Matching Necklaces to Outfits

Women often change their necklaces to match their current ensemble. Fashion necklaces come in a variety of styles at affordable prices to help consumers build a collection. These styles offer the latest trends and feature plated metals, crystals, and semi-precious gemstones for gorgeous looks. Fine necklaces are usually reserved for formal occasions and special events due to the valuable materials and risk of loss. Fine jewelry includes diamond accents, precious metals, and precious stones. Women wear fashion necklaces on a daily basis for work and casual situations, and they wear fine necklaces with evening gowns and formal attire. The neckline of the ensemble is the most important aspect to consider when choosing an appropriate necklace. The chain and pendent should rest either above the neckline or well below it. Jewelry dangling around the highest seam can cause distractions from the overall look. If the necklace rests over the fabric, choose complementary or contrasting colors for the accents. Match gemstones to colors within the outfit. Diamond necklaces dress up any outfit with eye-catching sparkles, and pearl necklaces are available in a wide range of colors for casual or formal attire. If the necklace rests on the skin, choose metals to complement the skin tone. White and silver metals, such as white gold, sterling silver, and platinum, look nice on fair-skinned individuals. Medium skin tones match any metal color, so silver, rose, or yellow metals look fine. Olive-skinned individuals wear bronze and copper tones while yellow gold is ideal for darker skin. When matching a necklace to a particular outfit, consider the following table as a guide for neckline styles and flattering jewelry.

V-Neck, Scoop Neck, Boat Neck, or Crew Neck	Strands of beads or pearls in colors to match outfit Solitaire pendants
Spaghetti Strap or Strapless	Conservative necklaces with thin chains and small accents Chokers and waterfall necklaces Silver or gold chain with classic pendant design like heart, star, or teardrop Necklace should rest close to the neck
Open-Collar Blouse	Collar-length necklaces Thicker chains with chunky pendants
Turtleneck	Long strings of beads Longer necklaces that rest well below the neckline Lariat necklaces
Square Neck	Collar-length necklaces Pendants that fall just below the collar bone

Necklaces to Enhance Face Shape

Necklaces for Oval-Shaped Faces

Designers consider the oval shape to be ideal because all jewelry styles are flattering for this look. Long necklaces, short chains, and pendants complement the symmetry and balance of oval faces.

Necklaces for Pear-Shaped Faces

Long necklaces with multiple chains balance the strong jaw of pear shapes. Opera-length necklaces are ideal for elongating the face and making it appear less triangular. Gemstone pendants can draw attention away from the jaw line for a more balanced look.
Necklaces for Heart-Shaped Faces

Chokers and shorter necklaces create bulk near the narrowest area of the face for a more balanced appearance. Large, chunky pendants are flattering for heart-shaped faces. Narrow chains tend to elongate the face and enhance the pointed chin, so thicker is better for this face shape. For business and formal events, stacked and multi-chained necklaces help balance this look.
Necklaces for Square-Shaped Faces

Necklaces with lengthy chains elongate the face while softening the strong, angular jaw line. Collar-length necklaces complement the features of a square face.
Necklaces for Rectangle-Shaped Faces

Shorter necklaces with bulky chains or several accents detract from the oblong shape of the rectangle face. Wrapped necklaces, such as rope chains, flatter individuals with this face shape.
Necklaces for Round-Shaped Faces

Women with round faces choose necklace designs that make their features appear more oval in shape. Longer necklaces and drop pendants elongate the face, and collar-length, chunky styles balance the rounded features. Lariat and plunging necklaces help individuals achieve the oval appearance.

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.

Armenian Heart Ring by Navur

Got heart? Wear your heart on your finger for the world to see! So lovely and delicate--great for every day. So comfy you'll forget you're wearing it. Makes a wonderful gift!

 The heart has long since been a symbol of the spiritual and emotional sectors of the human being as well as a representation of Love.  Images of the heart are generally depicted in the same way, but the shape and dimensions can certainly vary.  Some heart shapes appear a bit more roundish in shape, while others are more elongated or stretched.  No matter what shape the take on, the meaning remains the same.

This beautiful heart shaped blue sapphire ring in a custom made 14k white gold takes on the traditional proportioned heart shape look. This is the most common heart shape as most people prefer to have everything proportioned and symmetrical.  This is a very simplistically designed sapphire ring, but the end result is an exceptionally elegant ring that is sure to dazzle onlookers.

The difference between certain types of rings

Cocktail/Statement Rings- (Semi-Formal to Formal) These rings are larger and bolder than the average ring. These are meant to be worn alone, not combined with other rings. 

Bands- (Casual to Formal) Always appropriate, these rings are simple or decorated metal rings. These can be worn with other rings on the same hand. 

Stackable Rings- (Casual to Formal) These rings, depending on the style, can range from casual to formal, and appropriate to wear with other rings on the hand, or not. Stackable rings are a new fashion where several rings are layered on the same finger to create a cluster effect. Precious stone version should not be mixed with rings on other fingers, whereas casual version are appropriate to mix. 

Wedding/Engagement/Promise Rings/"Meaningful" rings- (Casual to Formal) Always appropriate to wear, these rings are often "formal" looking however most fashionistas agree that they can be worn with any other rings.

Precious Jewel Rings- (Semi-Formal to Formal) Rings that have precious stones, that don't fall as meaningful rings, should be reserved for dressy occasions. They can be mixed with rings of the same "casual/semi-formal/formal" level. 

Semi Precious Rings- (Casual to Semi-Formal) These rings can go with everyday outfits. They usually are inappropriate for formal events unless they mimic precious jewel ring designs.

How to care for your jewelry

To preserve the plating, just keep them clean and dry! For the longest lasting look, it's best to remove the products before swimming, bathing, cleaning, and applying cosmetics or perfume.  Chemicals in cosmetics, swimming pools and cleaning agents may damage metals and finish on the jewelry. Store your jewelry in a cool, dry place.  Exposure to excessive humidity, moisture, or light will cause your jewelry to tarnish.  Store pieces individually-even a zip lock bag to prevent fast oxidization.

Be aware, tarnish may occur as a result of oxidization which is cause by the interaction of the metal with oxygen.

Choose a good cleaning solution. Avoid alcohol, especially denatured alcohol and acids like ammonia and vinegar. Any chemical like denatured alcohol or alcohol will remove enamel or may cause discoloration. Read the label of the cleaning solution to make sure it can be used with the metal being cleaned.

Use the solution to smudges from gemstones and glass. Dab a minimal amount of solution onto a cotton swab, and gently buff the dirty spot. Never soak jewelry in the solution, because moisture breaks down glue, welding and other adhesives bonding jewelry together.

Use a baby toothbrush to gently brush off the jewelry to prevent scratching. The toothbrush will buff and dust the metal parts of the jewelry.

Dry quickly to avoid rusting. Dab the jewelry with a towel. For extra care, blow dry with a hair dryer on a cool air setting.

Golden rules for selecting earrings

     

Square Face

• To soften the contours of a square face choose angular shapes with rounded edges. Proportionately medium-sized styles are best.
• These styles will soften the contours of your face!

     Round Face

• Lean, long, angular and curvy lines give a look of length to a round face.
• Avoid circles.

     Heart-shaped Face

• Lovely heart-shaped faces have slightly small pointy chins. Balance this feature out with teardrop pendant earrings, or ovals with mini chains.

     Long Face

• Pick extra large chandelier earrings with lots of volume to add width to a narrow face.
• For umph choose earrings with a combination of round and square shapes.

     Wide Face

• Consider Cascading Earrings to create the illusion of a longer look.
• Just sleek, flat earrings or ovals! Nothing too bulky.

     Oval Face

• Luck has shone on you!
• An Oval Face suits any style of earrings.