The key to wearing multiple necklaces at once is to find balance. Mixing metals counts – as does mixing chain weights, textures or chain lengths. You can mix a pendant style with a shorter chain – or pair your favourite initial necklace with a couple of beaded necklaces. You can pair beads with beads if the chains are of different lengths, or you can pair a chunky choker with a dainty T-bar necklace.
Look: the possibilities are endless, and with a few simple pointers, layered necklaces are a great way to add more visual interest to an outfit. Plus, layering different pieces is a great way to make use of the full extent of your jewellery collection (speaking from experience). Enough said: if you're looking to elevate your necklace stack, look no further. No matter if you prefer a tennis necklace, a curb chain, or a lariat style, there’s a combination out there for any outfit and occasion. Read on for the ultimate guide for how to stack necklaces, complete with eight tips and tricks to achieve the layered look for yourself.
Experiment With Texture
When I was compiling this guide and thinking about experimenting with texture, I saved these references quickly. At Haute Couture Fall/Winter in Paris, Gabriella Karefa-Johnson paired a chain pendant necklace with a long, colourful beaded necklace which added punchy detailing to her all-black outfit and added the illusion of a halter neckline.
Elsewhere, next time you throw on a shirt for the office, try unbuttoning the top few buttons to create more of a V-neck silhouette and style it with your favourite long, chunky pendant necklace. Here, the vibrant blue gemstone brings out the colours in the shirt and, paired with some other shorter necklaces, they fill the space together without feeling too crowded. To recreate this look, go for a dainty nameplate-style necklace and a strand of beads to create some visual contrast and texture with your accessories.
Matching Metals
Next up: an easy necklace-layering trick that I call upon if I'm in a rush. When in doubt, same-colour metals are easy to pair together. The trick is to choose necklaces that share a similar chain thickness and yellow-gold tone, so they almost look like they're part of the same design. To avoid tangling, fasten one so that it’s slightly shorter than the other to let them hang at different lengths, which in turn allows each necklace to have its own space to stand out. You can also buy necklace separators which, when hidden underneath your hair, stop your necklaces from tangling.
The Dramatic Drop
If you want to know how to layer necklaces like a fashion pro, this look is a masterclass in stacking ultra-chunky gold chains. The key here is picking two pieces that have dramatic differences in necklace length, so they don’t overpower each other. Individually, each of these necklaces is enough to accessorise with; together, their different styles offer a more interesting approach to layering statement jewellery. Go for pieces in the same metal family (all white gold or all sterling silver jewellery, for example) to visually tie them together despite the spatial separation.
Mix Chunky & Dainty
While a chunky choker doesn’t necessarily need to be layered to make a statement, heed the call of more metal by styling it with some longer, dainty necklaces. When your thickest necklace is the shortest one (and the most visually complex), it’s crucial not to overpower it with too many other textures. In this case, some minimalist, delicate chains with small centrepieces help fill the space created by the neckline without detracting from the main event.
Short to Long
With a high-neck tank top, some layered pendant necklaces are the perfect way to add a metallic touch. The reason this necklace layering works so well is that it creates a cascading effect, with so much space between the longest, mid-length, and shortest chains. When trying out this tip for yourself, keep the focus on the shape of the pieces together, so you can combine different metals, but opt for jewellery that has similar chain thicknesses at varying lengths.
Play With Pearls
It can be tricky to figure out how to layer beads, metals, and pearl necklaces together, but I saved these combos because they capture it all — the long, pearl statement necklaces act as the focal point of the look, while layers of short, beaded necklaces anchor the accessories at the collarbone. The amber hue of the beaded chokers in the right-hand, all-blue look acts as a neutral colour against the lapis-blue top, emulating a similar warmth to the yellow-gold pendant to tie the accessories together.
Pendants on Pendants
When it comes to how to layer necklaces, I have one final question for you. Who says you can’t wear two pendant necklaces together? These two, trending rope-chain necklaces evoke an earthy feel compared to classic metal chains, and the matching cords create visual harmony between the two designs. Allow a few inches of space between the two statement pieces to ensure they each have enough space to shine. I love this look so much.
Originally published on Glamour UK.
