The 6 Types of Necklace & How to Layer Them

The earliest necklaces were made from shell, bones and teeth – derived from hunting – and date back to the Stone Age, more than 40,000 years ago. Pebbles, Feathers and seeds were also used. Early jewellery was more often created as a functional item. Brooches and pins,to hold clothing together, rings for seals and necklaces to hold currency and to denote rank, status and wealth.

Jewellery throughout history has been used as symbols and talismans, with gemstones and symbolic carvings and markings having a range of meanings such as protection, luck, power, transformation and love. Necklaces and pendants have been worn for thousands of years, made first from natural products mentioned above which the Egyptians replaced with beads of glass and glazed pottery. These were fashion into necklaces and other adornments and were used not just for aesthetic reasons but for trade- serving as a form of currency.

The COLLAR necklace

The Collar necklace sits tightly around the neck and is commonly made of fabric or lace for this reason, however a collar necklace can be made in many different materials. A collar is typically 30-33cm long.

The CHOKER necklace

A choker sits on the throat at the base of the neck and are often about 37-42cm in length.
This is a versatile length and works well as part of a necklace stack. However, where a necklace sits on one individual person really depends on the size and shape of their neck and body (so it can be worthwhile putting a necklace around your neck to find your best choker length and measuring it – there is a template for you to fill in with your measurements for you to keep below).

The PRINCESS necklace

A Princess necklace sits along the collar bones and is typically 45cm long (43-46cm). This is one of the most common lengths of necklace and often comes as a chain with a pendant. This length is great for many outfits and occasions, from business attire to night time glam. Wear a chunky princess length over a high neckline tee to elevate a day time casual look to evening attire.

The MATINÉE necklace

A matinée necklace can vary quite a lot in length as it covers the area from just below the collar bones (Princess length) to just above the bust (Opera length), so can range from 50-60cm. This is another versatile length and is common as a pendant necklace, great for everyday wear and adds depth when layering necklaces. A matinée necklace works well with plunging necklines.

The OPERA necklace

Opera length necklaces sit on or just below the bust and are roughly 70-90cm. They are often wrapped around the neck twice and create a great layering effect on their own this way. Or pair with some shorter lengths to create a varied necklace stack. Try a choker, matinée and opera together to create interest in your look.

The ROPE necklace

Rope lengths fall just below the bust to the waist and are often 90-130cm. Because of their length, they can be worn a number of ways including wrapped around the neck multiple times, tied up at the end in a lariat style or worn simply long down to the waist.

Use an existing necklace or a piece of string to find your measurements:

Collar:

Choker:

Princess:

Matinée:

Opera:

Rope:

Save this image (or screen shot it), fill in the blanks and save it to your phone for future reference.

Head to the DOWNLOADABLES page for a the template.

Layering your necklaces

I’m a big fan of layering and stacking in general – it means you get to wear more of your jewels at one time… representing more chapters of your life as once!

And layering necklaces can add interest and change a look quickly and simply.

There are 2 main aspects to consider when layering necklaces: length and texture.

1: LENGTH

Use different length necklaces to create depth. Or use all the same length, multiple times over to create texture.

Try wearing a choker, a princess and a matinée or opera necklace to create length down the body and interest in your aesthetic.

2: TEXTURE

By using different variety in your necklace choice you create texture. Try having a coin necklace and a pendant on a chain. Or a simple choker necklace with a stone, and a rope of beads in a complimentary colour. Mix it up with colour, textures or materials.