How to Wear a Turtleneck Sweater

Are you looking for ways to wear a turtleneck sweater? Here is some inspiration for creatively styling this fashion workhorse.

I had to practically wrestle my daughters when they were young to get them to wear a turtleneck.

Ok, ok…I was the same way as a child. They got in the way when I played dress up!

Turtlenecks just weren’t cool as a 7 year old…or a 13 year old. You get my point.

Yet, as an adult lover of fashion, I cannot think of many things in my closet that I love more or work quite as hard for me as a turtleneck sweater!

They make my neck look longer, frame my face, shield me from itchy sweater fabrics, and make my lipstick look really good!

Here are a few ideas for how you can jazz up your turtleneck wearing experience.

(Read to the end…I may just have an AMAZING turtleneck hack for you!)

The Basic Turtleneck

I recommend you have at least two basic turtlenecks in your closet: white and black.

These two neutrals are the perfect backdrop for layering patterns, colors, and textures.

I wear these ALL THE TIME! Because of this, I usually go for a high quality turtleneck that is going to last over time. You can see my favorite Turtleneck Sweater HERE.

This crisp white turtleneck helps to bring out the crisp white stripe in this cowl neck dress.

Classic and comfortable!

You can see a similar Stripe Swing Dress HERE.

If you love the look of white by your face, you might check out How to Wear a White Shirt 5 Different Ways!

Loosen up!

Not every turtleneck needs to tightly hug the neck. A looser turtleneck still brings the color up to the face but casually falls in various devil-may-care ways!

This fleece sweater is so comfy and never feels tight around the neck. The shape of the neckline continually evolves its shape and is always interesting throughout the day!

You can see a similar Turtleneck Sweatshirt HERE.

Let Pattern Reign

Break out of the world of solids and incorporate some patterns into your turtlenecks!

The more pattern interest in the turtleneck, the more interest focuses on your face!

The black stripe in this white sweater actually elongates the neck because of the continuous pattern.

Can you tell I love stripes? Yes! You can see a similar Stripe Sweater HERE.

I get asked about my reading glasses a lot. You can see how to Style with Reading Glasses HERE.

Turtleneck Checklist

I also love checks!

Buffalo plaid is having a real moment right now in our home decor. Why not pull this trend into our wardrobes and frame our faces with it!

Trendy yet classic.

Wear this with everything from solid sweaters to graphic sweatshirts. It looks great with neutrals but also with bright colors.

You can see this Buffalo Check Turtleneck HERE. (Bonus…this turtleneck is so COOL and SOFT!)

Hello Darling! You can see this French Terry Sweatshirt HERE.

Classic patterns are my jam! Try this…How to Wear Classic Patterns!

The Best Clothing Hack!

If you are like me, sometimes you live a little “hot.” Layering offers lots of options but sometimes it can feel cumbersome wearing.

Try a turtleneck dickey collar!

Yes, this looks like a giant bib. Get over it, my friend….this is fashion magic!

Tuck in and no one is the wiser!

Here is a tip: Once you have tucked it in, reach under the topper sweater and pull the collar down to create a clean line at the shoulders. Don’t forget to do this on the back as well as the sides.

I bought a set of 2 dickey collars: one in white and one black. (Again with the classic neutrals!) You can see this Dickey Collar Set HERE.

This heavy sweater is warm enough without another layer underneath. Dickey to the rescue. Dickey for the win!

By the way, you can see this fun Fair Isle Sweater HERE.

Thank you for letting me share my ideas on how to wear a turtleneck sweater. Cuddle up with those turtlenecks and expand your fashion wardrobe ten-fold!

Cheers, my friend!

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