In this guide, I’m walking you through a bunch of different necklace styles and how to wear necklaces with dresses that have different types of necklines so you’ll always feel confident and cool.
It’s no secret that I love a good piece of jewelry. As a mom who loves showing you how to get more out of your closet, sometimes all you need is a necklace swap to create different outfits that feel totally new. And to keep things feeling fresh, having different styles of necklaces that suit your personal aesthetic is key.
I love a dress, especially in the summer, but year round is great too. They’re easy to wear and the whole outfit is basically done for you. Adding the finishing touches, like a shoes, a bag and a stunning necklace, finish the look and give it that “WOW” factor that completes your look.
But knowing which types of necklaces to wear with different dresses can be tough. Personally, I’ll just grab one I think works and try it on, but if you’re struggling to figure out which works, I’ve got some formulas below to make things a bit easier.
One thing I always think you should consider is visual balance. To be honest there are no strict rules here, but I find that balancing out your dress to your necklace can help your outfit feel “right” and complete your overall look.
For example, if you have a wild printed dress, like this one, it feels more balanced to pair some layered dainty gold necklaces or a single strand in a bolder color, like this. I’d avoid a necklace that’s got multi-colors, different shaped beads or anything too extra going on because it competes with the dress, while the first two options compliment it, but also give you totally different vibes.
Okay, now that we understand balance, let’s chat more about different necklaces that I love to have on hand for different dress necklines and what types of dresses they work best with.
Types of Necklaces:
You don’t need to have a massive selection of necklaces and chances are you already have some styles that you naturally lean towards because you like the way the look and make you feel confident, but let’s walk through a few more to give you some ideas on what else might be missing and work well in your wardrobe.
Long Necklaces and Shorter Necklaces
I think having a mix of both shorter and longer necklaces is great because you have a nice, wide variety of options for different lengths and you can create different looks depending on where you’re going. These necklace length options will allow you to create a bunch of different outfits using the same dresses over and over again. They have totally different feels and depending on the event or occasion, might require something different.
For longer necklaces, I prefer daintier pieces—thin gold chains (silver is great too, I just prefer gold on my skin tone), with a small pendant or locket.
For shorter necklaces, these can also be delicate chains that are great for layering, but this is where you can have some real fun! I like a a bold statement necklace, to be on the shorter side. Again, this is for balance. A huge chunky necklace that hangs down the whole front of my shirt can feel heavy and awkward, while a longer dainty piece feels intentional and cool. A shorter chunky piece feels cool, funky and fun while complimenting your whole outfit, not becoming the only thing people notice.
Pendant Necklaces
These can be simple pendants or chunkier and more of a statement. Both are great. I love a pendant because it creates focal points and draws interest to one place. Lately, I’ve seen some a bold pendant on a beaded strand and if you love a statement making piece, then you’ll love these. These can also be super small and dainty, like a locket on a gold chain. These simpler pieces are great for layering and everyday wear. For long pendants, make sure you’re pairing it with something simple, like a little black dress.
Bold Statement Pieces
After the chandelier and bubble necklaces of the early 2000s, I thought I was done with statement necklaces, but they’re having a resurgence and I’m on board. A big goal for my personal style this year was simply to have more fun. And these big beaded pieces and colorful strands are what I’ve been reaching for the most lately. Especially when I’m wearing them with simple dresses or tops that need something to make the outfit feel complete.
Collar Necklaces
A collar necklace is typically a more structured piece that’s shorter and sits right at your collarbone. They have a modern feel in my opinion and can look really cool layered with softer dainty chains for a look that has a little bit of good tension between the structured vibe of the collar and the soft, relaxed feel of a pendant.
Simple Gold or Silver Pieces
Lastly, these pieces are never out of style. These are the ones that look cool on their own, but personally, I like to layer 2-3 of them for a cool, effortless look. You can mix metals if that’s your style. The trick to mixing all gold or all silver pieces is varying the weight of the chains and the lengths of the necklaces for visual interest. I love a shorter paperclip style necklace paired with a longer dainty gold locket, and a medium length chain or pendant that contrasts the others in weight or style.
Charm Necklaces
Growing up, I had a charm bracelet, and I’ve loved seeing charm necklaces come back. I think these fall into more of a statement piece, so when you wear these, stick with simpler dresses. These can be fancy gold or silver charms, or a fun colorful piece with shells or other fun items.
Choker Necklaces
Personally a short choker necklace is not something I have in my rotation right now. I think a delicate choker can look cool in some cases, but it’s just not really my style and I also don’t like the feeling of a piece that close on my neck. As you might have realized, I’m all about comfort and looking cute as the same time, so for me, this is not the right piece for most dress outfits.
What to Pair with Different Dress Necklines: How to Wear Necklaces with Dresses
The biggest thing to consider when your’e pairing a necklace with a dress is the shape of your neckline. This will ultimately determine which necklace choice looks right. It’s all about finding that delicate balance between the right necklace length and the dress neckline.
Square Neckline
Brown Scallop Dress | Shell Charm Necklace | Blue Dress | Charm Necklace | Green Beaded Necklace
Square necks can feel very structured and draw the eye in, so stick with something that doesn’t overwhelm the dress and compliments it. Because a square neck frames the collarbone, and I find they look best with shorter styles that don’t compete with the geometric shape of the neckline. Again, take balance into consideration.
If you’re wearing a solid colored dress, you can go more bold with your choice of necklace to add some color, but I would avoid a heavy piece here that could feel like too much against thicker squared off straps or sleeves. If you go with a pendant, make sure the pendant lays above the neckline to not compete with that structured look.
Sweetheart Necklines
Red Dress | Charm Necklace | Green Dress | Paperclip Chain | Oyster Pendant
Again with this neckline, you want to make sure the necklaces sit above the fabric. A gorgeous pendant or layered chains would be perfect with this slightly more revealing cut. Again, I would stick with simpler pieces here and let your dress do the talking!
Scoop Necklines
Green Dress | Blue Necklace | Blue Dress | Brown Necklace
Look for pieces that mimic the same round shape as the round neckline. I love a bolder piece here or one with lots of color. Because the neckline is the same shape as a necklace that sits on it, it doesn’t feel too busy, just a natural extension. I would stick with shorter pieces here, nothing that is too long or lays over the top of a scoop neck dress because visually it will feel busy.
Spaghetti Strap Dresses
Floral Dress | Green Necklace | Brown Dress | Thick Chain | Charm Necklace
I have so many dressed with dainty spaghetti straps and find that you can easily wear a bolder, chunkier necklace with these because the straps are so thin that it doesn’t feel like there’s too much on your chest. Just a single bold strand looks amazing here. I also love layering two gold pieces or a gold piece with a colorful strand. A cool structured collar necklace piece works so well here too. I like to pair it with a softer gold chain for balance, but cool, effortless style done for ya!
Strapless Dresses
Blue Dress | Chunky Stone Necklace | Floral Dress | Shell Collar Necklace
If you’re wearing a simpler strapless dress (think solid color), then you can absolutely go big with a chunky statement necklace or simply wear some layered delicate pieces. Just make sure they don’t hang over the fabric of the dress.
V-Neck Dresses Or Deep V-neck
Purple Dress | Brown Necklace | Oyster Pendant | Stripe Dress | Paperclip Chain | Fish Pendant
For dresses that button up the front or v-neck dresses, this is your chance to have fun with a long necklace or lariat necklace that accentuates the shape of the neckline. A shorter chunkier necklace with this can also work, but personally I think it looks best when you layer in a piece that’s longer to connect the necklace to the whole outfit. That could be something simple or a long pendant necklace that packs a punch.
Crew Neck Dresses
Green Dress | Stone Pendant Necklace | Gingham Dress | Heart Necklace | Paperclip Chain Necklace
These give you the opportunity to wear just about anything you want. Go bold with a chunky beaded piece, a bib necklace, or layer a bunch of your favorite gold pieces. Even mix a single strand of fun beads with a metallic stack!
High Necklines on Dresses
Blue Halter Dress | Gem Earrings | Floral Dress | Gold Earrings
These are harder because usually high neck dresses or dresses with halter necks are a statement on their own. In this case, I would typically say skip the necklace on a mock neck dress, halter dress or one that’s got ruffles near the top. What I do love with a high neckline is hair pulled back in a low fun and some awesome statement earrings.
When you don’t have a necklace to compete with, you can have so much fun with a cool pair of earrings! If it’s just a high collar, but doesn’t come up on your neck, I do think you can opt for a bolder necklace as long as your dress isn’t too busy, or some simple layered pieces.
Formal Gown
Floral Dress | Heart Necklace | Blue Dress | Tennis Necklace
In general, less is more when it comes to evening wear and an elegant look. You can pair gemstone necklaces with beautiful, fancy gowns because honestly, it’s not that often that we’re wearing those. Or opt for a simple and delicate pendant like a solitaire diamond on a gold chain or pearl necklaces that feel elevated and formal.
There are so different necklines out there on dresses and so many ways to create unique outfits that fit your style. It’s always a good idea to take your top’s neckline into consideration so you can pick the perfect piece that makes the outfit feel well balanced. I hope this helped you figure out how to wear necklaces with dresses.
BTW, how to wear a sweater over a dress, and how to wear a dress with boots.
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