One-Shoulder Tops Are the New Off-the-Shoulder Tops: Here’s Why

We didn’t invent one-shoulder dressing simply because we’re desperate for an alternative to the now supersaturated off-the-shoulder trend. It was there waiting for us all along on the Spring 2016 runways of Jacquemus, Rosie Assoulin, Versace, Tibi and more.

The cool, clavicle-baring, single-strap or single-sleeve cousins of our once beloved, carefree summer toppers are here to walk us through the painful process that is the return to fabric-clad shoulders. While off-the-shoulder blouses will continue to hold a special place in our hearts (and closets) for all their infinite iterations, they, like the Stan Smith, no longer ooze the individuality that we so value. We, the fashion set, binged and now must wait for our collective stomachache to subside before we once again indulge our shoulder habit.

A STUNNING SHOULDER-BARING ENSEMBLE AT ROSIE ASSOULIN SPRING/SUMMER 2016; IMAGE: IMAXTREE

Thankfully, we needn’t go cold turkey. Streamlined, side-swooping looks make for eye-catching, one-off ensembles that slake our thirst for shoulders and can be either casual, cocktail hour- or work-appropriate thanks to that added coverage. With fall on the horizon, one of the things we like most about this updated take on the off-the-shoulder trend is how well it lends itself to layering (hello, 90s-inspired white-tee-under-tank lookor, you know, jackets).