What is a modesty panel in a neckline?

Necklines that often get one

Any neckline that drops lower than you would like at the centre front can take a panel. These are the usual ones:

• A deep [V-neck](/styles/necklines/v-neck), where the panel fills the lower part of the V.
• A wrap or [angrakha](/styles/cuts/angrakha) front, whose overlap tends to slip open when you sit or lean forward.
• A long slit at a round or band-collar neck, where the slit is part of the design but the gap is not wanted.
• A deep square or sweetheart neck, where a straight panel can sit just below the edge.

Sewn in or removable?

A sewn-in panel is stitched into the neckline seam or facing on both sides. It always sits flat, it cannot be forgotten or lost, and it washes with the kameez. The catch is that the neckline is then always covered.

A removable panel is fixed with two to four small press studs (the tich buttons tailors use) along its side edges and sometimes one at the base. You can wear the neckline open at home and closed at work, and wash the panel separately. It can gape a little between the studs on a fitted bodice, so more studs hold it better than fewer.

A third route is no panel at all, but a separate camisole or inner top in a matching colour. That is the most flexible, though it adds a layer in hot weather.

Choosing the panel fabric

Most panels are cut from the kameez fabric, so they disappear into the neckline. On a sheer fabric such as chiffon, a single layer will not cover much, so the panel is usually cut double or backed with the lining. A panel in lace or net looks decorative rather than covering and suits a neckline that only needs softening. A contrast fabric, cut from the dupatta or trousers, turns the panel into a design feature, much like a lace neckline.

How to state the height you want covered

A clear number avoids guesswork. Stand in front of a mirror wearing the bra you will wear under the outfit and measure straight down from the hollow at the base of your throat to the point where you want the covered area to begin. That is the height of the panel’s top edge. Give the neckline depth you want too, so both are written down together. Our measuring help page shows how to hold the tape.

Add it to your notes as, for example, “V-neck 20 cm deep, sewn-in panel with its top edge 12 cm below the throat”. For one of our existing designs, the neckline is one of the changes you can request, so ask to customise a design; for a new outfit, the custom stitching page explains how details are agreed in writing before cutting.