Layering Necklaces: What You Need to Know

Layering Necklaces: What You Need to Know

Keyword(s): layering necklaces

Jewelry is one of the most popular items that people purchase online. Many households spend hundreds of dollars per year on jewelry alone. How much jewelry do you have in your jewelry box?

If you're looking for new ways to style your jewelry, have you considered layering your necklaces? Layering necklaces is a great way to change up your look and use your favorite jewelry in new ways!

Not sure if layering jewelry is right for you? No problem, let's talk about it! Read on to learn all about how (and why) to layer your necklaces. 

First: Why Layer Your Necklaces? 

Before we talk about a few ways to start layering your necklaces, let's talk about why you'd want to layer them in the first place. What's the point?

Well, just like with all things fashion-related, it's all about self-expression. You don't need to have a good reason to try a new style. You should try it because you want to, and that's enough.

But if you're looking for reasons to style jewelry differently, here are a few things that you may get out of learning how to layer necklaces.

Jazz Up Plainer Styles

Do you have any necklaces that you find boring? They may be beautiful, delicate, and expensive, but they don't do anything interesting to your outfit. They're plain and you're never sure how to wear them, but you don't want them to go to waste collecting dust in your jewelry box.

Layering them is a great way to jazz them up.

While a nice gold chain might not be interesting on its own, if you add other necklaces around it, it becomes part of a "look." The necklace now serves a new purpose, and its "plainness" becomes a feature rather than an unfortunate downside. After all, you can't have several flashy necklaces in a single outfit. 

Give Old Necklaces New Life

Do you have necklaces that you've over-worn? You've had them for years, and you love them, but you've realized you've been wearing the same two or three necklaces in every photo for the past decade! Oops! 

You don't have to stop wearing your favorite necklaces to get new looks out of them. You can jazz them up by adding other necklaces to your outfit and including them in a layered look. 

Whether you have a favorite necklace that's not quite appropriate for a specific event or you just want to try something new, layering can completely change your look for the better. 

Wear Necklaces You Wouldn't Have Tried Before

On the other hand, what if you have some necklaces in your collection or in your online shopping cart that aren't quite your style, but you still love them? Perhaps you've never been into super long necklaces with big pendants, but you want to give one a try, for example.

No problem.

You may find yourself feeling more confident about your new style choice when you layer that new necklace with your old necklaces that you're already comfortable with. 

Now let's move on to how you can start layering necklaces in a way that makes sense for your personal style. 

Mix Up Lengths

Look, if you want to wear several necklaces of similar lengths, no one is going to stop you. There are no rules in fashion. However, if you want that conventional "layered look," you're going to want to mix up necklace lengths.

Pair short necklaces with long ones. Short can mean super short, like a choker, or just shorter than the longest necklace with at least an inch of space between where the chains settle on your neck or chest. 

You can also layer choker-style necklaces by having them sit at different heights on your neck, but this is a more alternative style and it's not for everyone. 

The main goal is to not have any of your necklaces clashing with each other. You don't want pendants to cover each other or chains to look tangled and messy. By mixing up necklace lengths, you give each necklace room to breathe.

Keep It Simple

Simplicity is elegant and beautiful.

Again, if you want to go over the top, there's nothing wrong with that, but it's definitely a less conventional style. Most of the time, layered necklaces are simple.

Often, there's one larger statement necklace. It may be a unique color or have a large and flashy pendant. This is the main showpiece for the day.

Balance one statement necklace with simpler necklaces. For example, one long necklace with a large pendant works well with a simple gold mid-length necklace and a choker. 

You should also not layer too many necklaces at a time. Again, you can wear what you like, but if you have too many necklaces in your look, they all lose their individuality and the look will seem "cluttered." Generally speaking, two or three necklaces will be enough (but this will depend on your outfit and the necklaces).

Speaking of outfits, don't layer necklaces if the outfit is already fairly "loud." The layered look works best when the outfit, at least the top of it, is understated. This allows the necklaces to shine and it keeps the outfit from being confusing or overwhelming. 

Consider a Consistent Theme

This isn't necessary, but it can be a fun way to think of new mixing and matching options. Consider choosing a consistent theme for your jewelry!

So what does that "theme" look like?

Perhaps your theme is florals. You have a necklace with a large floral necklace paired with a simple floral choker and a beautiful plain gold chain. The necklaces are all different and they're not competing with each other, but because of the theme, they clearly go together.

You can also choose a stone to be your theme. Perhaps you wear all aquamarine necklaces so they have a matching color scheme.

Let the theme extend to your outfit and other jewelry as well for a fully cohesive look. Planning outfits like this can be a lot of fun! 

Metal Mixing: Yes or No?

For some people, mixing metals is still a serious fashion faux pas. We disagree. Mixing metals can be done well, and there's no reason that you shouldn't layer a silver necklace with a gold necklace (or any other metals). 

There are so many ways to mix metals. You could "sandwich" one type of metal as the middle layer between two necklaces made from a different metal for a balanced look. 

You could wear a gradient of metal colors, like yellow gold, rose gold, and copper. 

You could also just mix metals without rhyme or reason. To keep the look cohesive, consider going back to the previous tip and maintaining a theme despite the different metals. 

Don't let outdated fashion "rules" determine how you wear jewelry.

Consider Your Neckline

Make sure your neckline matches your necklaces.

Very deep "v" necklines look fantastic with long layers. The necklaces take up the bare space of the chest and add more visual interest to the outfit. A bare chest can be beautiful as well, but you may feel less exposed with the necklaces. 

Mock neck or turtleneck necklines are fantastic for longer layers as well, but don't do well with short layers. If you're wearing an outfit with a high neckline, make sure your necklaces will still show up over it. For example, you may want to wear gold or silver over a high-necked black top because those metals will pop. 

Keep a Full Jewelry Box

If you decide that you love layering, keep adding to your jewelry collection! 

Once you start layering necklaces, it's hard to stop. You'll want to keep trying more combinations. The more necklaces you own, the more potential combinations you'll have to try. 

Buy a variety of lengths and sizes so you can create unique layered necklace looks for every outfit. It's never a bad thing to have more options when it comes to self-expression. 

Layering Necklaces: Try the Trend This Year

So what do you think? Will you start layering necklaces this year?

It's a great way to make your looks more interesting and start using necklaces that you don't normally wear. Whether you're jazzing up a boring outfit that needs more "sparkle" or you're doing an understated and simple layered look, it opens up new style options. 

At Roma Designer Jewelry, we make elegant pieces that transition perfectly between casual and formal outfits. View our collection of beautiful and unique necklaces and find your new favorite layering piece today.