You have never been afraid of trying new styles and trends. After all, you know better than to judge any outfit from how it looks on the hanger. The only problem is, once you’ve tried on that fierce top and you’ve fallen in love with it, how do you know what type of jewelry will compliment it, not distract from it? Matching a necklace to a neckline is all about creating a visually similar line. Fashion is a balancing act, with all the little individual pieces coming together to bring out the best in you, so let’s take a look at winning top/jewelry combos that will be guaranteed to hit all the right notes!
First, consider the occasion. You need to figure out if your chosen jewelry is not only appropriate for the neckline of your top, but also for where you plan on going. You may find that your great Grandma’s pearl and diamond necklace looks amazing with that top…but is it really practical for a weekend trip to the zoo with your 3 year old nephew who loves to grab things and pull them until they break? Probably not.
Once you decide the occasion, you can move on to the fun stuff…accessorizing!
Type of top: Turtleneck
Perfect jewelry for it: A longer chain or pendant, or layers of those
Reason: If you wear a shorter necklace it will tend to make your neck look shorter and thicker.
Type of top: Crew
Perfect jewelry for it: Bib or collar necklace
Reason: The length will hit right at the neckline of the shirt and mimic its shape, making it look aesthetically pleasing to the eye.
Type of top: Scoop
Perfect jewelry for it: Shorter chains and pendants with some bulk and width to them, like a chandelier bib necklace
Reason: The scoop will expose a little more skin, providing a blank canvas for your necklace. A necklace with more bulk to it will also help to keep you from appearing over exposed.
Type of top: Strapless
Perfect jewelry for it: Choker or short pendant
Reason: Adds visual interest and splits the attention so all the focus won’t be on your cleavage.
Type of top: One shoulder/Asymmetrical
Perfect jewelry for it: There are two camps of opinions here. Some say avoid a necklace altogether and go with long, dangling earrings, while some say wear a necklace that is asymmetrical in design itself.
Reason: Most tend to let the top speak for itself and opt for earrings. Reason being, the neckline of an asymmetrical top is visually interesting enough, and not overly revealing, so it can stand on its own.
Type of top: Collard button-up
Perfect jewelry for it: Short pendant
Reason: If you keep the necklace above the area where the buttons meet, you can avoid a messy look. The shorter, dangling pendant can still be seen, and mimics the shape created by the top, which is visually appealing.
Type of top: V-neck
Perfect jewelry for it: V-shaped dangling pendants or chandelier necklaces
Reason: You can safely add a v-shaped necklace that falls about an inch above the neckline of the top. This will mimic the shape of the neckline and elongate the look of your torso.
Type of top: Square
Perfect jewelry for it: Square or angular pendants
Reason: The straight lines of angular pendants will compliment the neckline of the top, adding even more visual interest.
Type of top: Cowl
Perfect jewelry for it: A short pendant or opt for earrings instead
Reason: A cowl neckline already has a lot going on with the folds of material, so a necklace might make it look too messy. It’s safer to stick with longer earrings.
Type of top: Sweetheart
Perfect jewelry for it: Longer drop pendant, Y-shape, lariat, or delicate v-shaped bib
Reason: The sweetheart neckline is one of the most popular shapes for wedding dresses. While you can pull off a shorter, simple necklace (like a single strand of pearls), you might instead want a necklace with a drop pendant…something to mimic the downward point of the neckline.
Image by Estall is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 (source: pixabay)