Getting bolder with the shoulder

Getting bolder with the shoulder
By Masaba Gupta

So you want to wear that off-shoulder top, but worry about your pudgy arms? Ace designer Masaba Gupta tells you how.

Whoever said that off shoulder style wasn’t for curvy women? No, you don’t need sculpted shoulders and sharp collar bones to be able to pull it off. Just a few twists and tricks will make sure that it works best for your body.

My love affair with the off-shoulder started not so long ago. It was at my engagement last year when I had put on a couple kilos and couldn’t find anything to go with my scuba fishtail skirt. I chanced upon an old black off-shoulder crop that completed the outfit like a dream.

Come 2016, the off-shoulder, from the 1980s, also popularly known as the ‘Bardot’, has become the largest trend from the runway to the streets. However, the trend has been brewing since late 2013 if you take a close look back at some of the works of notable designers.

It helps that the style screams sexy with a pinch of elegance. The off-shoulder is also a style that can easily translate from day to night, from fuss to no-fuss, from easy chic to evening glam. I would even say that the off-shoulder has become the new cleavage.

The style was the top trend from the early to mid-1800s. While today, the focus is on the razor-sharp collarbone, in the early 19th century the off-shoulder emphasised the bottle-shaped neck, a key feature at that time.

The off-shoulder is everywhere: it’s on your Instagram, it’s in your closet, in your friends’ closets, and on your favourite celebrity. But is the offshoulder meant for everyone? Whoever said it wasn’t?

Having said that, it is a tricky silhouette that can make you look frumpy, or make it look as if your hands are trapped or as if your shoulders are more rounded than they actually are.

Aside from the fit, accessories, hairdos and the bottoms you pair it with are also extremely important in making sure the whole look comes together. So here’s what you need to do if you have a little extra bit of arm and shoulder like me to rock the biggest trend this summer.

FIT: When selecting an off-shoulder style, it is important to understand the shape of your shoulders, arms and most importantly, the neck. The top should fit your shoulders and bust perfectly enough so that it’s tight enough to not slide down yet isn’t eating into your skin. If the top is too tight on your chest you may come across looking larger than you are. Pick an offshoulder silhouette that is mostly A-line or a shift.

FABRIC: The best fabrics to do an off-shoulder top — if you are heavy on the chest — is something that doesn’t cling to your body. A slightly thicker material like poplin or scuba sit beautifully. Cut out the flimsy fabrics like georgettes, chiffons etc. The hem of the top should end just below your bust and hang loose, not contouring the body. Don’t shy away from the circular frill, stay away from the gathers.

STYLE: Always pick a style that is narrower and slightly shapely for the bottoms. Anything that adds volume at the bottom would be less flattering and accentuate the problem areas. For example: Cigarette pants/ pencil skirts/ peg trousers.

ACCESSORISE: Statement earrings and chokers which are also the trend for the season are great to accentuate the offshoulder look. If you have a shorter neck, you should pick a choker that sits just above the collar bone to make your neck appear longer. Tassle earrings that skirt the shoulder are a great look. A topknot, one-sided ponytail or centre-parted hair in a low ponytail work well with the off-shoulder too.

PATTERN: When it comes to picking patterns for the off-shoulder, smaller motifs, placement prints on longer silhouettes and pinstripes are best for the shapely woman.

PAIRINGS: When it comes to pairing an off shoulder with desi outfits, feel free to experiment with an off-shoulder sari blouse, to make it younger, quirkier and edgy. If you are wearing a bell sleeve off-shoulder or anything big on the sleeves, make sure the body is fitted. A full sleeved off-shoulder body suit is great with a sari too, especially if the fabric of the sari is slightly bulky.