Dare to bare

Priyanka Chopra and Sonam Kapoor have always been the most inspiring fashionistas. There are hardly women who can claim that they have not taken style inspirations from these two icons. However, recently, both the women were on the receiving end of trolling for what they wore!

First it was Priyanka Chopra at the Grammys in her Ralph and Russo number with a daring neckline and now Sonam Kapoor's black dress at the premiere of Malang, the troll brigade is suddenly irked by cleavages. Surprisingly, risqué necklines are hardly a new development and so the selective outrage seems odd, but all of the moral-policing and slut-shaming aside, it has also made us give some thought about the  same. Stylistically speaking is there a point where it gets tacky or unflattering? What are the right ways to style a risqué neckline?

According to stylist Meghana Alluri, it is about knowing the body structure. “Know your body type and structure. When people blindly follow trends without understanding what suits them, things can go wrong. Go for multiple trials and see what works for you,”she advises.

While body type is an important thing to keep in mind when going for this strong style, there are other factors  as well. Stylist Karan Sethi recommends taking the fabric  into consideration as well.  “When you are going for a plunging neckline, it is important to ensure that the fabric is not too stiff like it was in Priyanka Chopra’s case. In comparison, Jennifer Lopez’s famous Versace dress with the same neckline worked because the fabric was light and flowy,” he says. Karan also advises to go sans accessories with such necklines to not pull the focus away from the statement.

While, deep necklines have always been around, these days, it seems, more and more women are building up the confidence to give this a shot. Nidhi Sharma, a stylist, explains, “Surprisingly, women above 40 are opting for daring necklines more and more now. It has to do with the fitness wave. When you work so hard to get the perfect body, why not flaunt it.”

When asked her tips for carrying the risqué silhouette, she answers, “It is a very strong style statement and it is absolutely important that the dress fits you like a glove. Drooping shoulder or wrong placement of can ruin the whole effect. Generally, it looks more flattering on women with strong shoulders and if you want to give it a shot go for wrap dresses or jumpsuits with plunging necklines as they look really classy.”