A guide to wedding dress necklines

9 September 2019

With so many styles, shapes and sizes to choose from, shopping for your dream gown can be a daunting task. A helpful starting point is figuring out which wedding dress neckline suits and best flatters your body type. From there, you can decide whether you want the bottom to fit and flare, A-line, sheath, mermaid or ball gown outwards. However, with so many varieties of necklines it can easily confuse a bride wishing to find her perfect wedding dress. Therefore, the wedding experts at Ash Barton have created this handy guide to help brides navigate and understand different wedding dress necklines.

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Bateau: A bateau neckline is ‘U’ shaped and follows the curve of a bride’s collarbone. For those who want to reimagine the classic silhouette, this is the ideal neckline to be paired with pearl, drop earrings.

Halter: A halter dress has straps that go around the neck and close at the back. Suitable for brides with a bigger bust who need more support or slim brides who wish to emphasize their cleavage, this neckline is versatile and stylish.

High Neck: A high neckline is perfect for brides who want to maintain modesty and a regal look. Whilst this neckline can be similar in appearance to a turtleneck, the high neck term is also used to describe a neckline that reaches up to the bottom of the bride’s neck.

Illusion: Illusion necklines consist of a sheer layer of fabric (usually lace, tulle or net) that extends from the top of the bodice to the neck. It gives the illusion of a strapless neckline but provides more support and coverage around the chest.

Queen Anne: Traditionally, the Queen Anne neckline features a raised back and a partially opened front (this can be in scoop, V-neck or sweetheart style). British’s Queen Anne popularized the look, but it has now made a comeback by combining modesty and modernity.

Square: A square neckline has a straight horizontal bustline that meets with the straps in a 90-degree angle, creating a square shape.

Scoop: This wedding neckline is rounded in the front, creating a ‘U’ shape to highlight the bustline. Depending on how far down the scoop goes, this can be a daring design.

V-Neck: The V-neck neckline is exactly what it sounds like. Instead of scooping down at the front, it dips to create a ‘V’ shape.

Sweetheart: A strapless neckline that resembles the shape of the top of a heart, it is the ideal design for brides who want to accentuate their bust. For bolder, braver brides the centre can plunge down.

Semi Sweetheart: Not as deep plunging as the sweetheart neckline, the semi-sweetheart neckline has the same effect to provide proportional balance to the silhouette whilst emphasizing the romance of the dress.

Off shoulder: Instead of the sleeves and straps resting on the shoulders, they hang off them. Although this is not the perfect neckline for women with broad shoulders, it is very flattering for women wishing to flash some skin or emphasize an intricate haircut.

Straight: A straight neckline is a simple, strapless cut across the dress. A simple but elegant choice for brides looking for a universally flattering neckline

Cowl: Cowl necklines are loose fitting folds around the collar that drapes down around the neckline. Inspired by the fashion of Ancient Greece, cowl necklines produce an ethereal, bridal look.

Plunging: A deep ‘V’ neckline that elongates the neck, shows off your chest and adds sexiness to any wedding dress. This wedding neckline is perfect for brides wishing to be sophisticated but daring with their look.

Jewel: Mimicking that of a necklace, this neckline is rounded and usually sits higher on the collarbone. What’s more, it looks great embellished or without additional jewels.