No Hiding Allowed: My Un-Ode to the Turtleneck

Nov 1, 2021 | Style & Fashion

Written by Meira Schneider-Atik

Myth: Turtlenecks are flattering on most women. 

Truth: Turtlenecks are NOT flattering on most women.

As a girl, my mom would often dress me in turtlenecks but I was never comfortable in them. I didn’t like the sensation around my throat. Later, as an adult, I realized that turtlenecks didn’t like me either―they did NOT flatter me―and I learned why.

The truth is that turtlenecks are not flattering on most women. The neck is a natural vertical line on the body and when it’s showing, it appears longer and visually elongates the torso. A turtleneck just covers it up. 

If a woman has a short neck, the turtleneck eats up what little neck there is and makes her look as if her head is growing straight out from between her shoulders. 

If a woman has a thick neck, the turtleneck adds bulk to an already bulky area and calls attention right there instead of to her face.  

If a woman has saggy skin around the neck or on the jawline, the turtleneck only emphasizes that.    

None of the above issues are necessarily related to weight. You can be at a perfectly healthy weight for your frame and still have any or all of these neck issues. They are not problems in and of themselves. The problem is when we try to hide them. I myself have a short neck plus some extra skin at my jawline. This is why I avoid turtlenecks and any other super-high necklines. It’s also why I pose carefully in photos―the right 

 

pose calls attention to my face and not to my neck or chin.

There are fashion gurus who say that women with larger breasts shouldn’t wear turtlenecks either. I think that it’s more about the neck than the breasts. If a woman has larger breasts but also has a long, slim, firm neck plus a firm, strong jawline, then a turtleneck is a good option. It will elongate the torso and make the breasts appear more proportionate. If the turtleneck is worn as a shell under a V-neck top, it works even better because the V-neck will flatter the breasts that much more while the turtleneck elongates.   

There are a lot of people who say that the turtleneck is a great option for several reasons. 

They say that it’s classic. I say that yes, it is classic, but classic doesn’t necessarily mean flattering. The turtleneck definitely flattered certain actresses and media figures who had the neck and jawline for it and it made them look glamorous. However, if the woman doesn’t have the neck and jawline for it, then the turtleneck will not flatter her no matter how classic it is. 

They say that it visually elongates the torso. I say 

 

that yes, it can, but that’s only true if you have the neck for it. 

They say that it places the color of the top right up to the face. I say that yes, it can, but if the woman doesn’t have the neck for it, attention will be drawn to the neck instead of the face. 

They say that turtlenecks are warm in the winter. I say that yes, this is true, but you can get the same warmth with a winter scarf which you can remove indoors so that your neck isn’t lost.

What if you like the warm and cozy feel of a turtleneck even if it doesn’t flatter you? I suggest a cowl neck. A cowl neck is high in the back, but it drapes in the front and exposes the neck. As long as the rest of the top is fitted, it will flatter the neck, draw attention to the face, and provide a cozy feel. 

If you happen to be blessed with a neck and jawline that look good in turtlenecks and you feel good in them, then go ahead and wear them. But if you’re like most other women and you are not flattered by turtlenecks, don’t waste your wardrobe space on them. Find the necklines that do flatter your uniquely beautiful neck and face and then enjoy how great you look.  

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