by Jesús Zabala - 3 min read

Pendant vs Necklace

It’s widely known that pendants and necklaces go hand in hand, and almost every time, people combine the two pieces. Even though they’re partners in putting an accent to one’s style and finessing their looks, not everyone knows the main pendant vs necklace difference.

Here, in this piece, you’ll be guided along the world-known dilemma that most people encounter in their daily quest for better looks. Keep reading to learn the main details about these two pieces once and for all.

What Is a Necklace?

A stylish piece of jewelry worn around the neck is called a necklace. When we think of a necklace, we often associate it with a simple chain with nothing on it. But, a chain is not necessarily a simple silver or a gold chain — it ranges from ropes to chunky chain necklaces, which are usually decorated with ornaments and jewels. As long as the decorative elements are part of the chain, it’s considered a necklace.

Necklaces are a great companion for a fashion-like touch, complementing the clothing and giving a pleasing tone of fashion and classiness. Whether worn as a stylish symbol, formally, or as a symbol of statement, necklaces have great design varieties, going from simple materials to brass, silver, gold, and precious rocks.

Source: shutterstock.com / Photo Contributor: Gagarin Iurii

What Is a Pendant?

Compared to a necklace, a pendant is a small piece of jewelry — a jewelry piece that can stand independently from any kind of chain. You could wear a pendant on any number or type of necklace as long its bail fits the chain size. When specifically designed for a necklace, it can be worn on a chain, a rope, or a string. Besides being worn as a part of the chain, it can be attached to a bracelet, necklace, earring, or even a keychain.

Pendants come in all sorts, shapes, and materials and can be decorated with different kinds of materials, including charms, gemstones, metals, etc.

Relationship Between Pendant vs Necklace

As we said, the necklace refers to neckline jewelry, whether a metal chain, a rope, or gemstones, while the pendant is the decorative “companion” that hangs down from the necklace. But, keep one thing in mind — a pendant can never be a necklace, although some may confuse the two terms as one.

Besides pendants, necklaces can include other hanging decorative companions featuring gemstones, crystals, and beads.

Even though both pieces can be worn differently, they paint the whole picture even better when worn together as a package.

Styling Tips

Your necklace should match the outfit and the occasion. Plus, you need to know how to combine it with other accessories, and it should match your neckline and your overall look.

Here are some styling tips to help you properly accessorize your pendant necklaces:

Pairing With Outfits

It's crucial to consider the style of your pendant and necklace with your outfit, as they should match in one way or another. If your around-the-neck jewelry (pendant + necklace) is plain colored, you won't have a hard time dressing up appropriately.

When wearing your pendant and necklace, try avoiding patterned outfits, for your look to be simple and not too busy. Try complementing your pendant with your outfit's primary color, and consider the right necklaces for your neckline.

Pendants and Accessories

When planning to wear your jewelry, keep in mind that less is more, after all. Keep it simple - spice up your pendant necklace looks by adding a simple ring, not-too-shiny bracelet, or stud earrings.

Overly ornate or large hoop earrings can steal the show, not bringing your pendant necklace to the surface. That's why you shouldn't pair up jewelry pieces that will create a tug-of-war moment or, in other words, a battle for attention.

Source: shutterstock.com / Photo Contributor: FabrikaSimf

Conclusion

To wrap things up, even though these two jewelry pieces seem to go as a sealed package at first glance, in fact, they are separate pieces, and there is a huge difference between a pendant and a necklace. They differ in design, symbolism, materials they're made of, etc.

Learning every aspect of pendant vs necklace can give you an opportunity to make the right choice when planning to combine them or to wear them separately, depending on your style, occasion, and appearance.

So, whether you lean more towards the elegance and uniqueness of a pendant or the wide spectrum of necklace choices, they offer different combinations that will fit your looks, taste, and fashion touch.