Many of my clients are broad-shouldered women, which typically means their shoulders are wider than their hips. This body type is called an inverted triangle. It’s one of the most underserved body types in the fashion world and my clients are constantly in search of the best women’s t-shirts for broad shoulders.

Best Women’s T-Shirts For Broad Shoulders

Repeat after me: scoop neck, scoop neck, scoop neck. This is the most important styling tip every broad-shouldered woman needs to know. The most flattering t-shirts for broad shoulders are always scoop necks. V-necks can work too, but it must be a curved vee (like the picture above). If the line of the vee is too straight, it’s not much better than a crewneck, which most of you probably know by now adds a lot of volume to the shoulders. You also want to skip square necks. Your broad shoulders are already mimicking the hard lines of a square, so we need to get away from that. Instead, we want to create the appearance of curves on this inverted triangle body type. A u-neck can also create curves, and if your shoulders are not much wider than your hips, an open boat neck can work as well. Let’s break this down:

• Scoop necks, soft v-necks, and u-necks are a must for flattering shirts for broad shoulders. Crewnecks add width.
• Your tops must define your breasts, armpits, and arms. Drop sleeves and dolman sleeves add weight.
• Angled, fitted cap sleeves in a flexible fabric slim the shoulder.
• Tank tops should have medium-width straps that sit at an angle. Thick, straight straps on a tank top will make you look boxy. And tiny spaghetti straps make your shoulders look huge in comparison.

The No-Nos: Stop buying crewnecks. Stop buying drop sleeves. Stop buying dolman sleeves. The shoulder seam of your shirt should always be exactly where your shoulder ends. There are few exceptions to this.

How to Make Broad Shoulders Look Smaller

This post was originally created to simply provide the best women’s t-shirts for broad shoulders. But it became so popular, I expanded my shopping recommendations to other types of flattering clothes for broad shoulders and wanted to go into more detail on the inverted triangle body type. The main goal in dressing a woman with shoulders more prominent than her hips is to create hips. Fit and flare dresses and aline dresses are great for creating the illusion of hips. If you have a smooth stomach, no matter your size, snug fitting ruched dresses are also amazing if you have minimal hips. Below you’ll find the best t-shirts for broad shoulders, along with flattering dresses, blazers, and button-down shirts.

BP. Rib Scoop Neck T-Shirt

Available at Nordstrom.

Sizing: XS-XL

Material: 97% Lenzing™ EcoVero™ viscose, 3% spandex

Sundance Cassity Tee

Available at Sundance.

Sizing: XS-XXL

Material: cotton, modal, spandex

GAP Linen-Blend T-Shirt