Love or Loathe: Drop Shoulder

Last fall, our contributor, Vicki, saw this moss green shirt dress, which caught her eye while browsing the Gap's website. However, she was disheartened when she saw that it was "drop shoulder." Here's what she had to say about the thrend:

Drop shoulder" is a thing now? Last I checked, if something had a drop shoulder, it's because it didn't fit properly. Shoulders are supposed to go on... your shoulder. At least, that's the information I've been working with. I, in fact, have gone to some obnoxious lengths to make sure that the shoulders of my garments are at my actual, physical shoulder. And now we're just going and dropping them and calling it fashion? Did I miss a memo? At least it's better than drop-crotch pants. I think. Maybe. What about you? Does this make you go a little cross-eyed in frustration? Or do you think droopy shoulders are chic? If so, for the love of fashion, please explain why.

I feel a bit differently. Had I seen this dress I might have given it a try. I wear a lot of oversized mens dress shirts with other, girly-er pieces and I like how the seams sit off the shoulder. I think there's something playful in the fit. I also think it can be very flattering if done properly.

"Done properly" is the key bit here.  I was initially happy about the drop shoulder trend until I went shopping for some new clothes for work. All the tops had a "drop shoulder," which seemed to mean they were loose until they got to a seem part way down my arm that was super tight. Drop shoulder can work when the shirt is oversized or properly structured, but making the sleeve suddenly fitted at the seam feels like no one wanted to bother learning to make a shirt. Also, the seam isn't sitting off the shoulder, it's right in the middle of the arm. That's not drop shoulder. It's just weird. (Note: I did buy a shirt sort of like this, but it was made really well and looked great. It was more "Dolman sleeve with a seam in the arm" than drop shoulder, but that distinction is getting hard to make).

How to you feel about the drop shoulder? Do you like the proper "oversized" style? Loathe it? What about the weird, middle arm thing?