by Jesús Zabala - 7 min read
How to Style Men’s Silver Chains With Various Outfits
Trends are changing faster than ever, and the minimalistic look of a single dainty chain is left in 2023. Layering multiple simplistic necklaces help men achieve the maximalist look without wearing chunky chain necklaces. Since it’s a modern concept in men’s fashion, let us explain how to style men's silver chains with various outfits by layering as if a stylist did it.
Source: jewelrylab.co
How to Style Men's Silver Chains With Various Outfits
Layering chains allows for the opportunity of styling men's silver necklaces with a variety of outfits. Here are a few tips for incorporating men's silver chains into different looks:
Casual outfit
The best way to accentuate silver chains is to put them on a darker background. Wearing a black or gray T-shirt or sweater would be the way to go.
Since the top is simple, three layered necklaces would hit the right spot. Any kind of combination of layered chains would work because of the blank canvas.
A rule of thumb to follow is to avoid tops with bold prints. This would create a busy and messy look.
The most important thing to keep in mind is the neckline of the top. As said above, if the top is a V-neck, wearing chains that fall in a V-shape is best. If the neckline is round, the shortest chain should be round, and the longest should be a sharp V.
Classic outfit
For the men out there who like to throw on a button-down shirt and call it their casual outfit, we got tips for you too. When wearing a button-down, the best way to layer chains is to unbutton the first two to three buttons.
Unbuttoning the buttons gives more room so the area around the neck doesn’t appear cluttered, as well as will show off the chains better.
With such an ensemble, two layered necklaces are enough. Yet, since it’s technically a casual outfit, it leaves room to play around with chain thickness.
The smallest chain should be a small to medium-sized but thin silver chain for men, which falls around the collarbone area. It’s better for the chain links to be thicker so they stand out more.
The second chain should be more delicate than the first one. It should fall a few inches below the first one and it’s better to have a small pendant on it. This would balance out the V-shape the shirt has created.
Formal outfit
Men’s elegant outfits mostly consist of a blazer, dress-up pants, and a button-down shirt. Wearing the layered chain look isn’t as difficult to incorporate into this outfit as people would think.
It goes without saying that the first two to three buttons should be unbuttoned. The combination of chains should be two small delicate chains with simple links.
The chains shouldn’t be too far apart from each other, but also not too close. Each chain needs room to breathe and shine individually. It’s preferable that the chain types are the same. Also, matching the necklaces with other accessories like a watch and a ring or two would only make the outfit better.
It’s always a good practice for the second necklace to have a pendant. When wearing an elegant outfit, the pendant should be small or medium. For such occasions, wearing circular, oval, or square pendants looks more pleasing to the eye.
Source: jewelrylab.co
How to Layer Men’s Silver Chains
There’s a saying that says fashion has no rules. While this may be true, there are fashion guidelines that help people put together well-coordinated outfits.
Picking pieces from the same material
We advise that all the necklaces be silver and not mixed with other materials. Some people prefer to color-block and rock such a look. Yet, we believe mixing up different materials leads to a messy combination.
Besides, any other jewelry should be silver as well. Any rings, bracelets, or a watch and glasses should have silver details in order to tie the entire look together. Otherwise, it might end up looking tacky and poorly planned out.
It’s best to pair silver with silver, gold with gold, and black goes with everything. The only material mixing we support are variations of one material. A pure sterling silver chain could easily be paired with a silver acid-wash chain or a silver oxidized chain.
A combination of different lengths
While different materials shouldn’t be mixed, we encourage mixing different lengths. Different lengths allow for the necklaces to be well-spaced out and fit comfortably.
Chains with the same length are only a tangled disaster waiting to happen. Necklaces should be layered starting from choker length, which is 16 inches, all the way up to 30 inches.
How spaced out the chains will be, depends on how many necklaces there will be incorporated. If there are more than two chains, we recommend that they be around two to four inches apart.
A combination of different textures and details
Although mixing different materials together might make the layered look seem costumey, picking out chains with different links is supposed to elevate the look.
A general rule for layering is that not all chains should be the same size in width. Because the size of the links is different, dissimilar chain types are forgiving and add to the overall appeal of layered silver chains.
Typically the first necklace should be a delicate silver chain for men, and continue building the look from there.
We support the look of layered necklaces where the longest one is a thin to medium size chain which has a pendant.
The combination of short and simple silver chains with long statement silver chains helps accentuate certain physical features and gives an overall balanced look.
Choosing a statement necklace
Out of the bunch of necklaces that will be layered, one chain has to be the centerpiece. Choosing a statement silver chain will allow the wearer to be in the eyes of the observer.
If the statement chain is put higher, the focus will be on the wearer's face. If the chain is hanging lower, the attention will be either on the chest or the shoulders. This depends on how long the chain hangs and the neckline of the shirt.
Statement silver chains include chains with pendants or medallions such as a cross or dog tags. Other statement chains could be chunky silver chain necklaces.
Coordinating necklace types with the type of shirt neckline
We believe everyone has a certain goal to achieve when they make a choice-even how they style and layer their silver chains.
The shirt's neckline plays a big role in how the final product will look.
A V-neck would clash with a U-shaped chain; therefore, choosing an 18-inch necklace as the shortest out of the group would be ideal. Gravity will pull the chain down, making it appear V-shaped. The follow-up chain should be a longer chain that preferably has a pendant that will pull it toward the ground.
For collars or round necklines, a mix of round and V-shaped necklaces would be ideal. The round chain would complement the round neckline well and accentuate the neck and Adam’s apple.
The longer V-shaped necklace, on the other hand, balances out the physical proportions. It accentuates the shoulders while also drawing attention to the waist.
Thinking about which body part needs to be accentuated will help immensely in choosing the right shirt, the right chain lengths, and maybe even the type of chain.
Source: jewelrylab.co
What to Avoid When Layering Men’s Silver Chains
Avoid layering same-length chains
Layered necklaces that are the same length would make the neck area where they sit cluttered and messy. The human eye isn’t a fan of clutter, so an observer would dislike the look of the chains.
Aside from looking cluttered and unkept, the chains will surely tangle. This would be an even bigger inconvenience since the person wearing them will constantly be untangling the chains.
All in all, wearing the same-length silver chains is a nuisance. Plus, it doesn’t look good enough to be worth all the trouble.
Avoid layering multiple statement chains
Even though the layered chain look defies the expression “less is more”, simple designs and simple chains simply work better than chunky statement pieces.
As with the previous dilemma, the front area will look cluttered and poorly styled. It will surely look tacky and as if the person is trying too hard.
Also, the piled-up look of chains would confuse others. Instead of using necklaces to guide the eye towards the best features of a man, this look will make people make disgustful grimaces.
The Most Common Combinations of Layered Chains
There are probably hundreds of variations of layering necklaces. But three specific combinations seem to work the best and always look flawless.
Combination 1
A medium-sized chain that hangs around Adam’s apple or falls parallel to the collarbones, with a long dainty chain with a medium-sized pendant hanging around the middle of the chest.
Combination 2
A medium-sized chain that hangs around Adam’s apple or falls parallel to the collarbones, with a medium or small-sized chain that hangs about two inches below the first chain. Then add a long dainty chain with a small or medium-sized pendant that falls in the middle of the chest.
Combination 3
A small or medium-sized chain that hangs around Adam’s apple or falls parallel to the collarbones, with a small-sized chain with a small pendant that hangs about two inches below the first chain. Then, add another small-sized chain with a small or medium pendant that also falls about 2 inches below the previous chain.
Conclusion
Ultimately, being creative and thinking out of the box guarantees success in how to style men’s silver chains with various outfits. The versatility of silver chain necklaces, paired with a wide variety of chain styles and pendants, is a great opportunity for creative expression.
All in all, the two most important things to remember are to have fun experimenting and wear the final combination with confidence.
Jesús is the founder and designer of JewelryLab. He is the Head of Design and also oversees production, quality control, and precious metal sourcing.
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