There are inherent risks with a plunging neckline, but I don’t think I need to spell out what they are. Suffice to say some are dangers of an aesthetic nature, where as others can concern a girl’s modesty. The plunging neckline is not for everyone. But there are ways to wear it that, for the willing, give it a sultry update as a fashion for autumn 2011, and most certainly as an ongoing trend in spring 2012.

The neckline plunge of 2011 / 2012 is not a scoop neck. It’s a deep cut V that ends somewhere between the breastbone and the naval. It’s glamorous yet effortless, so works best with a lightly relaxed fit rather than a gravity-defying, tightly fitted one.

To the uber-daring end of the spectrum, Gucci put frocks on their autumn 2011 runway that were plunging in front, slit to the thigh, and (almost) sheer all over. While they were no less than breathtaking you can safely reserve these for special occasions. J. Mendel’s more modest takes draped the body in vintage charm, far more fitting for a cold evening in heaving beading and velvet, pairing plunging tops with ankle length bottoms. Elsewhere the return (yet again) of tuxedo dressing for women saw models suited up in relaxed masculine blazers with open necklines and bare skin below. Plunging neckline: what to wear underneath

The best way to wear a plunging neckline is without a bra as it looks nicer with the smooth and unbroken lines. It reduces the chances if you fussing about with stick on bralets or clear adjoining straps. Even though these solutions can work, they’ll never quite give the same effortlessness as throwing on a plunging top and resisting the urge to layer it over something else.

The other and perhaps better solution to wearing a bra and trying to make it invisible is to wear a bra and make it the opposite of invisible. Make it show and make it obvious. Choose the kind of underwear that’s made to be seen: a soft lace triangle bra, a bold cutaway piece, one with a very deliberate print and let it casually peep out from below your plunging top or dress.

What to wear the plunging neckline with

A plunging neckline and a creeping skirt hem make for a dangerous look. Together they work wonders if you have a modelesque, beanpole figure, but the reality is that for most its better to balance out the skin on top with a more modest bottom.

The perfect accompaniment to a low-cut top is a maxi skirt, or a smart pair of wide leg pants.

Plunging necklines across the seasons

So how to wear a plunging neckline when the wind is blowing and the leaves are falling? In autumn / fall 2011 look for heavier fabrics like knits, velvet, and luxury jersey. Winter is also the perfect time to capitalise on the sensuality of turning something masculine into something feminine by making a low-buttoning suit jacket an evening substitute for a dress. Finally a variation on the bare plunging neck is one that’s finished with sheer fabric like mesh or lace, giving some coverage to skin that would otherwise be bare.