Choosing a necklace is mostly a question of length. Get that right and it sits where it should against your neckline. Get it wrong and it competes with the collar of whatever you are wearing.
Three things decide it: the shape of your face, the size of your neck, and the neckline of the garment. The occasion decides the rest.
Matching a necklace to the occasion
- Daytime. An understated, simple style.
- Evening. Thicker pieces in precious or semi-precious stones or crystals, which add glamour and elegance to an evening dress.
- Business or slightly dressier. A gold or silver chain.
- A square neckline. A pendant on a long chain reaching to the collarbone.
A pendant in pearl or a precious or semi-precious gemstone, hung from a gold or silver chain of the right length, is the permanent option. A locket always reads as classic.
The five lengths
| Type | Length | Where it falls |
|---|---|---|
| Choker | 12 to 13 inches | Middle of the neck |
| Princess | 17 to 19 inches | Just below the neck |
| Matinee | 20 to 24 inches | Top of the bust |
| Opera | 26 to 34 inches | Below the bust |
| Sautoir or rope | Up to 45 inches | Anything longer than opera |
Choker necklaces
About 12 to 13 inches, sitting around the middle of the neck. Chokers are made single-stranded or multi-stranded, most commonly in three strands.
Works with. V-necks, boat necks and off-the-shoulder necklines. All three leave the neck clear, which is what a choker needs.
Chokers are versatile in register: they work with jeans and they work for evening parties. Strands of small glass beads, crystals, gemstones or pearls are the usual constructions.
Princess necklaces
About 17 to 19 inches, falling just below the neck, between choker and matinee length.
Works with. Almost any neckline, from a high crew neck to a low plunge. The only requirement is that the collar of the garment sits either clearly above or clearly below the necklace, so the two do not cross.
This is the most flexible length and the one that takes a pendant best.
Matinee necklaces
About 20 to 24 inches, falling at the top of the bust.
Avoid with. Plunging necklines. Both fall at roughly the same point and compete for attention, which flatters neither.
Matinee length works particularly well with business attire, where it adds interest without being decorative.
Opera necklaces
About 26 to 34 inches, falling below the bust.
Works with. Very high necklines, where a shorter necklace would disappear against the collar. Opera length is the answer for a turtleneck or a closed high neck.
It suits evening wear well.
Sautoir or rope necklaces
Up to 45 inches. Any necklace longer than opera length counts as a rope.
These are the most versatile pieces you can own, and the reason is that they convert. A single rope doubled or tripled gives you shorter lengths from one necklace, so a rope covers several of the lengths above.
They work day or night with almost any outfit. A long strand of colored beads over a turtleneck sweater is the classic pairing.
Frequently asked questions
Which necklace length is most versatile?
A rope, because it can be doubled or tripled to produce shorter lengths. Princess is the most versatile fixed length.
What necklace suits a high neckline?
Opera length, which falls below the bust and clears the collar entirely.
Why avoid a matinee necklace with a plunging neckline?
Because both end at roughly the same point and compete for attention.
What works with a square neckline?
A pendant on a long chain reaching to the collarbone.
See also our diamonds guide and earrings guide.
