Forget the crop top. If there’s one body part you should start priming for spring, it’s your shoulders. Celebrities have been popping up on the red carpet with parts of their shoulders peeking out of any number of styles. Look for even more varieties when we head into warmer weather — the trend was also one of the biggest on the runway.
Do It Asymmetrically
The Goop queen almost always gets it right. While she’s dressed for a nice, balmy day outside, you can try this trend out in a simple top or dress. We love the Versus Versace dress for a night out — talk about a classic for years to come! Or, try the Donna Karan Crepe Top as an alternative for evening wear with tuxedo or wide-leg pants. For a more casual take, wear the DKNY with leather leggings and boots or a pair of jeans and sneaks.
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Versus Versace Dress
DKNY Asymmetrical Top
Robert Morris Off-the-Shoulder Asymmetric Crepe Top
Try It in a Sweater Fabric
You might be muttering “Of course Olivia Palermo can make a shoulder-baring sweater chic.” But you can, too! Her outfit is deceptively simple. Splendid’s top looks heavenly with skinny sweats, as does ASOS’s camel version. And if you’re ready to step it up, try the Nasty Gal sweater dress on its own, or try Olivia’s styling trick and order it a little large to go over dress pants.
Splendid Mouline SweaterNasty Gal Tori Ribbed Sweater Dress
ASOS Chunky Knit Sweater
Give the Cold Shoulder
This is the hottest, newest incarnation of showing off your shoulders, so get a head start with some dresses you can wear now with tights and graduate to bare legs in spring. The MSGM dress and Prabal Gurung dress will become instant classics, whereas we could totally see the Topshop blouse and Tamara Mellon blouse layered with a thin black turtleneck during chillier months.
MSGM Panel Dress
Topshop Floral Blouse
Tamara Mellon Cold Shoulder Peasant Blouse
Try the Dropped Sleeve
Cate Blanchett in Proenza Schouler gives us all the feels, especially since it’s such a modern mix: mesh and ruffles in a day dress that can double as edgy evening wear. Yes, we totally know this is a little weird. But it works! You might have seen Carven’s satin dress that became an instant hit. Saylor Alli’s dress will make a great transitional piece into spring, and if you’re totally sold on this trend, go for broke with Johanna Ortiz’s dress. Some even say the designer started the trend when the fashion elite began wearing her resort-forward wear.
Saylor Alli Dress
Johanna Ortiz Red Dress
Carven Satin Twill Dress
Go Straight Across
We love Solange in a bright color! What a stunner. And the undisputed queen of the straight-across top, Amy Smilovic, the designer behind Tibi, shows off-the-shoulder tops aren’t slowing down into the next season. We love Cecilie Cophenhagen’s transitional print that will look just as good with white jeans as with dark denim.
Tibi Plaid Off-the-Shoulder Top
Cecilie Copenhagen Jacquard Scarf Print
Tibi Diffusion Dot Print Dress
Get Casual With It
Who knew? This trend isn’t just for those looking to make a statement for a special occasion. Get casual with H&M’s sweater with a skirt like Chloe’s. An MSGM dress is tight enough to pair under skirts as a bodysuit, and SJYP’s denim dress can be worn now over pants, or in the summertime as a chic cover-up option.
H&M Cold Shoulder Sweater
MSGM Striped Sweater
SJYP Denim Dress
Try a Front-Facing Peek
There are subtle ways to get sexy, and instead of showing off your whole shoulder, why not try a tiny sliver? Bailey 44’s dress takes cutouts to the workplace, and the BCBG top can be dressed up and down as you see fit. Topshop’s lace dress is similar in shade to J.Law’s, so if you’re looking to replicate the star’s white-hot style, it’s a good choice!
Topshop Lace Up Dress
Bailey 44 Hot Dogger Dress
BCBG Cailin Top
