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As I was flipping through an older rag sheet today, I happened upon photos from Oscar night. (I always knew that might be a good reason to keep such publications.) Anyway, it struck me that the one of the three defining features of a really glamorous evening gown-after the flowing, draping length and lustrous materials used-is either the neckline or backline.

Many are strapless, but it’s my opinion that a strapless gown just is not the most flattering for most women. I saw a few that were extremely low cut, even to the naval, and again, such frocks also require excellent posture (and good bust support!). There were a few that were filled in at the top with lace and a couple of one-shouldered deals, but a good majority have some type of support, by way of a connecting neckline, interesting variations on cap sleeves, or elegantly contoured straps. But I think that my favorite, both to look at as well as to wear, would have to be a gown that scoops over the top of the chest into off-the-shoulder sleeves. To me, it’s sophisticated, flattering, and relatively rare in any large group of formally dressed women.

But each neckline comes with its own set of advantages and disadvantages, and some magazine, somewhere, probably has listed what kind of neckline would be best on a particular woman’s body, facial shape, and even with hairstyle. I’m not going to list what would be best for each , but I am going to point out what I witnessed, things we all need to keep in mind. First, most deeply cut or strapless dresses, even on celebrities, tend to look best with either no necklace or one necklace that packs a punch…either in jewels or design. However, long, splashy earrings seem to add that extra filler for what appears to be a lot of bareness-especially if the lady is wearing an up-do. (In the photo spread, 85% of women with a strapless or low cut dress wore such a hair style, although one left a pony tail lock hanging down on one side. Actually, when glancing through a large number of such photos, it becomes clear that exceptionally lovely gowns actually demand an exceptional hairdo. Leaving one’s hair straggling down like it does on a plain old day seems to take away from the dress itself. Now, with one strap or an off-the-shoulder dress, wearing the hair down looks sensuous, possibly because it’s almost touching dress material.)

Second, if a woman with shorter hair is wearing a low cut dress and wants to change her look, what seemed to work for the actresses is something any female can do, as long as her hair isn’t too short: That is to pull her hair away from her face and add a very decorative, glittery band (not a tiara). The hair can be fluffed up behind it, and the image is that of a hairstyle that complements the dressiness of the gown itself.

For reasons I can’t quite figure out, jeweled necklines with a bob seem to work, especially if one side is pulled back. Perhaps the level of elegance is matched by conservativeness, or it could be that the bob hits the jaw at a point where just enough is shown above the neckline. Regardless, it’s very sleek, and again, different.

Backlines are another story altogether. One very interesting specimen was cut out to right above the gal’s derriere, in a V shape. (How anyone could not be conscious of how she moves in something like that escapes me.) Another, more user friendly model hit right at the waist, with a gorgeous draping of beads and hanging embroidery in a scooped shape down the woman’s bare back-quite sexy. Most evening dress designers, if they consider the back at all, merely have either crossed straps, bands going across, or dangling neck ties. But, with some searching, a shopper can find a dress back that looks every bit as enticing as the dress front.

As usual, it all comes down to what looks good and how much one wishes to expose. Lucky for us there are so many evening gown designs from which to choose.