How to Wear Jewelry to
Compliment Your Look

(Last Updated On: November 8, 2021)

How to wear jewelry to compliment your look isn’t really difficult, it just requires some thought and a bit of planning. You might approach things differently depending on the outfit and the destination. Hopefully, these tips for wearing jewelry in different settings will help you sort things out.

For example, selecting jewelry to compliment a look for the workplace will have a different approach than finishing off your skinny jeans and sweater for a casual dinner out with friends.

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Wearing Jewelry to Compliment
Your Look for the Workplace

The workplace can impose restrictions on how you dress, and for some of us that means harnessing our creativity when it comes to style.

Of course, there’s a time and a place for the large purple costume jewelry that goes with the skinny jeans (more about that in a minute), but that doesn’t mean that you can’t bling up your work outfits to look a little more interesting.

People like to catch a glimpse of something beautiful, and you can dress up that conservative clothing in no time at all, simply by being clever with your jewelry choices. Here are some of the best tips to add jewelry to your outfit in a way that is tasteful and yet identifies who you are from a style standpoint.

Remove One Item. Sometimes, less is more when it comes to work wear. Rather than wear a diamond necklace with dangly earrings and several jangly bangles, remove an item before leaving the house.

For example, if you work in a conservative office, you might wear your wedding/engagement ring (if applicable) like those shown from https://www.whiteflash.com/tacori/ and a pair of pretty stud earrings. Others leave the earrings and stick to a charm bracelet that suits their outfit. It’s all about selecting the pieces that add enough, but not too much, to the overall business look.

Go Bold. When you wear a dress that is very basic, style it up with one bold necklace instead of leaving the neckline plain. 

You could use a bright accent color, or keep the outfit palette monochromatic for a more subtle look.

A simple, classic approach when wearing jewelry always works for me:

Hear It Here. Earrings can jazz up an outfit while at the same time making your hair look fantastic. Take the time to choose earrings that compliment the outfit as well as the workplace.

Conservative offices may prefer small studs, so choose a birthstone or a colored stone for a bit of fun, or stay classic with plain pearls or diamonds. Small dangly earrings are also a good choice, as they are a bit more visible but don’t shout “here I am, look at me!”

Brighten It Up. Costume jewelry rings don’t have to be gaudy. You can choose tasteful options that are bright and fun. Thumb rings instead of ring finger rings, for example, add something quirky and away from the norm without being too “out there” professionally.

Being professional is important, but you can balance it with being yourself.  Choose wisely and match your jewelry so that your outfits look fantastic. Always double check your workplace uniform etiquette, too, so that you don’t turn up with something that could get you into hot water with the powers that be! Go big, go bold, but be smart.

How to Wear Jewelry to Compliment
Your Casually Stylish Look

A more casual look opens up options that may not be available to you in the work place, or at church, or in a more formal setting. You can really express yourself with color, shape, size and style when accessorizing a casual outfit. It can be loads of fun!

Bold, colorful earrings, chunky necklaces, bangly earrings….all of these jewelry options can add the ‘wow’ factor to your outfit. It really comes down to you and your comfort level, as well as your overall style.

I’ll use myself as an example. Even at my most ‘wild and carefree’ times, my jewelry is simple, classic and almost always takes a back seat to the outfit itself. 

Why? That’s who I am. I would feel awkward in huge hoop earrings or extra long bangles, even though I might love them on someone else.

I love these chunky necklaces, though, and might even wear one myself with my skinny jeans, scoop neck tee and 3/4 sleeve jacket!

Which necklace would you select to go with it??

Same goes for the earrings, if you desire. Have fun with size, shape and element. One word of caution, and that is to make sure that your earrings and necklace look great together. You don’t want your jewelry to compete with each other!

I run hot and cold when it comes to wearing bracelets. My favorites tend to be those given as gifts, and I gravitate toward those first. A bracelet can be a lovely finishing touch to an outfit, casual or more formal, and generally look best with sleeveless, short, elbow length or 3/4 length sleeves.  Here are some of my recommendations:

Hopefully, you’ve gleaned some ideas for how to wear jewelry to compliment your look. We are all unique creatures,  and our comfort level with the type of jewelry we like to wear varies as well. And that is a good thing!

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