Trending 7th November 2016 by Paula Lyne

Shoulder Up! 5 Perfect Tops If You’re Standing With Louise O’Neill And #ShoulderGate

Inappropriate? As if. Unleash the shoulders, ladies.

Author Louise O’Neill has been widely praised for her work on last week’s RTÉ2 documentary Asking For It. The factual piece explored issues like consent, rape culture and sexual violence in Ireland and around the world, and many viewers have pushed for it to be “shown in schools,” so important was the message it relayed.

Just days after the documentary aired though, Louise made headlines again for an altogether less positive reason: the frankly ridiculous comments made by a writer in one national newspaper about her choice of outfit on the show.

Lads. The Indo thinks my outfit (a top, not a dress ACTUALLY) was too revealing and inappropriate for day wear #AskingForIt pic.twitter.com/QICSJlRiKY

— Louise O’ Neill (@oneilllo) November 5, 2016

A writer in The Irish Independent criticised Louise for wearing a top with a “plungingly revealing neckline” during one segment of the show. The comments sparked a frenzy on Twitter, with many women, among them Louise’s fellow RTÉ presenter Angela Scanlon, “unleashing” their shoulders in a brilliantly stylish protest.

I unleashed my shoulders last night, just one though, lest you get any ideas @oneilllo #ShoulderGate pic.twitter.com/jT9A56Q5ye

— Angela Scanlon (@angelascanlon) November 7, 2016

“Your Shoulders”

Excellent email from my agent this morning…. pic.twitter.com/diiEYesw8a

— Louise O’ Neill (@oneilllo) November 7, 2016

Here at STELLAR Towers, we’re getting our shoulders out in solidarity with Louise, but as the cold shoulder top has been one of A/W16’s key pieces, we hardly needed an excuse… and neither do you.

Behold, five shoulder-baring looks you can wear to give two fingers to the bad-mouthers…