Layering Necklaces 101

 Do you see women with beautiful ensembles of layered necklaces, but when you try it for yourself, feel like it looks all wrong? Well, I’m here to show you how to layer your necklaces like a pro!

It seems the layered necklace look has never been so popular. I’m a big fan of the sophisticated layered look over the trendy look and over-styled costume jewelry. But there aren’t really any “rules” for layering, as style is personal for each wearer. The following are my own set of rules for styling my neckline.

Other than for jewelry photo shots or events, you’ll rarely see me wearing a ton of necklaces. In general, the most I usually wear together is 3, as I believe wearing more than that can start to look cluttered. Also, I prefer to invest in a few meaningful pieces verses buying a lot of trendy looks.

To begin styling your neckline with layered pieces, I believe there are some fundamentals to learn. The following are the basics of layering necklaces I believe every woman should know:

The Basics of Layering Necklaces

1. Invest in 3 Foundation Pieces

There are a few “foundation pieces” that will make putting together layered looks much easier.

Foundation Piece 1: Start With Your Décolletage

Think of your collarbone as the landscape to feature. A 15–16 inch chain highlighting this area is the first piece to own when investing in a necklace. A diamonds-by-the-yard, 5-stone floating gemstone piece, or what I call a “smile necklace” are great choices.

Diamonds By The Yard

Five Diamond Discs Diamond Necklace

Diamond Smile Necklace

Foundation Piece 2: A Special Pendant You Can Wear Every Day.

A thin chain with a pendant is a staple you’ll want (16–18 inches). Pick a piece that is special to you. A diamond jewelry or gemstone pendant, a medallion, or even a locket are good examples. Choose a piece that’s comfortable enough to wear every day and one that you won’t want to take off. This is the piece that you’ll wear alone most often.

Diamond Solitaire Necklace

1 Carat Pave Diamond Pendant chain

Rectangle Diamond and White Gold Pendant

Foundation Piece 3: Invest in a Gold Link Chain

Adding texture to your combination will balance the style to add some “hip” to your look. It doesn’t have to be chunky, but a noticeable yellow gold link will come in handy to bring in more personality.

Oval and Paperclip Link Necklace

Rolo Link Necklace

Then: Add Fun Pieces to Create Different Styles

Once you’ve invested in your foundational pieces, you have many options to style your necklaces. You can create different looks by wearing 2 of the three, all 3, or switching out one of the pieces with a fun piece based on your mood.

The following are styling ideas. Notice how I mix and match my 3 pieces where at least 2 foundation pieces (a short décolletage piece, a pendant, or a gold link) are in play with each look. All pieces are available in my online jewelry store.

Sexy

Smile Necklace, Moonstone Lariat, 30 inch Gold Chain

The long gold necklace frames the moonstone and the smile necklace flatters the collarbone while adding sparkle and leading your eye to the middle piece. This is a sexy look.

Greek Goddess

Gold Ball Necklace, Diamond V Necklace, Mask and Glasses Lanyard

All the pieces work together to convey a “greek goddess” look. They flow together beautifully, and none of the pieces overpowers the other.

Pick a Theme

A whimsical nature look can be achieved by wearing necklaces that feature the outdoors in subtle ways.

Diamonds by the yard, Butterfly, Leaf of Diamonds

Mix Metals & Textures

These days, mixing yellow, white and even black metals is popular. Wear opals with diamond, smooth with rough finishes, chunky with dainty. Gone are the rules that all the metals should be the same color and finish.

Paperclip, Rectangle with Diamonds, Blue Opal

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