Layering jewellery can be tricky, because it should look subtle, but not untidy or overdone. It’s easy to wear the same thing over and over, or to not mix up your jewellery looks at all – here we find the happy medium in this fine art which will leave you looking effortless - whether it’s for (yet another) Zoom call or Teams meeting, or those oh-so-rare nights out these days.
FOCUS
Our first tip is to focus on two body parts; so instead of just piling on as many necklaces, rings, bracelets and earrings as you can, focus on your neck & wrist, or ears and ankles etc. This will create a more considered, less chaotic aesthetic and ensure there is a sense of style to it.
SPACING
It’s essential to create a nicely balanced look when layering; so spacing is key.
Each piece should complement the next one, and they shouldn’t look cluttered or get twisted among themselves, so the goal is to have each piece displayed naturally and not blocking each other’s view. When it comes to necklaces, if you have pendants or coins on your chains, try to choose chains with varying lengths, so that you can see the detail of each piece. This stops it from looking cluttered and shows off all your jewellery.
VARIATION – TEXTURE, LENGTH, WEIGHT
There is a delicate art to simple additions and mixing up your combinations can make all the difference when putting an outfit together.
Try to mix up delicate pieces with more statement ones to find a natural balance. This will keep your jewellery looking elegant and curated. The same rule can be applied to earrings, necklaces and bracelets. Too many chunky, dense pieces make you look weighed down so it’s important to get variety. Using a mixture of more statement pieces paired with some delicate, daintier designs is the ultimate way to show off your varied collection. Rather than simply layering 4/5 simple chains atop one another, why not introduce one with a pendant or a couple of charm details? It'll create a more curated look with the base chains acting as supportive backing dancers to the main event.
VARY YOUR LENGTHS
Perhaps the most obvious hack, but undoubtedly a commonly forgotten one, is that wearing several necklaces of the same length does nothing but create a chunky metal mass with the inevitable threat of repetitive tangles, so instead, stagger your necklace lengths - not necessarily all equidistant - to create flow and nonchalant French girl ‘je ne sais quoi’.
Our advice: When styling same metal necklaces, start with your smallest pendant on the shortest length that feels comfortable. Wear the bigger necklace on the longest length.
COLOUR CONSISTENCY
This is where the experts don’t always agree! Some pros – usually the more traditional ones - swear by making your layered jewellery really stand out by using the same metal colour throughout your whole look. If you’re feeling silver, then really GO for silver. Throw in subtle matching earrings, a chunky chain bracelet and even match this to your belt buckles or shoe detailing. The same goes for gold.
Other experts completely contrast that advice by suggesting mixing it up – both in terms of metals and gems - for a more natural and interesting feel. Go for gold-silver and a little bit of rose gold action for the hell of it, they believe anything goes, as long as there are intelligently put-together layers with synergy and focus.
A SENSE OF SYNERGY
Whether layering your necklaces or your earrings, it's clever to have some semblance of a theme running throughout. Whether it's as subtle as small diamond injections here and there or as literal as the same pendant style on several pieces, something to tie the look together and justify your selection keeps the look feeling more curated and less thrown together.
COMPLEMENT YOUR CLOTHING….
If you are layering necklaces, the neckline and print of your top can be super important. The simpler it is, the more space you have to play around with and the more decorative you can be. If you are wearing a neutral coloured tee, then up can up your jewellery game to the next level.. Generally, wearing more neutral and plain colours when layering is best. It really makes the jewellery speak for itself.
AVOID OVERKILL
If you have a tendency to be a bit OTT with your jewellery, there's a very simple way to avoid overkill. Make like Gabrielle Chanel and when you think your look is complete, remove the last thing you put on. It'll keep the original, curated layers as well as the intended sense of ease and simplicity. You want to keep it cool and sophisticated rather than overwhelming and over-done.
But don’t overthink it, remember the most important thing is to have fun!”
**I wrote this blog for www.iamstunningjewellery.co.uk - find more jewellery blogs over on their website…)