Trends come and go, and it seems like only yesterday, the v-neck was sitting comfortably in its position as a wardrobe staple. Recently, however, it was rocked by a celebrity earthquake in the form of Kanye West declaring his dislike for them in a recent interview with Big Boy on Real 92.3. As soon as I heard this, I knew there would be consequences.
We live in a world where celebrity comes with more than just fame; with it, comes a power and a voice that spreads across the world in milliseconds enabled by the vast reach of the web to all corners of the globe. I feel sorry for the v-neck. I truly do, but my nostalgia for its days of glory doesn’t stop the critical body blow it was just dealt.
That being said, I’m not against v-necks at all. I even purchased one a month ago when I was in Miami and it’s one of my favorite shirts. Upon closer observation, you’ll notice that the neck opening is like that of a crewneck at the top, but it gradually opens up like a v-neck at the bottom; it’s like the best of both worlds.
I’ll defend the v-neck while I still can, but I fear they are already being crowded out by all the new styles of shirts flooding the marketplace. Many of these have already hit the streets, and they can be identified by their longer length (the bottom of many of these shirts fall almost to the knee). I’m not really a big fan of these, but this is a trend fast fashion stores, like H&M, and Forever 21 have been diving right into.
The longer shirts are great for layering and also adding additional color to your outfit in a subtle manner (without it coming across as overly pretentious).
Price ranges vary, but expect to get what you pay for. The shirts that are softer to the touch are usually more expensive. They also fit differently and are more form fitting. This is something to watch out for because they will cling to whatever is underneath them-whether that looks good or bad.
So although I am mostly on Ye’s side with this, I think the people ultimately decide. What do you think? Should we collectively dead the v-neck? If it were up to me, I think they still deserve a place at our table; perhaps they don’t deserve a place as prominent as before, but still a seat no less-just a very small one! After all, the v-neck has given us so much throughout the years, and it’s the least I think we should offer to a longtime friend.
