(Sweater… all necklace details below)

Since my outfits tend to be on the relatively “basic” + “neutral” side 90% of the time (I mean, we need a little spice here and there, right?) I rely heavily on accessories to elevate an everyday look. Whether it’s shoes (which I still keep in the neutral zone….), a handbag, or the jewelry I layer I look to it to pull an outfit together. I frequently receive questions on layering + mixing metals of jewelry pieces, so I thought that I’d dedicate today’s post to sharing some of my all time favorite pieces, as well as answering a few questions…..

I’d have to say that Gorjana has some of my all time favorite pieces for everyday wear. I first came to love her brand about ten years ago, right after TJ + I became engaged. I found the simplicity of her designs effortless and quickly realized I could easily layer them as a way to make a statement without being over the top. My very first necklace was the super star, and it was a gift from my sister for my birthday… I actually still own, and wear it, to this day. Since then, my jewelry box has filled up with favorites from her line. Among them include, but are not limited to, this mosaic coin necklace (featured today), crescent pendant (wearing today, you’ve seen it so many times before), star charm necklace (love the adjustable length), mini charm necklace (seen today), mini stud bar earrings, palm leaf ear crawlers, adjustable beaded bracelet (see below), and this gold cuff (see below).

Maya Brenner has also been a favorite of mine for about three years. Most well known for her dainty initial necklaces (see photo below), I have one in rose gold with Harper + TJ’s initials on them…. unfortunately, last year it fell down a seat in our car and we’ve been struggling to get it out since, which is why I haven’t worn it lately. I also have the “A” initial ring I wear under my wedding/engagement rings (see photo. TJ’s real name is Anthony…..) and that was a gift from TJ for our anniversary two years ago. And last year for our anniversary TJ gave me this dainty rose gold thumb ring, which I wear daily.

I recently discovered Monica Viander and love her dainty and classic designs as well…. my parents gave me this beautiful rose gold diamond bracelet (wearing in top photo) for my birthday this year and I wear it daily. I think the matching, mini ring, is beautiful as well….

I also love these drusy earrings from Kendra Scott…. and this delicate pendant initial necklace (see below, very old image!) from David Yurman was a birthday gift from TJ several years ago….. The David Yurman cable classic bracelets (in the thin 4mm size) easily mix in with all my other dainty pieces as well.

(Camisole)

MIXING METALS

Can I mix gold, rose gold, and silver together? That’s something I get asked frequently. I say it all depends. I look at David Yurman jewelry and so many of the pieces mix silver + gold together beautifully. My wedding bands are white gold and I wear them with all of my gold/rose gold pieces and never think twice. That being said, my personal preference is to mix gold + rose gold together…. and I think it looks natural. I’ve seen lots of beautiful combinations that include all three metals… it’s really a process of trial and error…. there are times I layer on a few pieces and think “something just doesn’t look right,” and make a few adjustments until it looks/feels better.

LAYERING COMBINATIONS

Finding the right balance when you’re layering pieces can be quite simple…. but I also think, again, it’s all based on personal preference and what feels organic. When you look in the mirror, does it feel forced? Then maybe remove, or replace, one of the necklaces. My personal rule of thumb, when I’m doing a three necklace layer, is to layer a 16″, 18″, + 20″ necklace together (for 4 necklaces I toss in a 24″, which is the combo you see at the top). I feel as if this combo creates such a beautiful, effortless, look. With that combination, I start with my daintiest piece (typically the shortest… a simple charm or choker style…), then add in another mid-layer with a piece that makes a little more of a statement (a maybe even a necklace that comes pre-layered), and then save the longest piece as the longest layer (typically a longer pendant or lariat style). When you’re purchasing necklaces, make sure they all have adjustable lengths. That way you can inter-mix them with one another and you aren’t stuck with the same combination. I also recommend trying this layering necklace connector (a reader recently sent it to me, so I haven’t tried it yet)…. which should help to keep your necklaces relatively tangle free (something that inevitably happens when you’re layering). I think the most important thing to remember is to create space between your necklaces so that they don’t sit on top of each other.

In the end, there really aren’t any hard and fast rules on how to layer, or combine, necklaces…. so take what I say as merely a guideline and layer on!!