The Ultimate Guide to Layering Necklaces & Necklace Stacking Tips
In This Blog
Jewelry is all about self-expression, and many people choose to tell their stories by wearing multiple pieces together. Wearing two or more necklaces is known as necklace stacking or layering, which is an increasingly trendy way to showcase your style and add additional meaning to your jewelry collection.
Whether you’re building your first collection of layered necklaces or you’re just starting out and looking for tips on how to layer necklaces, our guide can help you find the perfect look. Continue reading for tips on layering necklaces, styling suggestions, tips for how to avoid tangling, and more.
What Are Layered Necklaces?
Layered necklaces, also known as stacking necklaces, are necklaces that are worn together simultaneously. They can be pendants, chains and other styles. As long as you’re wearing two or more necklaces, you’re wearing a layered look. Today, layering multiple necklaces at the same time is known by many names including a layering look, a neckline stack, layered necklaces, necklace stacking, or even a neck mess. No matter what you choose to call this ever-trendy jewelry style, you can have fun mixing, matching and even purposely mismatching several types of necklaces for a look that’s all your own.
Benefits of Layering Necklaces
Wearing jewelry should be a fun form of self-expression in which you can let your personality shine. Necklace layering is an excellent way to combine your style, symbolic jewelry, birthstone jewelry and any other necklaces into one cohesive look that’s uniquely you. Ready to start layering on personalized style? Explore our Guide to Necklace Layering to get started!
How to Layer Necklaces
The simplest way to put together a necklace stack is to pick two of your necklaces to wear them together. But if you’d like a more curated approach to the layered necklaces look, you can choose your pieces based on design, symbolism, style, and more. Follow our favorite tips for building a stylish layering necklaces look.
1. Combine Different Styles and Chain Types
Half the fun of necklace layering is juxtaposing contrasting styles: modern pearls or pavé worn with contemporary motifs and geometric shapes. And don’t ignore your options for choosing chains with different weights and textures: bead, cable, rolo, rope, snake, Venetian, and wheat.
Mixing daintier necklaces with thicker gold chains is one of the best ways to create visual variety in your neck stack. This creates a stylistic conversation between the pieces, with a timeless gold chain bringing a classic look and a pendant necklace adding a contemporary touch. Mixing chain types in your layered necklaces isn’t just smart style-wise, it also helps reduce tangling.
Shop Popular Chain Types for Necklace Layering:
2. Pair Necklaces with Different Lengths
This is one of the most fundamental aspects of building a layered necklace look. If all of your layering necklaces are the same length, you really have a big tangle of necklaces. By choosing necklaces of different lengths, you can achieve a cascade necklace stacking effect that allows each piece to stand out on its own.
If you have a few favorite pieces that are the same length, you can use chain extenders to make them different lengths. You can also have some necklaces shortened if needed. To get started, pick a piece that falls closer to your collarbone and build the rest of your look from there.
Shop Necklaces by Length:
3. Add Custom Necklaces to the Stack
Your gold, platinum or silver layered necklace look can include some stacked pieces with serious personalization for a neck mess that’s all yours. Bar necklaces, lockets and other engravable styles are the perfect elements to add to your stack. These pieces can offer added personality along with stylistic separation between elements of your layered necklace look.
4. Bring Color to the Party
If you’re new to the world of neck stacking, it’s always best to start with layering necklaces in the same metal. So if you’re putting together a look by layering gold necklaces, you’ll want to stick to the same color of gold to keep things simple. You can also play with color by combining necklaces of different colors and metal types throughout your stack, such as combining yellow and rose gold necklaces in one look or even wearing a two-tone necklace in your stack.
5. Play with Textures
Whether you’re putting together a monochromatic necklace stack or one with different color chains, textures are another element to keep in mind. Mixing up your necklace textures is one of the best ways to create an impressive, layered necklace look. This can involve wearing a smooth silver chain alongside a gemstone-loaded diamond tennis necklace or creating another multi-textured look with pendant necklaces worn alongside hand-etched chains. Filigree details, herringbone chain patterns, pavé accents, pearls, gemstones, station chains and other textural styles can all be combined for an eye-catching necklace stack.
6. Start with Two Necklaces
Feeling a little overwhelmed putting together an entire necklace stack at once? You can always start with just two necklaces and build from there. Stacking two necklaces at the same time is one of the best ways to explore this jewelry trend. Consider stacking two necklaces of similar thickness or taking a creative approach by pairing two different necklaces in a similar metal.
7. Pick a Conversation Piece & Build from There
If picking two necklaces to start your neck mess feels a little daunting, you can always start by picking one single necklace that will be the centerpiece of your stack. A complex chain or even a timeless diamond solitaire necklace can be the perfect centerpiece to build your neck stack around. Start with one necklace and pick others that complement or even contrast it to begin layering.
8. Have Fun with It!
Wearing layering necklaces should be a fun form of self-expression. While many fashion magazines publish set rules on how to layer necklaces, the best way for you to layer necklaces is the way that you enjoy wearing your jewelry. Pick pieces you’ll want to wear day after day and elements that feel expressive for you. After all, the neck stack you design should be 100% YOU!
Bonus Tips for Wearing Layered Necklaces
With proper planning, you can wear a durable stacked necklace look that doesn’t tangle. The best layering necklaces are durable in gold, silver or platinum with sturdy diamonds and gemstones. Explore our bonus tips and necklace layering FAQs for more info on how to make this trendy jewelry style all your own.
How to Stop Layering Necklaces from Tangling
Stacked necklaces are worn together simultaneously, so tangling is always a consideration. You can keep your layered necklaces from tangling by wearing chains with different textures, thicknesses and lengths.
The Best Necklaces for Layering
Tangling and durability can be considerations when you’re stacking necklaces. Some chain types and styles are more fragile than others and may not lend as well to stacking as others. Pieces such as herringbone chains or pearl necklaces should be layered with lighter chains to prevent damage. If you are nervous about damaging more fragile gems or chain types in a stack, substitute those more delicate necklaces for more durable styles.
Necklace Layering FAQs
The best way to keep layering necklaces from tangling is to wear ones of different lengths and thicknesses. Regularly straightening your necklaces throughout the day will also keep them in order.
Neck stacks are an opportunity for showing off one’s personal style and jewelry tastes. People typically wear this look because it is fashionable and fun to put together. Many pieces also offer personal meanings that make stacking necklaces a symbolic choice.
Necklace layering is one of the most fashionable jewelry trends today.
Building a neck stack to match your personal style is the best way to make the jewelry trend look good. Layered necklaces are beautiful on their own but their conversational style is most impressive when these pieces are stacked together.
Yes, mixing metals is one of the best ways to build a unique necklace stack. Many people combine contrasting metals for a standout look. You can also choose complementary metals for a cohesive stack.
Stacking It Up
Now that you’re an expert in building the perfect neckline stack, it’s time to start shopping! We invite you to explore our wide selection of necklaces in various lengths, metals and styles to fit your perfect neckline stack.
