How an Off the Shoulder Top Will Make Anyone Look Amazing

 Carolyn J. Braden • 3 Minute Read 

How an Off the Shoulder Top Will Make Anyone Look Amazing

I bought an off the shoulder dress a long while ago and never wore it. I loved the dress, but couldn’t figure out how to wear it since I have to wear a bra. I set it aside, knowing I’d figure it out at some point, and after watching many episodes of Emily In Paris (the costumers loved putting the actors in gorgeous off the shoulder tops), I pulled it back out and did some research.

I LOVE this off the shoulder top from Temu

I learned what to wear under an off the shoulder top or dress and now I love them. I also know they flatter all body types and ages. Read on to learn how an off the shoulder style will make you look amazing.

This look is inspired by “Bad Sandy” from the movie Grease

History of the Off the Shoulder Top

Off the shoulder tops and dresses (also referred to as “cold shoulder”) have been “a thing” since the early to mid-1800s. Then, Brigitte Bardot started wearing them again in the 1960’s and they started sticking around in the fashion world permanently. Read more about the history of “The Bardot Trend” here.

This off the shoulder top is very comfortable

Why Will an Off the Shoulder Top Look Good on Me?

I think off the shoulder tops and dresses have a bit of youthful charm and a lot of style. Brigitte Bardot (a Paris, France born woman) wore many off the shoulder tops and I was recently inspired by her fashion and her hairstyle. You can see my inspiration for her messy bun in this article.

While off the shoulder tops show a bit of skin, they give off the right amount of skin. Just enough to be a bit sexy without revealing everything. I don’t love sleeveless tops on my body type and never have, but bare shoulders, I love.

This look was inspired by Pebbles Flintstone, as my mom referred to me as “Pebbles” as a kid

I have seen this style worn by many ages (even living among many mature women in Southwest Florida, I see them on the women here all the time!) and I have always thought that the person wearing an off the shoulder style looked beautiful. You can wear them in flowy styles, which allow for a lot of moment, or tighter versions too. Even Kate Middleton has worn this style a lot.

My full “Pebbles” Flintstone inspired look

It does take a bit of work to make this style top work and what I mean by this is many have to think about the undergarments first before purchasing this style. Here’s what I purchased to wear with my off the shoulder tops and dresses.

A matching hair bow for my shirt

Undergarments

I started doing some research on the best bras to wear under an off the shoulder top and landed on two things: a tube top and a strapless bra. I always wear a bra and a tank (usually a bra tank) under my shirts and dresses. I like to layer, because I feel like things lay on me better if I do. My husband taught me this since he always wore an undershirt.

This top is casual and cute

I ordered this Wacoal Women’s Red-Carpet Strapless bra after reading many reviews. I have a larger chest which often times makes many strapless bras sag and fall, leaving me to pull them up all day.

See my black swiss dot off the shoulder look (which is inspired by “Bad Sandy” from the movie Grease) in my 15 second video below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

This one actually stays in place and I don’t have to pull on it at all. I ordered the band in a 32 (like most of my bras and thankfully this brand has A LOT of band and cup sizes) and it was a bit tight when I first put it on, but you need it to be as bras stretch out fairly quickly.

My off the shoulder dress from Target

I also ordered this tube top with a shelf bra lining. This alone would be fine for some chest sizes, but again, due to my larger chest size and loving to layer things, this worked well with my bra.

My Off the Shoulder Tops and Dresses + Discounts

I purchased the green off the shoulder dress you see in this article as well as the black swiss dot off the shoulder top from Temu. If you shop Temu, use my discount code afe55197 at checkout to get 30% off or use my link here. I like an off the shoulder top to be a bit stretchy around the shoulder area so they can be worn comfortably. If I’m wearing one for a full day, I don’t want to be restricted on arm movements.

My Brigitte Bardot inspired look

I purchased the blue dress from Target years ago and didn’t wear it often as I wanted to simply because of not having the right undergarments. Now that I do, I wear it more often. I bought the leopard print off the shoulder top from Amazon.

Sofia Jeans Off the Shoulder Dress Image via Walmart

I believe they can be worn in all seasons, but if you are wanting to wear one with a coat, think about whether your arms can easily glide into a coat with your version.

ZESICA Off the Shoulder Dress Image via Amazon

Here are some more off the shoulder tops and dresses with good reviews that I love from Amazon and Walmart:

If you loved this article, we know you’ll love this one too: Hair Hacks for All Ages and Genders

Carolyn J. (C.J.) Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery, How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.