How to Choose a Necklace that Flatters You

Necklaces are the main focus of any ensemble and are used to coordinate other jewelry pieces, such as earrings, bracelets, and rings. The right necklace can enhance attractive features while minimizing flaws. When choosing a flattering style, two important considerations are face shape and neckline.

Everyone's facial features are unique, but there are several categories under which most people fall. Some faces have a combination of two or more shapes, but the general designs are oval, pear, heart, square, and round. Women often rely on their face shape when choosing jewelry to complement their natural features. The length and style of necklaces can elongate short faces and detract from stronger builds. To determine the shape of a face, pull the hair back completely to see the hairline, cheeks, jaws, and chin. For assistance with difficult features, take a digital photograph and remove the color for a black and white picture. The following table illustrates the basic face shapes and their general features.

Oval	This shape is widest at the forehead and tapers to a curved chin. Oval faces resemble an egg and are longer than they are wide.
Pear	Also known as triangle, this shape features a narrow chin and jaw line. The cheeks, temples, and forehead are the widest features of the pear shape.
Heart	Heart-shaped faces have narrow jaw lines with a slightly pointed chin. The forehead is wider than the cheeks. Some individuals with this shape have a widow's peak hairline, which features a V-shape at the center. Diamond-shaped faces are similar with more pronounced angles.
Square	This shape has a jaw line and forehead that are nearly equal in width. The rectangle is a variation of the square face but is oblong and narrower than the square.
Round	Round faces are widest at the cheekbones and feature a full forehead. The jaw lines are rounded, and the chin is short.