Forget showing cleavage. It’s can so easily turn from classy to trashy. And it’s such a cliche way of showing off the female form. Too expected. If you want to add an element of subtle seductiveness to your look, a bare back, or semi-bare back will do the trick. These are some of my favorite back showcasing styles.

1. A deep V back line

I also like this plunging deep V back line sweater:

It’s a very unexpected back, especially with the creation of the tiny sleeves from the same flap of fabric!

2. A deep U backline

You can do this with a large panel at the bottom:

Or a cowl neck back:

I love how the folds fall elegantly on the cowl back.

3. Upper back detailing

Urban Outfitters has several selections. This is great for a more casual style. This first dress is in four colors. Look at the intricate details!

I like this applique top as well:

Victoria’s Secret also has two tops with great back detailing. This first one is a racerback tank with lace detailing:

I love this next one even more. It’s a crocheted racer back top. Both have built in bras.

4. Keyhole dress

Do you remember the keyhole back shift dress Jennifer Aniston wore in The Breakup? I’ve been looking for it everywhere. Still on a hunt. This is the best picture of it I could find:

There are all sorts of keyhole back shapes. Jennifer is donning an oval shape. A lot of dresses have keyholes on the front. Instead of this:

Wear the keyhole on the back like this:

It’s so much more classy!

5. Unexpected back stenciling:

Forget the typical X-back (criss cross back):

I think it’s overdone. Instead, go for unexpected back stenciling like this one by Free People:

I think it looks really beautiful because the straps are tiny.

6. Racerback or T-back dress

A racerback is usually found on casual tank tops like this one from American Apparel:

But the racerback/ T-back can work for formal events too! Check out this dress from Kate and Kass:

Here’s a casual T-back shirt from Urban Outfitters:

7. Floral tops with open backs

Since most of these selections are for formal wear, I also decided to include one floral top with an open back. This one from Rebecca Taylor has a nice V-neck front and an interesting back:

8. The unexpected halter

I call it the unexpected halter because most halters are uncomfortable to wear and look like they’re supporting the chest, doing the work of what a bra should do. I prefer those halters that skim past the chest area and aren’t too tight. Check this one out from YaYa Aflalo:

I also like how the back isn’t the typical tie back that most halters have. This one is very classy.

Tags: applique tops, backless dresses, crochet tops, dresses to show off back, halter top, key hole dress, keyhole back dress, low cut back dress, low cut back dresses, open back dress, open back dresses, racer back dress, racer back tops, racerback dress, racerback tops, t-back dress, t-back shirt

This entry was posted on Wednesday, November 26th, 2008 at 3:34 pm and is filed under who loves fashion. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.