Boat, turtleneck, cowl, keyhole, surplice, scoop, sweetheart, jewel… there are as many necklines as, say, trouser types. There's one for everybody. That way, necklines are also like sunglasses — all shapes don't suit all. V-necks for the head-on—chubby-shoulders types, turtlenecks for giraffe necks, halter necks for the you'd-be-blind-to-miss collarbones… you know, the works.
For Spring/ Summer 2012, the cross-front neck, almost sarong-style, has been a cross-label feature.
In Stefano Pilati's line for Yves Saint Laurent, beautiful silk came in the form of cross-front halter tops that came paired with drainpipe trousers and knee-length dresses, and under silk blouses and swing coats.
Take a bow
Oversized bows came on cross-front peplum tops in a solid colour palette of royal blue and ivory as well as on baby pink dresses.
At Veronique Leroy, too, cross-front halter tops came in a line characterised by a white and beige colour story (with the occasional mauve and orange thrown in). Enlarged zebra stripes, the only print used in the collection, however, walked off with much of the attention.
While cloaks and red eye shadow reigned supreme at Miu Miu by Miuccia Prada, there were also criss-crossed straightjacket dresses that took off from the classic cross fronts.
Keira Knightley's red carpet choices have met with varying degrees of approval and disapproval — from shabby Greco-Roman to glam head-to-toe gold lamé, she doesn't play safe. The dove grey and black Roksanda Ilinic Resort 2012 cross-front number that she wore at the London premiere of A Dangerous Method won hands-down.
It's also a note of warning. If you don't have Ms. Knightley's fine bones, keep it covered.
