Today’s reader mail comes from reader E, who asks how one dresses up an ultrafine turtleneck…
The thought of wearing turtlenecks hasn’t crossed my mind since I was in high school, but then I saw the ultrafine turtlenecks being sold at Gap. I was wondering how one would go about creating an outfit or dressing it up for work.
We like to wear turtlenecks beneath things — it helps us stay warmer, raises the neckline of otherwise questionable items, serves as a protective barrier between us and the clothes (less drycleaning = good) and also lets us get more use out of items that would otherwise be limited to one season. (Pictured above: Women: Ultrafine turtleneck – modern red, available at Gap for $24 — J.Crew also makes some nice tissue turtlenecks.) In terms of styling, we suggest wearing it beneath…
- A short-sleeved jacket. Some manufacturers purposely make jackets intended for wear only in the summer. Some hints: those jackets are bright white, beige, or made from linen. Other jackets, though, are intended not only for wear year-round, but are almost always intended to have a layer with long sleeves worn beneath them.
- A 3/4-sleeved jacket. You may want to play with the visual of the two sleeves so close together by adding a bracelet or cuff, worn on top of the turtleneck’s sleeve, but below the jacket.
- A dolman-sleeved dress, a batwing sweater, or a cowl neck. Some of these items are safe for work, but sometimes it feels as if the entire top will fall off your shoulders if you bend a certain way. We like the turtleneck as a way to both protect against that happening, as well as to communicate to others that you have taken steps to prevent that from happening.
- A cap-sleeved dress. This works particularly well with a color-on-color combination, or to raise the neckline of an otherwise low-cut dress.
We’ll keep thinking, but that’s what we have at the moment. We will also mention (but can’t quite bring ourselves to recommend) the “turtleneck beneath the buttoned blouse” look that we seem to recall seeing in many early ’80s shows. Readers, how do you wear turtlenecks beneath clothes?
{ 45 comments… read them below or add one }
sorry to hijack but just saw this:
Brooks Bros non-iron shirts have been marked down again — tons on clearance for $35.80, down from $89.50 original price
http://www.brooksbrothers.com/IWCatSectionView.process?IWAction=Load&Merchant_Id=1&Section_Id=318
Wow, thank you!
FYI for any others interested:
I purchased 2 of the short sleeved shirts for $31.80 each, to wear under cardigans etc. With tax and shipping the order total was over $80. Note that there are two coupon codes:
- $10 off if you register on their website
- 20% off using coupon BROOKS20
However neither of these coupon codes can be combined with clearance merchandise, so I was not able to get any further discounts.
If you try entering any coupon code on the website however, the order jumps to full price, and the price in my shopping cart just went up from $63 to $114! Try as I might (after removing the coupon code, clearing cookies etc), I could not reset my shopping cart to show the correct price. I ended up placing my order on the phone.
Shipping and taxes are expensive – $10 shipping just for 2 shirts, and like Corporette I hate paying for shipping, but I really like the non-iron shirts and buy them for my husband all the time.
I think I mentioned it before here but many alumni & bar associations offer a corporate discount card (15%) from BB that can be used on most items, including sale (though I am not sure about clearance), both online and in-store.
I frequently wear them under wool sweaters/jackets that would otherwise itch me – in both work and casual settings. I think a turtleneck can look good under a regular suit as well.
Corporette,
Can you please post some pictures to go with this post so that I can visualize it? I have never seen anyone wear turtlenecks under anything, is this a common look on the east coast? ( I am in CA).
Is it really ok for work? For example, the long sleeve under a short sleeve look seems very weekendy to me.
But pictures would help!
I’m wearing a heather gray ultrafine turtleneck under this jacket today. But I’m in Chicago — I wear turtlenecks all the time.
http://www.pendleton-usa.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=167196
What a great jacket! I love it.
I agree; nice basic jacket that one could get a lot of wear out of!
I enjoy wearing them tucked into a cute skirt, medium to large belt at waist, and nicely fitted blazer/jacket. Super cute & warm!! :-)
What should you do with a turtleneck? Burn it LOL.
A word of caution – always, always try on tissue or ultrafine turtlenecks under bright overhead lighting that mimics office lighting. I’ve found nearly all of the ones I’ve tried on to be sheer (as in hi, here’s my bra! sheer). Going up a size (or two) didn’t solve this problem. Wearing a camisole underneath just made it more obvious that the top was sheer. Very frustrating.
I wear a bra that is close to the color of the turtleneck. The only place mine are sheer is where they are pulled tight, so a similar colored bra works wonders.
I have had better results with a flesh colored bra, but agreed.
Ug. Yes, be careful. The other day I saw a woman wearing one of these and obviously nothing else underneath. I could see her belly button. Not attractive.
I’ve tried both bras close to the color of the turtlenecks as well as bras that are nearly exactly the color of my skin, and either way, you can still see the bra SOMEWHERE (cups, back, strap) – it always shows itself. And I don’t have a large bust, so that isn’t the problem. I think I’m giving up until designers step away from the sheer knit trend.
I just bought a black turtleneck to go underneath a 3/4 sleeve length amethst sweater I got at the Nordstrom sale. I paired it with a tweed skirt of dark purple/blue/green jewel tones, opaque tights and heels, and received several compliments.
I think if the turtleneck is a light sweater, rather than a jersey knit, you can easily get away with just adding a scarf and no jacket or anything over it.
I wear turtlenecks under jackets usually. I can’t do the layered under a dress thing, it looks weird to me, plus my dresses are made to be worn on their own and not with other layers underneath.
I agree that the turtleneck under a dress thing looks weird!
All I can think of is wearing turtlenecks, jumpers, tights and Mary Janes as little girl.
*As a little girl
Sorry!
I wear turtlenecks under sheath dresses all winter and I think the accessories prevent it from being little girl-ish. For example – don’t wear mary jane shoes and do wear a more structured jacket. I think this look is quite common in NYC. I also wear turtlenecks layered under short-sleeved sweaters and with jackets. My office is so cold in the evenings, layering is a must.
I wore one just yesterday because of C’s recommendations. I wore it (to law school) with a trouser jean, moccasins and with a short sleeved cardigan (kind of trendy – tweedy yarn, a little bit oversized) and I got a ton of compliments. I think that’s the way to go in a little bit warmer climate!
Turtlenecks are simply a staple here in my part of the country (a cold part). They’re very versatile; I have a whole host of silk and wool ones from Talbots in every color of the rainbow (purchased on sale), as well as some ultra-fine cotton ones in both three-quarter length sleeves and full-length sleeves. I think a turtleneck can look just great underneath a jacket with three-quarter length sleeves. My only disagreement with C is that I *wouldn’t* wear a bracelet or cuff in that situation, just a great watch.
Love the jcrew tissue turtles. I wear them with tops that are pretty low cut or fine wrap sweaters or an open front short sleeved cardi, and a longer necklace. Nothing like your grandma would wear!
Can anyone discuss how they handle color with this turtleneck under another article of clothing situation?
I don’t know what other people do (and I tend to layer things other than turtlenecks so maybe turtlenecks play differently), but white if I want to lighten something up, black if I don’t, or a contrasting color (e.g., orange and blue) if I feel like doing something more interesting.
At least at work, I usually do colorful turtleneck, neutral/dark other article. If you’re going to layer, I tend to think the most visible layer should be the least eye-catching, you know?
I like to wear turtlenecks under a sheath or under a short-sleeved or 3/4 length sweater. I’ll wear knit turtlenecks with a suit, too. And I think knit ones look fine on their own, but the tissue-weight ones can be see-through and are meant as layering pieces.
I live in Colorado and its cold. Turtlenecks are incredibly common in Denver. I wear one nearly every day in the winter under a jacket. Love the Ultrafine ones from Gap – especially because they come in talls. I don’t worry so much about the sheer (although you do need to be careful) because I don’t tend to take my jacket off at work.
When I wear turtlenecks with 3/4 sleeves I like the bracelet over the sleeve look. Oh, and I only wear turtlenecks that are ultrafine/tissue as they don’t tend to bulk around the necks. Also don’t like mock necks because I don’t like how jewelry and accessories look with a mock neck.
Has anyone tried a tissue turtleneck under a wrap dress (e.g., DVF)?
I like turtlenecks for work, and I like mock turtlenecks even better. Here are the tricks: you buy the turtleneck to complete the outfit, not vice versa. And: turtlenecks look good in very few colors – white, black, gray, navy. Maybe some other blues. Save the others for skiing.
I don’t understand why a turtleneck couldn’t look good in any color, really. At this time of year — a plum / eggplant colored turtleneck? A pumpkin colored turtleneck? A deep green? Why not? You can’t just wear white / cream / navy / black your whole life.
I don’t think it’s an absolute rule, but the general point is that basic (and I would say dark) colors are easier to pull off in a turtleneck without looking like you’re the PTA president. To me a red turtleneck, e.g., screams (admittedly stereotypical) librarian dowdyness; same for pumpkin. That’s not to say it can never be done, it’s just much harder to pull off well.
Either way, I don’t think it’s so much a matter of looking un-professional (unless you have cutesy embroidery on the t-neck, too), but just a matter of looking boring/dowdy (I am thinking Angela from the office, e.g.).
I like a turtleneck under a fitted blazer on top of an A line skirt paired with tights and tall boots.
My office is casual on Fridays and I would wear a turtleneck with a blazer and trouser jeans.
I have a couple mock turtleneck sweater shells that I style similarly to the above.
Good timing! I just got my first turtleneck in years and was trying to figure out how to wear it. Going to try a few of these ideas out, thanks! :)
I haven’t ordered one, but these VS lightweight turtlenecks look fabulous for this purpose.
I haven’t ordered any, but these VS lightweight turtlenecks look perfect for pairing under a jacket.
http://www2.victoriassecret.com/commerce/onlineProductDisplay.vs?namespace=productDisplay&origin=onlineProductDisplay.jsp&event=display&prnbr=EG-250887
Yeah, under a jacket is probably the best. A nice long necklace will dress it up enough.
I must be the only person with this problem, but I can’t wear turtlenecks. I have one that I wore last year, and after viewing a picture of me in it, I decided that I needed my neck back and would not return to the turtleneck world any time soon. I don’t have a large body, but I have a fuller face, and turtlenecks (sadly) make me look heavier that I am.
I can’t wear turtlenecks either, but for a different reason. They make me feel like I’m choking!
Amber, I thought I was the only one!
nope, me too. If I wear a full turtleneck, it covers my whole neck. So, either mock (not really “in” these days) or crew/vneck for me. For the same reason, I very very rarely wear a scarf around my neck for anything other than keeping warm on the commute. It just swallows me up.
Have you ever tried a slouchy turtleneck (i.e., more cowlneck than “turtle”)??
I find those to be much more flattering. I used to never wear turtlenecks for the chocking/makes me look awful reason and I find slouchy turtlenecks have solved this problem.
[by slouchy, i don't mean tight but a bit shirred]
Man, I love superfine turtlenecks…I found some at Target last year that were so great, when they went on clearance I bought 4. They are great under dresses – I have a couple of scoopneck jumpers that would be indecent without something underneath and sometimes white shirts seem a little bulky, so that’s a great time to break out the thin turtleneck. They’re also great when I travel – planes seem to be either freezing cold or blazing hot and it’s nice to be able to take my jacket off and still have a work-appropriate long-sleeved shirt on underneath. I also have a couple of 40s-style short-sleeve wool jackets and pretty much the only way I can wear them is with a turtleneck underneath. They’re great basic pieces – especially in black or other neutrals – and I think any woman would benefit from owning a few.
They work well beneath shift dresses and wrap dresses!