How to Wear a Necklace (and When Not To)

October 11, 2019 | Filed in: Your Closet

When your coworkers can only see your outfit from the shoulders up, a well-styled necklace packs a punch. And when it comes to accessorizing, our customers have a lot of questions—“Which necklace should I pair with this top?” “How much jewelry is too much jewelry?” “I need something to make my look feel…complete.”—so we asked our lead stylist, Nyjerah Cunningham, to share her tips. Read on for her advice on incorporating jewelry into your outfit.  

Rule 1: Pair a V-neck with a necklace that complements the neckline of the top.

Christiana wears the Peggy top, the Woolf jardigan, the Harlem skirt, the Single Bezel necklace, and the Bezel earrings.

“When you wear a pendant-style necklace with a V-neck, the complementary shapes frame your head really nicely, drawing the eye up to your face,” says Nyjerah. “The Single Bezel necklace is like the cherry on top of your outfit—it adds a polished finishing touch to both formal and casual looks.”

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Rule 2: Think of a boatneck as a blank canvas, and embellish it with a necklace.

Christiana wears the Sarah dress, the Lorena necklace, and the Bezel earrings.

“Some of my customers are hesitant to wear a necklace with a higher neckline, but layering jewelry over fabric makes the hardware really pop,” Nyjerah says. “When you pair a necklace with a boatneck, I recommend keeping your other accessories simple so they don’t distract the eye.”

Rule 3: When wearing a high neckline, keep the focus on earrings or bracelets.

Christiana wears the Lise top, the Cobble Hill skirt, and the Roberta earrings.

“Let a high neckline speak for itself—accessorize with statement earrings or a pretty bracelet, rather than overwhelming the neck area with jewelry,” advises Nyjerah. “A draped collar provides an elegant statement on its own, so I like to pair tops like the Lise and Rowling with a sparkly pair of earrings.”

Ready to build your accessories collection? Shop our jewelry here.