lengthening the visible line of the neck and shifting the garment toward evening, summer or sport. Designers exploit this leverage constantly: the same dress body with a jewel neckline, a V-neckline and a square neckline becomes three different garments in character, while the skirt below stays identical. The neckline is therefore described as primarily a style line — its first job is expression, and its named shapes are a core vocabulary of fashion design.

The named shapes repay learning because they recur across every category of dress. The jewel neckline is round and close, sitting at the neck's base. The scoop drops the round line lower and wider. The V-neckline angles to a point, echoing the lapels of the jackets it often sits under. The square neckline cuts its opening in straight lines that suit structured and historical styles. The boat neckline runs wide from shoulder to shoulder in a shallow curve. The sweetheart neckline curves like the top of a heart over the bust. Halter, off-shoulder, one-shoulder, keyhole, cowl and surplice forms extend the family, and collars — turtleneck, mock neck, crew and shirt collars — are the neckline's raised and structured branch.

Style Line and Shaping Boundary

The definition's second clause is the technical one: a neckline can also be a boundary for shaping. A flat piece of cloth cannot pass over the shoulders and settle around the neck's curve without help, and the neckline edge is where that help is organized. Darts can take up fullness at the neckline; pleats can release it; a cowl turns the neckline into draped folds that create their own shaping. In knitted garments the neckline is shaped by binding off and decreasing stitches in a calculated curve — the reason a hand-knitted neckband is a small feat of arithmetic — and in woven garments the edge must be finished against stretching, with facings, binding, ribbing or a collar, because a neckline that grows with wear ruins the garment's fit at its most visible point.

Practicality closes the design loop: unless a garment opens with buttons, a zipper or a placket, its neckline must stretch or measure wide enough to pass over the head, and the wearer's comfort at the throat — neither choking nor gaping — is judged within the first seconds of trying a garment on. Neckline, waistline and hemline together form the three style lines by which a garment's design is summarized, and the neckline is the one that frames the person rather than the cloth.

Common Questions

What is a neckline?

The neckline is the top edge of a garment that surrounds the neck. It is primarily a style line, but it can also be a boundary for shaping, such as cowls, darts or pleats.

What are common neckline shapes?

Common shapes include the round jewel neckline that sits at the base of the neck, the deeper scoop, the V-neckline, the square neckline, the wide boat neckline, the curved sweetheart neckline, and high forms such as turtleneck and mock neck.

Why does neckline shape matter in garment design?

The neckline frames the face and sets the garment's formality and proportions. It also has a practical role: the opening must be large enough, or open with fastenings, for the garment to pass over the head.

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