What’s the allure of narrow shoulders? Perhaps it’s the constant media bombardment of images referencing the “perfect body type” which we are always on the receiving end of. I, for one, think that broad-shouldered women look striking, powerful AND sexy. But if you think are looking to make your shoulders appear slimmer anyway, here are some quick and easy tips…
1. Wear flared lowers rather than ones which are cut straight
Because of the extra volume they add, flared skirts, jeans or trousers have the ability to draw attention to the bottom half of your body than to the top, where the shoulders you are looking to narrow, are. On the other hand, lower-body outfits which are cut straight, like a pencil skirt or skinny jeans will only make your shoulders appear broader, so avoid them.
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2. Choose your tops in darker colours and your bottoms in lighter colours
Darker colours have a more slimming effect than lighter colours, so a dark- coloured top will help make your shoulders appear narrower. Also, pairing it with lighter-coloured bottoms will add to the contrast – creating the illusion of a darkened top even further, and make your shoulders appear even slimmer.
3. Wear diagonally-cut sleeves like raglan sleeves and kimono sleeves
Diagonal lines can soften the shoulders, and are a key element of the classic raglan and kimono sleeves. Raglan sleeves have a diagonal seam from the armhole to the collarbone, whereas kimono sleeves are wide from the armhole and flare out to the wrist or elbow – both of which help de-emphasise the shoulders, thus making them appear narrower.
Also-read: 7 Styling Tricks To Make Your Arms Look Slimmer!
4. Say no to puffy sleeves
Puffy sleeves are your enemy if you’re looking to create narrow shoulders, because they both add volume and draw focus to the shoulder area. So avoid them!
5. Use minimal collars
Exaggerated collars will only work to emphasise your shoulders by drawing attention of the eye towards them. So opt for smaller more discrete collars – they will make your shoulders appear narrower.
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6. Avoid tops and jackets with shoulder pads
Outfits with shoulder pads add a ton of extra volume to your shoulder area, so avoid them like the plague if you are looking to manufacture a narrow shoulders silhouette for yourself.
7. Wear your hair loose
A voluminous hairstyle will balance the breadth of your shoulders against your face and the rest of your body, and make them look slimmer. If you’ve got long hair, wearing it loose is even better, as it will hide a lot of your shoulders – so hey, they’ll look narrower!
Also read: 8 Fashion Choices That Make Everyone Look Slimmer! (YAY!!)
8. Ditch outfits with embellishments in the neck and shoulder area
Clothing with embellishments in the neck and shoulder area will draw focus to the upper part of your body, and will make your shoulders looks way larger than they are. So if you are looking for the narrow shoulders effect, go for a look with less detailing in the neck or shoulder area.
9. Say yes to a long necklace, but no to heavy neckwear
Putting on a long necklace will create a vertical line in your look, which will draw the eye vertically, adding the illusion of height to your look. This will help balance out the breadth of your shoulders, thus making them appear narrower. But do avoid heavy jewelry worn close to the next, because that will only serve to, once again, draw focus to your shoulders, which will make them look broader.
Images: Shutterstock
