How to Choose a Necklace to Work with Your Neckline
Different necklines look better with certain necklace styles.
Turtle necks – best with longer necklaces
Crew necks – best with short necklaces such as necklace ‘collar’ or bib styles
Scoop necks – fill in the space with multiple strands of beads or larger scale pendants
Strapless – look great with chokers or short pendants, leaving your lovely decolletage bare
Square necks – look for pendants with an angular finish to harmonize with the angular neckline
Asymmetric necklines – look for necklaces that aren’t symmetrical, instead a necklace that has it’s own asymmetry can work, alternatively a long string of different sized and shaped beads can work well.
Halter necks – these create a narrow V neck – so look for a narrow pendant with a sharper end
V neck – ideally a necklace that matches the shape of the V – depending if it’s a wider or narrower V neck.
Collared shirt (button down) – there isn’t much space for anything too wide, so a choker style works if you have a long neck, if not a slimmer pendant that sits above the last open button.
Boat neck – a long string or two of beads is ideal for this neckline.
Cowl neck – this neckline is already detailed and has volume, so either a short and small pendant or a pair of feature earrings instead of a necklace.
Sweetheart – a curved necklace that has width that will balance the open decolletage of this neckline.
Download this post as a printable PDF plus my other Top 5 Tips for Choosing and Wearing Necklaces.
Hi Imogen, there is a problem I have with my bodyshape that has bothered me since fashion abolished the shoulder pads. I have drooping shoulders.! Is there a style of top that will be more complimentary for me. Can’t wait for your always so professional and helpful advice !
You can still buy shoulder pads at the fabric store and place them in your garments. Only the really big ones are out of style now. If you sew or know one that can sew, they are very easy to make and cheaper.
Ellen – jackets are great as you can still wear shoulder pads in them. Avoid Raglan sleeves as they make your shoulders look more sloped.
Wonderful post. Have you done a post in which you describe the right necklines in relation to face and body proportions?
Someone posted this pic on Facebook and you said that it is better to see the blog – you are so right. This is so wonderful, I am bookmarking this and I would be honored if I can share this link of your blog in my blog. Can I? Thanks a bunch for all the wonderful writings! 🙂
Sure Maria – you are welcome to share anything of mine – as long as it’s credited to me and links remain in place! Thanks for coming by!
I realize now that I mismatch a lot of my clothes and accessories. Haha.
Smart compilation, great suggestions. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for this! I *never* know what necklace to pair with a blouse. Pinning this now!
Aloha Imogen!
I just stumbled across your site and I would like to share your ‘Choosing Necklaces for Necklines’ chart.
May I?
Of course I will credit you and link back to you. (If you give me permission, I want to do that right so how do I do that? Copy and Paste?)
You have a wonderful resource here! I love it! : )
Mahalo for your consideration! : )
Kimberly Richert
Hi Kimberly,
You are welcome to use it with attribution and a link back to Inside Out Style. To do so, click on the picture which will take you to Polyvore. Then you will see an option to SHARE it and you can get the code to embed it on your website. Hope this helps.
Hi dear, very informative article for all women out there irrespective of their ages..
it’s kind of a staple picture….thank you for uploading.
I also have a query, can I use this picture for reference in my blog? for my readers in future?please feel free to answer my query. Thanks in advance.
Hi Sangeeta,
You’re welcome to use the picture provided that you link it back to the original post, and ensure that no links within the picture are broken or removed.
I loved this post! I mentioned it on my blog. Thanks for sharing it.
Bel 🙂
I’m revisiting this post, since looking at your list of most popular posts of 2013… A lot of the suggestions fall right in line with how I typically dress, but before reading this post originally, I hadn’t thought about using more angular pieces with square necklines (or necessarily matching the pendant/bead shapes to shapes in a print, as you’ve shown us elsewhere). Your post really increased my tendency to reach for my necklaces with dangles arranged in a V, when wearing v-neck tops, and my crafting of necklaces has likewise changed, so that I’m more likely to make pendants v-shaped if I intend to pair them with a v-neck or a blazer whose lapels form a wide V…
Regarding third pieces changing the shape of the neckline, I find that when layering a waterfall cardigan over a v-neck or scoop neck, it suddenly looks more natural to opt for a long necklace (as shown with the boat neck top), to balance out the length of the draped sides of the cardigan.
This pictograph is so useful, it hangs in my closet for quick reference. Thanks, Imogen!
Hi Imogen,
I tend to wear statement pieces over buttoned-up collar shirts where the necklace goes over the shirt instead of on the skin of the neck and hangs from under the collar (I got this idea from other fashion blogs). However, after reading this post, I am beginning to think that that would be a fashion flaw. Would love to hear your comments on that type of styling.
Thanks!
You can wear them either way – most people don’t button up all the way as it can look fussy and old-fashioned. But for some it works really well and is part of their style.
Hi Imogen! I’m writing a Product Design article where I talk about jewelry, mapping kinds of clasps. Like I read in previous comments, It’s okay to use your illustration/image as long as I credit it properly, right? I’d be glad to use it as an example, showing your link and mentioning your name, of course. The paper is completely non-profitable, that’s why it’s quite hard to find free-to-use images. And of course, I can send you a link when it’s published.
Hi Danka
Thanks for your email – I’m happy for you to use my image provided it’s credited and linked back to the post from which it came (not just the blog in general). Would love to have a copy when published.
Warmest
Imogen
I can’t wear crew or bib necklaces. Anything short hurts – I have fibromyalgia. What can I do instead?
There are lots of different styles – you could think about brooches instead of necklaces as well! Think about the thickness and weight of the chain – maybe something more lightweight rather than heavy works for you?