Whether you’re searching for the right necklace to go with your new dress or just looking to improve your accessorising skills, these tips will help you choose the perfect necklace to complement your outfit, elevate your personal style, and enhance your overall look.
Consider Your Neckline
Different necklines call for different necklace styles, and generally speaking, this is all about balance.
If you’re wearing a high neckline like a turtleneck jumper, you want to go longer with your necklace to draw the eye down and avoid looking top-heavy or cluttered. Aim for a necklace that ends somewhere between your collarbone and your belly button, but if you plan on wearing a belt, don’t go too low or the two accessories will be competing!
V-necklines, on the other hand, are an opportunity to make a statement or add drama and can be paired with a number of different styles and lengths, including pendants, layered necklaces, or short, chunky styles.
Off-the-shoulder looks work best with a necklace that’s short and sweet or a choker style, while a classic crew neck can be paired with almost any style of necklace to create a range of different looks with the same outfit.
Factor in Face Shape
Just as with hairstyles, certain necklace shapes flatter certain face shapes, so to find your perfect necklace, you’ll need to know what face shape you have.
If you have a long or oval face, then wearing shorter necklaces helps balance out your face shape and won’t add to the length. On the flip side, if you have a round face with a softer jawline, long or angular styles can add contrast to your features and help lengthen your face.
Meanwhile, those with a heart-shaped face look great in chokers, and long, flowing styles can help create softness for people with angular features or square jawlines.
Understand Necklace Lengths
From edgy chokers to opera-length pearls, necklace lengths dramatically alter an outfit’s overall look. Broadly speaking, there are six standard necklace lengths:
- Choker
- Collar
- Princess
- Matinee
- Opera
- Rope
However, in reality, each of these styles will sit differently depending on the wearer’s build and frame.
Traditionally speaking, an opera necklace would have been worn with formal evening wear, i.e. to a night at the opera, and even today, these longer necklace lengths are a great way to elevate a look and add instant drama.
The middling lengths, such as princess and matinee, can be worn day or night with casual or formal wear, while the shorter styles, like chokers, add a modern twist to any outfit.
Match Your Metals
There are several different types of precious metals used to make fine jewellery. When choosing a necklace, you should consider the other jewellery you plan to wear alongside your necklace, as well as the hardware on your outfit, for example, any zippers, buttons, or sequins.
While it’s a myth that you can’t mix metals, such as silver and gold, in the same ensemble, there are indeed certain ‘rules’ to pulling off a mixed metal look.
If you plan to wear both yellow-gold and silver-coloured styles at the same time, try to mix your metals in each area so that it looks deliberate rather than haphazard. You can do this by stacking both gold and silver rings or layering necklaces of different metals.
When mixing metals, you should also try to keep the style or feel of the different pieces as similar as possible and avoid pairing delicate pieces with bolder, chunkier styles.
Reflect Your Personal Style
Ultimately, the perfect necklace speaks to you, and you shouldn’t be afraid to experiment with colours, textures, and statement pieces that reflect your unique personality and the occasion you’re wearing it for.
If in doubt, certain styles never go out of fashion and can instantly elevate your look. For example, a delicate diamond necklace can add a touch of timeless elegance to any outfit and speak for itself.
Wearing sentimental pieces, such as family heirlooms or jewellery that have a special meaning to you, is always a great way to showcase your personality and boost your mood.
