It’s not that off-the-shoulder has ever not been a summer look, but maybe it’s just me – this summer it seems like there’s even more off-the-shoulder than usual, at least where I live. Here’s Katie Holmes out in New York yesterday in a blue and white striped off-the-shoulder top with a white long skirt and loafers, yacht style on the street. Katie was apparently heading out for dinner with a friend.

 

Let’s go back to the off-the-shoulder thing though. Because her outfit is cute, and in general, I do like the off-the shoulder look and there are some really good options out there right now at basically every price point. That said, as much as I enjoy the vibe of it, I don’t own anything off-the-shoulder and haven’t in years (or maybe ever?) and the reason is… the bra. 

To make the off-the-shoulder work, like true off-the-shoulder, without the cheat of adding a spaghetti strap, you either need to go braless or wear a strapless bra. I don’t have the option of going braless so it would have to be a strapless, and I don’t f-ck with strapless bras. They are a pain in the ass. I don’t believe in them, I don’t believe the people who tell me there are strapless bras out there that stay in place. And if there are, they stay in place by hurting you from being tight. And if they’re tight, they’re creating cleavage, and I generally prefer a cleave-less way of life. If you are about to suggest a bandeau as an option, I hear you, but I don’t f-ck with those either because you still have to yank them up all the time. Or they scrunch down from the top or up from the bottom and your tits look like string cheese. 

Again, it may just be me because I only wear sports bras and nothing else. So I have a lot of off-the-shoulder envy. I’m looking at Katie with envy.