16 Jewellery Style Tips You Need to Know

Jewellery can make or break an outfit. It’s something that is often an afterthought, usually because we don’t have the confidence to wear what we really want. But you can express your personality and style beautifully through the choice of chains, rings and bangles you choose to wear.

Deciding to add jewellery to an outfit can completely transform your look and skyrocket your confidence. All you need to do is follow a few key style rules to make jewellery an integral part of your wardrobe. Consider the following style tips the next time you are shopping for jewellery or putting together an outfit.

How do you wear jewellery well?

The key to wearing jewellery well is to know what you have and what works for you. Draw attention to the parts of your body that you want to show off and adapt your style to your outfit choice.

You can easily elevate an outfit with the right choice of jewellery, but it’s also possible to choose jewellery that overpowers your frame or your choice of clothing. Striking the balance is all about experimenting and making decisions based on what is right for you, and not what is currently in style.

What jewellery goes with everything?

Like a capsule wardrobe, it’s also possible to build a capsule jewellery collection. By choosing key pieces that work with everything, you can get started building a collection that you feel confident pairing with anything. The core pieces of every jewellery collection should include:

  • Diamond studs. These will elevate any outfit choice, from an elegant ball gown to your business casual look for work.
  • A cocktail ring. For a more dressy look, make sure you have at least one bold statement ring.
  • Delicate necklace. A fine chain necklace is a great piece for everyday wear that you can layer up or wear on its own.
  • Hoop earrings. Hoop earrings will elevate a casual look and make a dressy outfit feel a lot more down to earth.
  • Stacking rings. A simple way to explore wearing more jewellery is with stacking rings. These versatile pieces can be worn together on one finger, or spread across the hands for a boho look.

How many pieces of jewellery should you wear?

This is really down to your taste and style preferences. A common fashion rule is that you should wear no more than 5 pieces, but style rules are made to be broken. A chic look could include just one piece of jewellery, or you could go for a maximalist look with more than 5 pieces. Boho style and eclectic styles both lend themselves to plentiful jewellery.

Does it all need to be expensive jewellery?

While it makes sense to invest in quality pieces, there are benefits to being flexible in this approach. While you should look for quality pieces, you can also add vintage or second hand pieces to your collection to help build it faster. You don’t have to be swayed by labels; you can also look for independent designers that offer excellent quality jewellery without the big price tags associated with big brands.

Jewellery can make or break an outfit. It’s something that is often an afterthought, usually because we don’t have the confidence to wear what we really want. But you can express your personality and style beautifully through the choice of chains, rings and bangles you choose to wear. Deciding to add jewellery to an outfit can completely transform your look and skyrocket your confidence. All you need to do is follow a few key style rules to make jewellery an integral part of your wardrobe. Consider the following style tips the next time you are shopping for jewellery or putting together an outfit. How do you wear jewellery well? The key to wearing jewellery well is to know what you have and what works for you. Draw attention to the parts of your body that you want to show off and adapt your style to your outfit choice.  You can easily elevate an outfit with the right choice of jewellery, but it’s also possible to choose jewellery that overpowers your frame or your choice of clothing. Striking the balance is all about experimenting and making decisions based on what is right for you, and not what is currently in style. What jewellery goes with everything? Like a capsule wardrobe, it’s also possible to build a capsule jewellery collection. By choosing key pieces that work with everything, you can get started building a collection that you feel confident pairing with anything. The core pieces of every jewellery collection should include: Diamond studs. These will elevate any outfit choice, from an elegant ball gown to your business casual look for work. A cocktail ring. For a more dressy look, make sure you have at least one bold statement ring. Delicate necklace. A fine chain necklace is a great piece for everyday wear that you can layer up or wear on its own. Hoop earrings. Hoop earrings will elevate a casual look and make a dressy outfit feel a lot more down to earth. Stacking rings. A simple way to explore wearing more jewellery is with stacking rings. These versatile pieces can be worn together on one finger, or spread across the hands for a boho look. How many pieces of jewellery should you wear? This is really down to your taste and style preferences. A common fashion rule is that you should wear no more than 5 pieces, but style rules are made to be broken. A chic look could include just one piece of jewellery, or you could go for a maximalist look with more than 5 pieces. Boho style and eclectic styles both lend themselves to plentiful jewellery. Does it all need to be expensive jewellery? While it makes sense to invest in quality pieces, there are benefits to being flexible in this approach. While you should look for quality pieces, you can also add vintage or second hand pieces to your collection to help build it faster. You don’t have to be swayed by labels; you can also look for independent designers that offer excellent quality jewellery without the big price tags associated with big brands. 16 jewellery style tips you need to know Ready to start growing your jewellery collection? Here are some of the top style tips you need to know. Remember that these are tips and not rules. Fashion rules are there to be broken, and you should always prioritise self-expression over following the trends. Layering is key Almost all pieces of jewellery can be layered. You could pair necklaces of different lengths, stack up bangles and bracelets, or wear stacking rings to achieve a stylish look. This is one of the most effortless ways to achieve an instant style upgrade. Try mixing things up with different metals, stones and finishes.  If you want to go for the maximalist look, then layer up multiple types of jewellery, such as rings, bracelets and necklaces. With delicate pieces, you can achieve a perfect boho vibe, and with bolder pieces, you can achieve a more eclectic look. Know when to stop While layering can look great, there is always the risk that you’ll end up looking like the child that fell into the fancy dress box. Know when to stop, and if in doubt, just remove one piece of jewellery. As a general rule, you should have no more than one cocktail ring per hand. And if you are wearing a statement necklace, don’t attempt to layer this or add anything that will compete with it. It’s okay to just have one focal point in your outfit. Don’t forget earrings If you wear earrings every day, you likely see them as an afterthought, but this can be a fun way to experiment with different styles and upgrade a simple outfit. If you’re stuck wearing the same studs every day, try exploring larger statement pieces, or simple hoops. You can also try precious stones like rubies or sapphires for a bold pop of colour and glitter. Know that the focal point is When you start piecing together the items you want to wear, think about where you want the eye to focus. Is it on a statement necklace or a bold cocktail ring? Knowing where you want the viewer’s attention to be drawn will help you to refine your choices and ensure you aren’t wearing too many competing pieces of jewellery. Always buy quality While it can be tempting to stock your jewellery box with cheap and cheerful pieces to help you mix up your looks more often, this is a poor strategy in the long-term. Cheap pieces will tarnish quickly and may turn your skin green.  There’s nothing worse than falling in love with the look of a piece of jewellery and quickly learning that you can’t wear it because it turns your skin into a lizard-like hue. By choosing quality pieces, you can guarantee you’ll be able to wear them for a long time. Wear sentimental pieces Jewellery doesn’t have to be purely decorative, it can also be deeply sentimental. It’s not uncommon for individuals to add family heirloom jewellery to their collection and wear it as everyday jewellery.  Your grandmother’s wedding band could become part of a stacking set. Even items like ashes jewellery can blend seamlessly into your jewellery collection. A great example of this is forever bracelets which can be layered with multiple bracelets to create an effortlessly chic look for day or night. Change up your earrings Regularly changing your earrings will prevent them from blending into the background. If you always wear the same simple pair, you’re missing an opportunity to express yourself. Earrings can be fun and playful, or they can be daring and bold. You can experiment with cuffs, long dangling earrings, or hoops of all sizes. Don’t get stuck chasing trends A common problem individuals face when growing their jewellery collection is trying to keep pace with the onward march of fast fashion. Trying to keep up with every trend is an expensive and unnecessary pursuit. You don’t need to follow every trend if you have your own individual style. Chasing trends will lead you to have a jewellery box filled with outdated styles that you struggle to wear. It’s also far more expensive, as you’ll find that you have to add to your collection far more frequently.  Be bold and brave Jewellery is supposed to be fun and expressive, so don’t be afraid to mix things up with bold and brave pieces. Add vintage or one-off statement pieces to your collection, and then build around these with everyday items that can be dressed up or dressed down. A bold statement necklace or ring can instantly upgrade a simple outfit and make it effortlessly stylish. Likewise, you can allow your outfit to shine through by dialling back the jewellery choices and selecting pieces that demand less attention. Match your clothing style Your overall style should dictate the direction your jewellery collection heads in. Do you gravitate towards vintage style, or do you have a more boho look? Are you high fashion, or do you lean towards a more artsy aesthetic? Think about how you like to dress every day for work and outside of work and then let this guide your jewellery choices. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with mixing and contrasting styles to help create a bold new look. Or contrast with your clothing style Contrasting your jewellery choices with your clothing is a bold choice. This could mean pairing bold statement jewellery with simple, elegant clothing choices. Or letting your outfit lead the charge while your jewellery takes a back seat. Pairing contrasting jewellery and style choices is a unique fashion choice that can work really well when carefully considered. Mix it up for work and play The jewellery you wear for work should be very different to the jewellery you wear at the weekend or to special events. Matching your jewellery to the occasion is an excellent skill to develop. This will allow you to be bold yet cautious at work, while saving your best pieces for evenings and weekend events. There’s no reason you can’t express your personality through jewellery at work, but it is probably better if you save your best pieces for special occasions when they can really shine. Use jewellery to expand your wardrobe You don’t always have to look for new clothing to refresh your wardrobe, you can also add new jewellery to your collection. Investing in quality pieces of jewellery is an excellent choice, as you can explore different styles without having to buy into fast fashion. You can allow your clothing style to change organically through your choice for jewellery. This will enable you to explore more styles and determine what works best for you. Don’t be afraid to mix metals Mixing metals might seem like a fashion mistake, but it can work beautifully when done well. We’re often told that we either look better in gold or silver, based on whether we have warm or cool undertones. However, you can ignore this fashion rule and mix metals to create a bold and daring look. You don’t have to stick to gold and silver, you can introduce brass, copper, rose gold, and black rhodium for a dramatic effect. Warmer tones will help you to capture the boho chic look, while cooler and contrasting tones are great for a high fashion approach. Match your necklace to your neckline A simple style trick that will instantly elevate any outfit is to match your necklace to your neckline. This will ensure your outfit isn’t competing with your jewellery and it will also help you to look more put together. An outfit will appear more intentional and designed if you can ensure that the neckline works perfectly with the necklace. High necklines look great with long-line necklaces layered over the top. And round or boat necklines look perfect with shorter, statement pieces.  Keep it all clean One final style rule for ensuring your jewellery always looks incredible is to learn how to care for it and keep it clean. Tarnished or dull jewellery will look cheap and can ruin an outfit. Remember that every metal will have its own care instructions, so learn how to keep each piece looking pristine. You’ll also need to store your jewellery carefully to avoid damage. Key takeaway With these style tips, you can start to grow your jewellery collection and express your personality with ease. Remember that jewellery is supposed to be fun, so make sure you keep it this way. Experiment with different styles and textures and decide what works for your frame and proportions.  Always remember that style rules are made to be broken. If your choice of jewellery is unconventional, but it fills you with confidence, then you’re on the right track. You don’t have to follow the herds and stick to what is trending right now. Lean on influences from the past and be bold in your approach to building a jewellery collection.

16 jewellery style tips you need to know

Ready to start growing your jewellery collection? Here are some of the top style tips you need to know. Remember that these are tips and not rules. Fashion rules are there to be broken, and you should always prioritise self-expression over following the trends.

1. Layering is key

Almost all pieces of jewellery can be layered. You could pair necklaces of different lengths, stack up bangles and bracelets, or wear stacking rings to achieve a stylish look. This is one of the most effortless ways to achieve an instant style upgrade. Try mixing things up with different metals, stones and finishes.

If you want to go for the maximalist look, then layer up multiple types of jewellery, such as rings, bracelets and necklaces. With delicate pieces, you can achieve a perfect boho vibe, and with bolder pieces, you can achieve a more eclectic look.

2. Know when to stop

While layering can look great, there is always the risk that you’ll end up looking like the child that fell into the fancy dress box. Know when to stop, and if in doubt, just remove one piece of jewellery. As a general rule, you should have no more than one cocktail ring per hand. And if you are wearing a statement necklace, don’t attempt to layer this or add anything that will compete with it. It’s okay to just have one focal point in your outfit.

3. Don’t forget earrings

If you wear earrings every day, you likely see them as an afterthought, but this can be a fun way to experiment with different styles and upgrade a simple outfit. If you’re stuck wearing the same studs every day, try exploring larger statement pieces, or simple hoops. You can also try precious stones like rubies or sapphires for a bold pop of colour and glitter.

4. Know that the focal point is

When you start piecing together the items you want to wear, think about where you want the eye to focus. Is it on a statement necklace or a bold cocktail ring? Knowing where you want the viewer’s attention to be drawn will help you to refine your choices and ensure you aren’t wearing too many competing pieces of jewellery.

Always buy quality

5. Always buy quality

While it can be tempting to stock your jewellery box with cheap and cheerful pieces to help you mix up your looks more often, this is a poor strategy in the long-term. Cheap pieces will tarnish quickly and may turn your skin green.

There’s nothing worse than falling in love with the look of a piece of jewellery and quickly learning that you can’t wear it because it turns your skin into a lizard-like hue. By choosing quality pieces, you can guarantee you’ll be able to wear them for a long time.

6. Wear sentimental pieces

Jewellery doesn’t have to be purely decorative, it can also be deeply sentimental. It’s not uncommon for individuals to add family heirloom jewellery to their collection and wear it as everyday jewellery.

Your grandmother’s wedding band could become part of a stacking set. Even items like ashes jewellery can blend seamlessly into your jewellery collection. A great example of this is forever bracelets which can be layered with multiple bracelets to create an effortlessly chic look for day or night.

7. Change up your earrings

Regularly changing your earrings will prevent them from blending into the background. If you always wear the same simple pair, you’re missing an opportunity to express yourself. Earrings can be fun and playful, or they can be daring and bold. You can experiment with cuffs, long dangling earrings, or hoops of all sizes.

8. Don’t get stuck chasing trends

A common problem individuals face when growing their jewellery collection is trying to keep pace with the onward march of fast fashion. Trying to keep up with every trend is an expensive and unnecessary pursuit. You don’t need to follow every trend if you have your own individual style.

Chasing trends will lead you to have a jewellery box filled with outdated styles that you struggle to wear. It’s also far more expensive, as you’ll find that you have to add to your collection far more frequently.

9. Be bold and brave

Jewellery is supposed to be fun and expressive, so don’t be afraid to mix things up with bold and brave pieces. Add vintage or one-off statement pieces to your collection, and then build around these with everyday items that can be dressed up or dressed down. A bold statement necklace or ring can instantly upgrade a simple outfit and make it effortlessly stylish. Likewise, you can allow your outfit to shine through by dialling back the jewellery choices and selecting pieces that demand less attention.

Match your clothing style

10. Match your clothing style

Your overall style should dictate the direction your jewellery collection heads in. Do you gravitate towards vintage style, or do you have a more boho look? Are you high fashion, or do you lean towards a more artsy aesthetic? Think about how you like to dress every day for work and outside of work and then let this guide your jewellery choices. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with mixing and contrasting styles to help create a bold new look.

11. Or contrast with your clothing style

Contrasting your jewellery choices with your clothing is a bold choice. This could mean pairing bold statement jewellery with simple, elegant clothing choices. Or letting your outfit lead the charge while your jewellery takes a back seat. Pairing contrasting jewellery and style choices is a unique fashion choice that can work really well when carefully considered.

12. Mix it up for work and play

The jewellery you wear for work should be very different to the jewellery you wear at the weekend or to special events. Matching your jewellery to the occasion is an excellent skill to develop. This will allow you to be bold yet cautious at work, while saving your best pieces for evenings and weekend events. There’s no reason you can’t express your personality through jewellery at work, but it is probably better if you save your best pieces for special occasions when they can really shine.

13. Use jewellery to expand your wardrobe

You don’t always have to look for new clothing to refresh your wardrobe, you can also add new jewellery to your collection. Investing in quality pieces of jewellery is an excellent choice, as you can explore different styles without having to buy into fast fashion. You can allow your clothing style to change organically through your choice for jewellery. This will enable you to explore more styles and determine what works best for you.

14. Don’t be afraid to mix metals

Mixing metals might seem like a fashion mistake, but it can work beautifully when done well. We’re often told that we either look better in gold or silver, based on whether we have warm or cool undertones. However, you can ignore this fashion rule and mix metals to create a bold and daring look.

You don’t have to stick to gold and silver, you can introduce brass, copper, rose gold, and black rhodium for a dramatic effect. Warmer tones will help you to capture the boho chic look, while cooler and contrasting tones are great for a high fashion approach.

necklace

15. Match your necklace to your neckline

A simple style trick that will instantly elevate any outfit is to match your necklace to your neckline. This will ensure your outfit isn’t competing with your jewellery and it will also help you to look more put together. An outfit will appear more intentional and designed if you can ensure that the neckline works perfectly with the necklace. High necklines look great with long-line necklaces layered over the top. And round or boat necklines look perfect with shorter, statement pieces.

16. Keep it all clean

One final style rule for ensuring your jewellery always looks incredible is to learn how to care for it and keep it clean. Tarnished or dull jewellery will look cheap and can ruin an outfit. Remember that every metal will have its own care instructions, so learn how to keep each piece looking pristine. You’ll also need to store your jewellery carefully to avoid damage.

Key takeaway

With these style tips, you can start to grow your jewellery collection and express your personality with ease. Remember that jewellery is supposed to be fun, so make sure you keep it this way. Experiment with different styles and textures and decide what works for your frame and proportions.

Always remember that style rules are made to be broken. If your choice of jewellery is unconventional, but it fills you with confidence, then you’re on the right track. You don’t have to follow the herds and stick to what is trending right now. Lean on influences from the past and be bold in your approach to building a jewellery collection.