Off-the-Shoulder Wedding Dresses

Off-the-Shoulder Wedding Dresses

One of the most important elements of a wedding dress is the neckline. Whether plunging, scooped, or adoringly sweetheart, a neckline frames the face and décolletage. It can also emphasize or deemphasize certain parts of your body, like your shoulders, arms, neck, and bust. Most importantly, a neckline adds to the character and style of your dress. One of the most beautiful and elegant neckline options (with a fun bit of flirting thrown in) is the off-the-shoulder wedding dress.

Why Choose an Off-the-Shoulder Wedding Dress

As the name implies, an off-the-shoulder wedding dress features straps or sleeves that start below the shoulders, leaving the shoulders bare and revealing the décolletage. This neckline style is different than a strapless dress, which does not have any straps or sleeves. Off-the-shoulder dresses can feature straps or sleeves. In fact, off-the-shoulder long sleeve wedding dresses are particularly romantic and can be an excellent option for a winter wedding or if you want to add a modern spin to a more traditional dress style.

An off-the-shoulder wedding dress is a great choice for the right bride. This neckline will be a focal point of your dress and is an excellent way to frame your face and offer a bit of skin without getting too risqué. This style complements many different body types and can look especially flattering on brides with larger chests.

However, not every bride should say yes to an off-the-shoulder wedding dress. Women with wide shoulders or who don’t want to emphasize their arms would probably do better with a different neckline option.

How to Accessorize Your Off-the-Shoulder Wedding Dress

What hairstyle and jewelry looks good with an elegant off-the-shoulder wedding dress? Because this neckline emphasizes the shoulders and décolletage, consider pinning your hair up so that it doesn’t cover your gorgeous shoulders. Alternatively, a stylish braid or waves pinned to one side could also complement this sexy neckline.

When choosing jewelry, seek out a short necklace or even a simple choker with a central pendant, which will make your neck look extra graceful. Simple, dangling earrings are a great match, especially if you sweep your hair into a messy updo.

Just remember, give this neckline the space it deserves to shine. Big, chunky jewelry or massive waves of unbound hair will compete for visual attention, taking away from the grace and beauty of this dress style.

Which Off-the-Shoulder Wedding Dress to Choose?

If you’ve got your heart set on wearing an off-the-shoulder wedding dress on your big day, then it’s time to start searching for options. At The Knot, we offer a wide selection of off-the-shoulder dresses in all the major silhouettes.

Looking for an off-the-shoulder lace wedding dress or an off-the-shoulder long sleeve wedding dress? Use our handy search feature to filter dresses by silhouette, fabric, dress length, price, and more.

Browse dresses from today’s most talented designers and collections at The Knot. And just in case you want to see all your options, you can use our search feature to filter wedding dresses by ten different neckline options. No matter what type of wedding dress neckline you choose, we know you’ll look absolutely stunning on your Big Day, especially when you add in the perfect wedding shoes and accessories.