Hmmmm. My first thought was that these ladies really had ugly shoulders but it occurred to me that it is very difficult to have ugly shoulders and then so many at that (even if there was a slight exaggeration). I have tried to recall if I have ever seen a picture or a character in an adaptation in a dress with bare shoulders and, though it's possible I might have, I can't recall an occasion. I wondered if this might be a new fashion that perhaps JA just didn't like and thought bare shoulders hanging out was an ugly sight. Any conjectures? :)