How to Wear a Statement Necklace

When to Make a Statement and When to Leave it Vacant

Hemming and hawing about whether or not to wear that bright statement necklace with that dress? The single reason red carpet dresses are put into the dreaded “Worst Dressed List” is because they’re a terrible color, but the second reason is that they over-embellish and end up looking like a clown in a Swarovski parade.  Here are the top three things you need to consider when deciding if you need a statement necklace or if you should go without.

Consider the Neckline

The neckline of a dress makes up 95% of the deciding factor when choosing wearing a decadent neck piece or not. Take a square neckline for example, the possibilities for a saucy necklace are literally endless. You have free reign to wear any and all styles you like because:

• A.) there’s nothing in you’re way… (no fabric to overlap the silhouette) and…
• B.) so long as the color is complimentary to the shirt or dress you’re wearing, any and every necklace will look like it was styled by a pro.

In the diagram below, the necklines best suited for an oversized blingin necklace, are the:

• cowl
• halter
• square
• scoop
• straight
• sweetheart
• v-shaped crew or round (not shown)
• turtleneck (not shown)

And if you want to trend on Twitter with the hashtag #hotmess, feel free to pair a statement collier with an asymmetrical or boat neckline. The “Collar” neckline depends on how many buttons (if any) are done up and whether or not the fabric intersects with the jewels or not.
TIP: If you do up all the buttons on a collared shirt, it acts as a backdrop for your jewelry, versus a distraction.

 

The Fabric and Details of the Dress

A dress with dazzling diamonds doesn’t need as much “help” as compared to say… a dress made of some other tiresome textile like boiled wool or matte silk. Other aspects to consider are the embellishments. So many dresses are accented with bows, flowers, sashes and epaulets… it makes it hard to define a cohesive look… so when in doubt… ditch the accessories. #lessismore

You’d never wear an argyle sweater, with a plaid shirt, polka dot scarf and a bejeweled jacket so why would you purposely try to look like a cluster f@ck.

Luster is a luxury you can create… so take the road more refined… then drive on it… with a Porsche!

Will Your Necklace Have Friends?

A statement necklace has the balls to run the show, never-mind just attend it. When you enter a room wearing a dazzling Erickson Beamon necklace or a glitzy J. Crew special, people notice! So try not to blind your admirers with too much fancy cut jewels perfectly faceted in just the right way draped around your neck, ears, fingers, wrists and ears. If you go necklace, then a cuff and/or a ring is complimentary. If you MUST wear earrings, then studs or huggies are the best options.

Don’t steal the show by drowning out the sun. Shine bright like a diamond (as in solitaire)… not  pavé… or a disco ball.

Buy this gorgeous statement necklace at Saks