What a cluttered mess! #%$^

Here at ICY, we love jewelry and the more the merrier; therefore, today’s Let’s Learn session will be on:

How to stack multiple necklaces 

We love this look, and layering jewelry, like layering clothes, gives dimension and style to any outfit.

READY? SET? LET'S LEARN!

How to layer your necklaces:

Your Top: To ensure the look isn't overwhelming, start by wearing a basic v-neck or scoop-neck shirt - the attention is at your neckline.  Ladies, here's major no- no #1 - do not pair multiple necklaces with a busy top.  This is a major sin!!!  Ruffles, lace, crazy beadworks, and busy patterns etc on the top itself is pretty and chic, but the necklaces will compete for attention against these details.  Bottom-line: you don’t want your top to steal the spotlight!!

Lengths: The lengths of the necklaces should all differ (unless you are aiming for the mono-layering look), so that you get a layered look and not just a tangled mess. Try to mix textures and colors WITHIN THE SAME STYLE CATEGORY.  If you are not an expert at grouping (pairing likes with likes), then you may consider investing in a piece of multi-strand necklaces attached as one – zero think-time in the morning… brilliant!

Continuity: If you want to showcase a few of your necklaces at once but want to avoid looking tangled, you can always wear a short, a medium, and a long necklace at once to achieve the continuous look.  This of course, plays in accordance to the length guidelines – likes with likes and same style category!

Grouping (multi-layering): Make sure the necklaces all have the same style: cute and preppy; edgy; basic; or bohemian etc.  An added point is that the necklaces should be at different lengths.  A major no-no is definitely the pairing of different styles together.  For example, wearing a cute lollipop necklace with a Victorian crystal encrusted vintage necklace is terrible!  Yes, weird combo… but CC has seen this in real life – on a stylish woman – while shopping.  Poor sista looked as though she was a poorly-organized walking jewelry display!

Grouping (mono-layering): You may wonder what’s the major difference between “mono-layering” and “multi-layering”.  Let's take a look at these simple definitions:

Multi-layering: Layering multiple necklaces at different lengths within the same style category and within the same colour group

Mono-layering: Layering multiple necklaces of the same lengths in different categories but within the same colour group

Lost? Admit it, you are... here are the examples:

• Multiple-layering: layering short and long gold necklaces with vintage pendants
• Different lengths = short and long
• Same category = vintage pendants on each
• Same colour group = gold

• Mono-layering: layering medium length necklaces of different thickness with silver heart charm and chunky silver stone
• Same length = medium
• Different categories = silver heart charm and chunky stone
• Same colour group = silver

Spot the difference?  And please, CC just made up these terms, so don’t bother looking them up LOL

Now back to some mono-layering tips:  You can choose different types of necklaces, like a thin one, a thicker one, and one with charms on it at relatively the same length (yes, you probably have images of a tangled mess in your minds already – read on)…  for example: you can wear a thin necklace with a mini heart charm, a thicker chain by itself, and a thin chain with a chunky stone… of course, we need to keep in mind of the importance of same colour group… therefore, silver necklaces will be great picks with this combo… and then heart charm and the chunky stone should be within the same colour group – think pink.  This in turn will give an uniformed continuity illusion.  But a word of caution, for those of you with a shorter neck (cute!), make sure you do not choose snug fit necklaces as this mono-layering technique will make your neck look shorter (boo!).  And an added tip, where a v-neck… it will elongate your torso automatically (sorry Mommy, I should have listened to you – milk = calcium = growth…)

Colours: Wear like colours if you want a more conservative look while mixing textures and lengths.  However, if you want a funky look, play with contrast colours, like red and green, blue and yellow etc.  It will definitely add a pop to any outfit… guaranteed!

Sorry for such a long post, but we think that some of you may be unhappy and totally disagree with these rules.  You are rolling your eyes and thinking: "ummm, I wear whatever I want and pair different lengths necklaces together everyday and I LOOK FINE!"... sure... you do... really... in your eyes only.  This is what we call the Messy Look.

The Messy Look:  This happens when an individual tries to pull off a look by throwing on different lengths necklaces of different colour groups and categories!  What a clutter-mess!  You poor thing...

Here's an example:

A leather cord necklace with a vintage pendant paired with a thick gold costume necklace and a think multi-coloured rolo-link kiddie lollipop necklace... so funky right?  WRONG.

Think POLISH not FUNKY (unless you are a high-schooler)! <-- GOLDEN RULE!

Was this Let’s Learn Session useful?!  Comments, feedbacks, criticisms, and bashing welcome.

We love you,

CC & CQ