Jewelry 101: How to Layer Necklaces

Layering jewelry is one of the quickest ways to transform your look, especially when it comes to necklaces. The right combination of chains and pendants can elevate any outfit—even a basic white tee and jeans— while looking effortlessly chic. But learning how to wear layered necklaces isn’t always as easy as it seems; sometimes you can end up with a tangled mess on your hands. To simplify things, here are four easy tips to create a balanced necklace stack—plus, a handful of beautiful picks you’ll want to add to your collection. Read on to unlock your best layered look yet.

Consider Your Neckline

Every neckline calls for a different combination of jewelry, so make your selections accordingly. When wearing crew or cowl necklines, you’ll want to opt for pieces that mirror the scoop of your shirt, like a dainty ball chain choker paired with a thicker option like Kimberly Doyle’s Heavy Curb Chain. V-necks and sweetheart necklines look great with a rounded chain toward the top and a medallion pendant at the bottom. Style turtlenecks, wraps, and scarves with longer necklaces that won’t get lost in the fray—visually or literally. We love Objet-a’s beaded styles for their versatile lengths and lively colors.

Choose Your Foundation

Your shortest necklace serves as the foundation for your stack and sets the tone for the whole ensemble. If you have another piece that you’d like to act as the focal point, it’s best to keep your foundation necklace simple—an elegant choker or a heavier link chain will do the trick. If you want to create a colorful moment, try adding one of Bleecker & Prince’s “snow globe” beads to a rolo chain, then carry the hue through your choice of pendant—we recommend Akaila Reid’s style, aptly named The Stack Necklace. Colorful pendants provide an opportunity to introduce harmonious hues to your neck stack, so use them as a segue for statement necklaces that pack a vibrant punch, like our favorite styles from Encirckled.

Pick a Theme

As you choose your second necklace layer, think about the theme of your look, whether that be brilliant color, mixed metals, or a play on different shapes. Wearing silver and gold together is very on-trend at the moment, so there’s never been a better time to experiment with pairing unexpected pieces, like a tennis necklace with a yellow gold chain. A necklace that features both silver and gold, like Kloto’s Catch Necklace, can also help create a seamless transition when styling a mixed-metal stack.

Balance Chain Lengths and Textures

With the right assortment of necklaces on hand, creating the perfect stack can be the best part of getting dressed. The key is to have options of different thickness, length, and texture. This is also the secret for how to keep necklaces from tangling : if you’re wearing chains of varying length and texture, they won’t get caught on each other—and if they do, they’ll be easy to detangle. If you have two necklaces with a similar chain style, you can keep them from tangling by adding a pendant—we love the thought of attaching a gold locket to a longer chain via Lionheart’s Diamond Swivel Connector.

Last, but not least, your neck stack also shouldn’t exceed three or four pieces; more may be more, but it’s not always better. By limiting your selection to a few well-curated pieces, you’ll be giving them more room to shine.