Stylists Explain How to Layer Necklaces

You’ll see many people on social media who are far more skilled than just wearing one necklace. They have instead used the playful neckline stack, which is a combination of multiple necklaces of coordinating (sometimes clashing), lengths, colors and materials to create an overall look that is greater than the sum of its parts. Be careful not to pile on more pieces. There is a method.

Alyssa Sutter has necklace-layering down to science. Sutter is a stylist who is used to creating unique looks and designs for clients. She is also the designer and founder of Omnis Studio, which is a young, gender-free jewelry brand, known for its intricate charms. She assures that most necklaces can be stacked in multiples. It all depends on your style and how each necklace can be balanced to complement one another.

Even when you work with bolder designers, there are many ways to create a unique necklace stack. This will give you a cohesive look and not just a bunch of hodgepodges. Sutter shares five ways to wear multiple necklaces at once.

• Select a dominant metal

Sutter suggests that when mixing metals, it is a good idea to choose one metal to be your dominant metal and the other to be a subtle complement. Sutter suggests adding contrast to your necklace stack or choosing an earring with a different color to balance it. This will make the look more natural. It is best to mix metals throughout the board. If you have multiple earpiercings, you might want to mix metals with your earrings, rings, necklaces and rings.

• Start with a 2-Strand Stack

You don’t have to be a pro at necklace stacking. Start with a two-strand combination if you are new to this art. Sutter says that a two-necklace combination with an impactful design should be stacked using the same thickness chains. A charm necklace or ring should be placed on the bottom.

The stylist will mix and match pieces of different textures, lengths, thicknesses and textures. This creates dimension and ensures that your jewelry doesn’t get clumped together. She suggests mixing thin and long styles to create a subtle stack that is ‘everyday wear’.

• Make a statement necklace from scratch

Charm-necklaces are a fun way to add a touch of nostalgia and playfulness to your look. You can wear it alone or with fruits, vegetables, or even a few colorful baubles. You can also follow Sutter’s example and customize the statement accessory to suit your needs.

She shared her latest necklace design and said that she loves mixing metals with thickness. “I am currently wearing a thick sterling puffed mariner necklace with a shorter ball chain. It has colorful mushroom charms from Omnis Studios, my unisex jewelry line. It looks like one large statement necklace because of the way that the chains are laid together.”

• Be mindful of your length

Stacking is more than just gold and silver chains. You can also add pearl and beaded necklaces to your look to make it cool and multi-medium. Sutter suggests that you make sure your necklaces are only marginally different in length to avoid messy results. The best way to flatter your necklaces is to make sure they are stacked, not in one large clump. A pearl necklace measuring 16 inches in length and a charm necklace measuring 18 inches in length, for example, would be best to lay a simple necklace under the larger necklace to balance it and frame the statement pieces.

• Choose Adjustable Necklaces

A final piece of advice on stacking necklaces: Choose necklaces with personalization. Sutter says, “I use a little trick when stacking necklaces: I clasp chains on a shorter connection to get the length I want.” Sometimes a necklace is 18-20 inches long, but I prefer it to be shorter so that my stack looks complete.

Multiple clasp options, or necklaces fastened with a ribbon, string, will let you know exactly where they will fall on your neck, collar bone, or other items that will go well with them.