Necklines As We Age…The Rules Begin to Blur

Readers have asked me to address the issue of necklines, and I personally believe you are asking because as we age the “neckline rules” begin to blur and cannot be used for every woman.  I am wearing my favorite neckline in this photo…the V Neck. I have always liked it beause it opens up my face and plays a role in elongating my overall look…which helps if you want to appear as though you are smaller in size.  However……………………….

The more I advance in age, the more difficult the V Neck becomes.  It is not really my neck that is the problem…it is my wisdom.  That’s right.  My dermatologist says all of the spots I am covered with are wisdom spots…my mother called them moles and apparently they are hereditary.  I have one wise family…covered in wisdom.  It is expensive to remove them for cosmetic reasons…and there are many.  So, many days, I just want them covered….with a scarf…or a shirt with a nice collar…or even a boatneck.  There may be some of you who feel the same about crepey skin around your neck.  Now, I still wear the V Necks…I love it.  And those are the days I am able to not focus on the spots.  Don’t be down on yourself if you have reasons which lead to a different neckline or accessory choice.  Wear what you feel most confident wearing!  Fashion rules have to be looked at personally and evaluated as to what is best for you…sometimes this can happen in a dressing room where you can try on different styles to see what you think.

I have a problem with saying all women should wear a V Neck, because it is the most flattering neckline.  YOU have to decide what is best for you.  If you do not have any of the “age” issues yet, then by all means I would go with a V.  My wonderful blogging friend, Jennifer, proved Monday that great minds think alike and wrote about neckline rules…she presents the overall picture for all body types HERE. Also, let me recommend this pima V- neck long sleeve tee I am wearing from JJill…so soft and fits great.  I am considering getting the green or orange one.

I really like a denim outfit like this for Casual Friday at work or casual weekends.  Because of the buttons on the jacket, I chose to go with a small simple necklace that my husband gave me a few years ago from one of the nicer jewelry stores in San Antonio, Lee Michaels Fine Jewelry.

Good view of my wisdom!  Now, did any of this help those of you asking about necklines?  I just want you to know you have the freedom to be a confident you…and if you don’t feel confident in the V…then make a new plan.  But, by all means,

KEEP SMILING!

Here are some wonderful V-Neck Tops for your consideration and there are some on sale!

29 Comments

  1. This is a great look, I love that top and the jacket. I also tend toward V-necks because they seem to make me appear taller, and like you said, they can make you appear smaller also. To me, they are magic! I have a lot of those wisdom spots also, spent a whole lot of time out in the sun because it was the thing to do when I was young, you know, you HAD to be tan! I don’t mind them and have made my peace with them. That’s certainly not the first thing I noticed in your close-up picture. It was that gorgeous necklace! I also like scoop necks for the same reason as the V-neck. Crew necks tend to make my neck and face appear shorter, and give me an overall chopped up look. Just speaking for myself. Mock necks I can’t do because they emphasize any sign of aging on my neck. I’m glad you addressed this because when I’m shopping, I always consider the overall look based on the neckline. I love J Jill for their comfort factor and simple styles. Their pants are great too, especially now that I’ve moved away from snaps and zippers! I’ll have to check out Jennifer’s post.

  2. Hey Pam! Hope you are on the mend! Thanks for addressing the “neckline issue” for us “Ladies of a certain age”. I too love a v-neck – I think it’s a flattering look…And I too have “wisdom spots”…and crepe-like skin from overdoing the sun-tanning in my younger (and not-so-younger) days! I so admire soft, smooth skin on the decolletage of ladies my age and older – I think “You must never have gotten any sun in your youth!” Thanks for addressing this – love the look you are wearing in the pics!

  3. I really like v-necks as long as they are not too low. It seems like so many are cut really low and I’ve never been comfortable with that. Regarding the “wisdom” spots…my neck is ok but it’s my forearms that bug me. I try to ignore them but it’s tough.

  4. I love V-necks!I like the way they look, but for me they’re just more comfortable. As I get older my inner thermostat is all over the place! When I have my moments of extreme warmth, I can’t stand anything around my neck. I figure a crepey neck or wisdom spots look better than sweating all over the place!

  5. Wisdom spots…I love that!! My chest is covered with them. V necklines are my favorite and I won’t let those spots stop me from wearing it. Of course my love for them is probably why I have so many. The skin on my chest has been exposed to more sun than if I’d favored crew necks.

  6. I believe visual signs of age are just indications of a long life. I’ve traveled a lot of roads and not all of them were paved. I don’t necessarily want to look like it was all a breeze by removing those signs. I also believe clothing styles can help us to look and feel youthful beneath our skin. For the most part I think if we feel good about what we are wearing, we probably look pretty darn good.

  7. I agree with others above. Yay V and scoop necks!When I can’t avoid other necks I try to draw the eyes down with a necklace. Some years ago I had all the skin tags removed and wear sunscreen on my neck and chest. I don’t see me moving away feom these necklines any time soon. You look great in the outfit above Pam!

  8. I love v necklines because they are more flattering to my square face, I don’t worry anymore about the wrinkles or freckles. Your pendant is beautiful. I take a gold and a silver omega when I travel and switch out pendants to coordinate with my outfits. Pendants are great to shop for when traveling as they are easy to take home. Maybe I should take a trip to San Antonio–it’s been a long time…Oh, and Go McArthur High!

  9. I like Karen’s comment about making peace with her wisdom spots. I think that is true for many of us as we age. I am never going to have long legs, & I am no longer able to wear stiletto heels, so I am moving on from there. It is all about feeling confident, & we have so many more options these days. We are all unique & shouldn’t feel like we need to match a cookie cutter image.

  10. I’m not crazy about V necks because I think it draws attention to my neck and the bottom part of my face which is drooping. My favorite neckline is the bateau. It always looks great.

  11. I understand, Brenda. That’s why standard rules really don’t apply as we march forward….some of us may want a different choice! Thanks for joining in.

  12. Well, it’s not that I haven’t made peace with the spots…I just don’t like the way they look some days and I do not feel as confident. We all need the freedom to be our confident best. You are so right, Becky…we have so many great options of necklines and accessories and we can select what is best for each of us.

  13. I wish I could remove all of the wisdom spots….it would be glorious. Just doesn’t make financial sense right now. Thanks Janet.

  14. I agree and I am very much at peace with aging. I just do not like the appearence of my ugly spots and I feel more confident most days covering them. But, as I said, there are other days I just don’t fight them! Thanks Nina!

  15. I understand, Gloria. Some days it is tough…just find a way to look your confident best, no matter what that means to you and go out and have some fun.

  16. Thanks for always being so thoughtful with your comments Karen. I love the V and agree too much coverage can make us look shorter.

  17. I am a V-neck neckline person, too. My neck is showing age, so I should cover it? Except a covered neck makes my warmer. So, I’ll age as gracefully as I can with a crepe-y neck. Comfort wins! I love your outfit, and the neckline looks great on you, too! If your ‘wisdom spots’ bother you, maybe try a little powdered make up cover? It would lighten them down a little more, so not so visible. Or, just go with it!

  18. I know the topic is necklines(!) but can you tell us where you got the navy jacket with the double row of buttons? I love it! It really amps up the look of the entire outfit- makes it look ‘polished- casual’ also love the shoes. Great look, head to toe!

  19. I like a v neck but they are often too low. Worse, I buy the “perfect” one and then it stretches and there it is …cleavage! Teaching in a junior high school and being busty is a real challenge. I so hear you, Pam … we have earned our peace with our bodies, but there are just days when we can’t quite face what to others looks like a minor problem. That’s when our real wisdom – our self-knowledge and creativity – help us be the best we can be. I know this post was just about necklines … but I read you because you are never “just” about necklines. Well said and well done today!

  20. Hi Wendy, the jacket is by Tahari and I found it two years ago at Dillards. It is a great jacket. The shoes are by Rockport. I have also had those for I think a year. But, you might check their website for similar styles…super comfy!

  21. Thanks Linda! When I was teaching, I also had to watch the V necks so carefully…so I understand.

  22. I think it’s all about comfort level. I love vnecks that are not too low but equally love a boatneck top. I’m trying very hard to take care of the neck and chest area, but I’m a side sleeper and it’s causing wrinkles. I will probably keep wearing the neckline I’m most confident and comfortable in on a given day. I love your outfit, the sneakers are so cute!

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