Off the shoulder

The neckline is the top edge of a garment that surrounds the neck, especially from the front view. Neckline also refers to the overall line between all the layers of clothing and the neck and shoulders of a person, ignoring the unseen undergarments.

For each garment worn above the waist, the neckline is primarily a style line and may be a boundary for further shaping of the upper edge of a garment with, for example, a collar, cowl, darts or pleats. In that respect it is similar to the waistline and hemline.

A folded turtleneck

T-shirt neckline

Men and women of the Royal Australian Navy in uniform V-necked shirts

Necklines can be grouped into categories according to their shape and where they cut across the body:

Deep V neckline

A halter top

A woman in a tube top

T J Hart in a plunging neckline dress

Low surplice neckline

The shape of a necklines can be modified in many ways, e.g., by adding a collar or scarf, overlaying it with a gauzy material or decorating the edges with scallops, picots or ruffles. The neckline can be a sharp edge of fabric or a more gentle cowl, and can also be accentuated by pattern(s) in the fabric itself.

Ruffs were popular in the Elizabethan era.

The off-the-shoulder trend dates back to the Regency and Victorian Era. They were the height of fashion in the early to mid-nineteenth century. Charles Federick Worth, the father of Haute Couture, designed many elaborate dresses, many of which featured bodices with off-the-shoulder sleeves and were very popular with prominent figures like Empress Eugiena. Then in 1960s, French actress Brigitte Bardot put her own twist on this style, wearing off-the-shoulder tops with everything from midi skirts to pants, reviving the style. The style icon made off-the-shoulder sexy and trendy again and off-the-shoulder style also became known as the “Bardot” style.

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Wikipedia