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How to choose jewelry that suits you - Chocolate and Steel

How to choose jewelry that suits you

Have you ever bought a piece of jewelry that didn’t really look as good as you thought it would when you put it on? There are a lot of aspects of jewelry that will look different on different people. You’re a unique individual with unique and beautiful traits, and we want to help you choose the perfect jewelry to compliment your look. There are a few guidelines to follow when choosing jewelry just for you.

Find the Right Necklace

One of the biggest considerations when choosing a necklace is chain length. The jewelry industry offers standard chain lengths that are measured in inches. There are a few standard chain lengths for necklaces.

  • 14 inches - the collar. Fits snugly around the neck.
  • 15 inches - the choker. Fits snugly at the base of the throat.
  • 16 inches - the petite princess. Sits on the collarbone on petite people. 
  • 18 inches - the princess. Sits on the collarbone. This is a very versatile length.
  • 20-24 inches - the matinee. Sits between the collarbone and the bust.
  • 28-36 inches - the opera. On the bust, or an inch or two below the bust.
  • 36-42 inches - the rope. Wrapped to sit on or just below the bust.

Short lengths, like chokers and collars, typically look the best on long necks. These types of necklaces may make shorter necks look stubby. If you’re short, a very long necklace may not look quite right, overwhelming the rest of your outfit. Torso length is also important. A necklace shorter than 22 inches should sit at or above the bust. If you have a longer torso, you may need a longer length. In terms of face shape, round faces will look great with longer necklaces, especially ones with pendants as they create a lovely V shape. Heart shaped and rectangular faces will be perfectly accented with the roundness of a choker or collar necklace.

layered necklaces illustrating different lengths

Take your wardrobe into account as well. If you wear a lot of high necked shirts and blouses, a longer necklace over the shirt will be best. If you tend to wear scooped necklines, shorter necklaces will be displayed perfectly above the bustline. 

15" choker length necklace

Fortunately, necklace chains can be cut to any length, although you may pay a little more for a custom chain length.

Choose the Perfect Ring

We often talk about rings in terms of the diameter of the ring, and whether it fits around your finger well. There are other considerations when deciding what rings will look best on your finger and hand. Everyone’s hands are different, after all.

Long fingers work well with wider bands. The wider band complements long fingers. Princess cut and round cut stones work well, as well as round decorative elements. If you love big bold styles, long fingers carry these off particularly well. Long fingers can wear almost any ring well.

Slender fingers work great with smaller stones and ornamentation so as not to overwhelm narrow fingers. Thicker bands work well on slender fingers as well.

Short fingers do well with longer stones; oval, pear, or marquise cuts are particularly nice. Rectangular stones also look great. Narrow bands look good here; they won’t overwhelm petite fingers and will help prevent them from looking stubby.

If your fingers are wide, stones with a wide oval, marquise, or rectangular shape look good. Clustering round stones can also look great. You may want to choose a medium to narrow band width; thick bands can make your fingers look wider and you might not be thrilled with the results. You have a lot of room to play with design, though. Angular designs and funky, asymmetrical designs can be flattering and fun.

hand with 3 rings on different fingers

You should also consider hand size. Petite hands will benefit from smaller designs. They’ll be more in proportion with the size of your hands. For those with larger hands, you can wear some wide bands and chunky designs. Large stones work well, so you can get really crazy with designs and wear what suits your personality as well as your hand!

Get the Best Bracelets

Bracelets are usually sized by a snug measurement of the wrist. You’ll want the bracelet to be bigger than that measurement, of course. For a bangle, the fit should be loose enough to slip two fingers under the bracelet while you’re wearing it, and of course will need to be big enough to put on over your hand. Cuff bracelets are meant to be tighter, fitting closely around the wrist, but not tightly. The skin of the wrist shouldn’t pinch near the clasp, and the flesh of your wrist shouldn’t bulge at the top or bottom of the bracelet. Chains and other bracelets that are flexible need to be smaller than your hands or they can slip right off. This is particularly true of bracelets with charms, as the charm will make the bracelet heavier. Wider cuffs and thicker bangles look great on narrow wrists and complement larger hands as well. Narrower bands or chains will look good on thicker wrists. Layering bracelets, especially bangles, can create a fun and funky look, but don’t use too many if you have shorter forearms or smaller hands, as it can look out of proportion to your body.

When wearing bracelets with watches, the bracelet should fall below the watch on the wrist, closer to the hand.

delicate chain bracelet on wrist

Buy Excellent Earrings

Since earrings are worn close to your face, your face shape, bone structure, and coloring will determine the best earrings to wear. 

Oval shaped faces can carry off any length of earrings. Simple studs or triangular earrings will look particularly nice, because they accentuate your cheekbones, which are typically the widest point of an oval face.

Heart shaped faces look great with teardrop or chandelier styles. Rounder shapes can soften a sharp chin, too.

If you have a long and narrow face, round shapes look great. These include hoops (you can really pull off the big hoops, too), studs, shields, and any other round shape. Short dangle earrings can make your face look fuller.

earring on model

For round faces, drop or dangle earrings can make your face (and neck, if the earrings are really long) look a bit longer. You may not like the look of hoops and other round shapes as much.


large hoop earring closeup on ear

Delicate bone structure will be best shown off with smaller, more subtle earrings. If you have  a strong bone structure, you can wear chunky and heavy styles. If your bone structure is in the middle, opt for a medium size.

Your skin tone can help you choose great colors and the right metals. For cool skin tones, like pink or blue, silver will look lovely. Warmer skin tones, with gold or peach undertones, will look good with warmer colors, like gold or copper.

The same is true for stone color, but remember that the tone of the stone is more important than the color. There are cool reds and warm greens, for example. 

The most important part of jewelry choice is finding what best suits your personality and unique style. The guidelines above are just that; guidelines. We offer a wide range of different styles so you’ll find the perfect piece of jewelry, both beautiful and flattering. We believe that every piece of jewelry should match your own indomitable spirit. 

Christine Street-Gregg designer of Chocolate and Steel Jewelry

Have fun shopping!