The sexy new fashion trend local celebs are loving
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With such stellar celebrity endorsement of the off-the-shoulder look going on right now (everyone from Bonang Mathebe to the Kardashians have been at it), it seems this trend isn’t going to be shrugged off any time soon
Fashion’s turnover of trends is not only insatiable, but also, more often than not, unwearable for the average woman. Whether we’re talking thigh-grazing hemlines or obliques-revealing cut-outs, what looks good on the catwalk can appear indecent or frumpy on the sidewalk. So hallelujah for our current obsession with the off-the-shoulder look.
It’s a trend that oozes subtle sexiness and makes the most of the part of the body every woman can feel good about. Who doesn’t love their collarbones, right? It’s no wonder the world is shoulder-flash crazy now.
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That said the off-the-shoulder look has been a perennial favourite for longer than you might think. It was popular throughout the 19th century, as well as in the 1950s and 1970s.
What makes 2016’s incarnation of the trend feel invigorating and empowering is that, unlike in recent decades, when off-the-shoulder tops were most often about defining the waist and hugging the body, today we’re taking a softer, more demure approach. The aim is to give the impression that garments are floating around the body, about to cascade to the floor. Not only is this alluring, it’s also ultimately flattering.
The look reframes the body too. These seemingly precarious garments change the way you carry yourself, and demand that you walk and stand tall. No slouching, or you’ll be flashing more than you intended, but that’s very much part of their elegant charm.
“What I find appealing (about this trend) is the sense of undone femininity. Baring a shoulder allows you to feel sexy, but still sophisticated and relaxed. It is more suggestive than revealing,” says London-based designer Serafina Sama of Isa Arfen, who's been incorporating off-the-shoulder styles into her collections since her very first season.
“The search for the next erogenous zone has been moving so fast in the past couple of years that there was nothing left to bare. So I think it’s refreshing to start covering up again — except for an exposed shoulder,” she adds.
Johannesburg-based designer Thula Sindi agrees. “Instagram, baby! There’s nothing like looking sultry as your dress or top seems to be held up by a prayer.”
It’s true this trend was born for social media. Adopt a winning smile, glance over one’s conveniently uncovered shoulder in a pseudo-coy pose, and then snap, post, and like.
Here are some local celebrities who've been doing just that:
Amanda du-Pont
Bonang Matheba
Candice Swanepoel
Ayanda Thabethe
Jeannie D
This article is adapted from one originally published in 'Sunday Times The Edit Spring/Summer '16'. Available to select print subscribers this magazine is your ultimate seasonal fashion guide. Digital subscribers, read 'The Edit' online now.
Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.