Jewelry can make or break your outfit. By adding a touch of sparkle, elegance, or polish, it has the potential to take any look to the next level. However, styling jewelry can also be intimidating. After all, there’s a lot of pressure to “get it right.”
While jewelry sets are one way to go, they’re pretty basic — and can lead to missed opportunities for making unforgettable style statements. The good news? You can follow some simple tips to mix and match your jewelry like a pro.
Read on for a roundup of six of our favorite tips for mixing and matching your jewelry.
1. Select a “centerpiece”
Choose one piece of jewelry to serve as a focal point and be the primary “eye-catcher” of your ensemble. It can be anything from an oversized ring like Dune Jewelry’s personalized Cocktail Ring to a chunky bracelet or a glittering necklace or locket – but always follow this one simple rule: All of your other jewelry should complement it in some way. The end result? A cohesive look in which the sum is greater than the parts.
One of our favorite ways to embrace this trend is with jewelry that means something. Take experiential jewelry, for example. A piece with personal significance becomes an “anchor” for the rest of your jewelry. Birthstones and other meaningful stones can have a similar effect.
2. Layer it on
Many people refrain from layering because they’re worried about overdoing it. While it’s true that an understated “less is more” approach can be classic, layering has a sophisticated and alluring effect. And anyone can layer jewelry — as long as you follow some basic rules, including selecting pieces of different lengths; pulling in different styles, textures, materials, and colors; and favoring thin layering pieces over thick ones.
Additionally, it’s best to zero in on only one type of jewelry to layer. For example, layer either necklaces OR bracelets, not both.
Looking for a “gateway” to layering jewelry? Almost anything goes when it comes to stacking rings.
3. Mix your metals
While there once was a time when mixing metals was considered a major fashion fail, we live in a bold new world in which combining metals isn’t just acceptable but on-trend.
Gold, white gold, rose gold, silver, and bronze not only all play well together, but the more, the merrier! Different metallic combinations are one of the easiest ways to amp up a look — especially when you layer them.
4. Pull in pops of color
While silver and gold jewelry may make up the base of your collection, incorporating color can do everything from adding an element of playfulness to pulling an outfit together. For example, rainbow-bright colors were recently included in a Vogue roundup of the latest looks.
From colorful Lucite baubles to fanciful beads, the sky’s the limit when it comes to happy hues guaranteed to brighten up your ensemble — and your outlook.
5. Honor the organic
While there’s a time and place for bold and bright colors, natural and organic materials also work well when mixing and matching jewelry.
More refined than razzle-dazzle, elements like sand, wood, stone, glass, bone, pearl, and shell are a graceful and grounding addition when paired with flashier pieces.
6. Embrace everyday and special occasion pieces
From heirloom pieces to the latest trends, you’ve likely accumulated different types of jewelry over your lifetime. Feel free to pair them together. If you have a special piece that’s near and dear to your heart, you can absolutely wear it every day as an extension of who you are and what matters to you. Then, swap trendier pieces in and out to change up your look.
Style icon Coco Chanel said, “Jewelry is not unchanging. Life transforms it and makes it bend to its requirements.” The takeaway? Make sure to sort and organize your jewelry box every so often. You may find new joy in forgotten pieces while also identifying potential new pieces to add that will improve your collection’s versatility.
Still not completely confident in your jewelry mixing and matching abilities? Chanel has advice to share here, too. “Before you leave the house, look in the mirror and take at least one thing off,” she famously said.
