Generally, Décolletage is a term used to refer to the upper part of a woman’s torso (that is between her neck and waist.) A décolletage includes a woman’s neck, shoulders, back and chest and how all these are exposed by the style of her top or dress.
In fashion, décolletage is the name given to describe a neckline which reveals and or emphasizes the cleavage.
Women wearing gowns that showed off their cleavage was a very fashionable thing in the early days. It was more acceptable to expose a lot of cleavage and not any other part of the body.
To some extent showing your décolletage is considered inappropriate. Check out JLo above. It’s like her aim was to wear as little as possible.
Anyway,in short décolletages are meant to help direct attention to your chest area in the right way and if this is so your chest area needs to be worth showing off.
There are décolletages that are just too much! and if daring to go the décolletage way, you better have the confidence to go with it and you have to do it stylishly. It is very possible to come out looking trashy when attempting this.
Imagine wearing a very low décolletage garment and all you do the whole time is fidget and struggle with your top trying to cover up. You’ll just look wrong.
Africans are a very conservative lot and not many would dare attempt the “JLo décolletage”. But if you are the gutsy type and must do the necessary:
*Make sure your body is in tip top shape.
*The occasion/event really matters, you can’t go exposing your cleavage to the whole of Nairobi during the day… you might be forced to face the mob. A night, casual event would be most appropriate.
*The attention and care you give to your face is the same that should go to your chest area. You know the chest has sensitive skin which also gets sun burns, wrinkles and is prone to pimples…so that extra care should be given.
*Your garments décolletage needs to fit just right. Not big, not small, just right!
*Keep the rest of your look low key. If the attention is on your décolletage, cover up the rest of your body.
*At no point should you have any chest hairs!
*Your cleavage being one of your best assets should have everything to do with you exposing it in the first place.
If you don’t have what it takes, then don’t even attempt. But the question is …are you for or against the décolletage?