As we want people to look at our faces before they start perusing any of our other assets it is fair to say that the shoulders are right up there with our faces and what people will notice very quickly. Depending upon your own personal preference you will either love, hate or be ambivalent about your shoulders. Yet once I was asked if I found them too prominent? It just shows that we all take in all of our own features differently.
I must say that is why, as an Image Consultant, I don’t automatically assume that a person will love or loathe any part of their body. It is up to my client to tell me how they feel. It’s a bit like a bank teller laughing when I said my middle name. He won’t do that again. For the record it is Edwina and I love it. I’m named after my father (his middle name was Edward) and a dear friend of my parents. By the way, I really do like my shoulders. Never assume, poke fun or make any derogatory comment about a person’s appearance. Now compliments, you can dish them out as hard and as fast as you want.
So let’s talk shoulders.
Play up:

To play up and bring attention to your shoulders use the following techniques
- Wear tops with shoulder detail i.e. epaulets, decoration and detail
- Boat neck tops
- Square necklines
- Long earrings
- Open shoulder tops
- Set in sleeves
- Shoulder pads
- Structured jackets
- Strapless dresses
- Halter neck tops and dresses
- Peaked and puffed sleeves
- Yoked jackets and tops
- Neck draped jumper and scarves
For further information on what NOT to do, look at the images for playing down your shoulders.
Play Down:
To play down and reduce the apparent squareness or size of your shoulders you can use the following techniques
- Wear Batwing or raglan sleeves
- Dropped sleeves
- Wraps over your shoulders
- Swing jackets
- Sweetheart necklines
- Capped sleeve
- Gathered necklines
- Long hair worn down
- If you are tall enough, create a shoe or handbag feature focus
- Bangles
- Prints and fuller skirts below your waist
For further information on what NOT to do, look at the images for playing up your shoulders.
If you’d like to know more about what suits you personally you can download any of the books in the Style in 7 Series. This post comes from the Everywoman’s Guide to Dressing Your assets.