HOW TO MEASURE AND CHOOSE THE CORRECT CHAIN NECKLACE LENGTH
Whether you like bold or discreet, a long metal chain or a rugged leather one, use our Necklace Length Guide when choosing a necklace. Even if you know exactly what necklace you want – the style, the materials, the design – choosing the length can prove to be the trickiest part of it all.
When choosing a chain necklace, the first thing to consider is where it might fall on your body in different lengths, which will determine the wearing effect you want to achieve.
Too long, too short, uncomfortable or not really what you had in mind – all these problems can be solved by taking a look at our necklace lengths chart. This way, you’ll be able to make the right choice and avoid the hassle of going to the shop to shorten or lengthen your chain.
Choosing the right necklace length can be tricky, especially if you’re not familiar with the different options available. The length of a necklace can affect the overall look and feel of an outfit, and it’s important to choose the right length to complement your body type and style. Here’s a necklace length guide to help you make the right choice.
- CHOKER
A choker necklace is worn tight around the neck and typically measures between 14-16 inches in length. This style is great for accentuating the collarbone and neckline, and can be worn with both casual and formal outfits.
- PRINCESS
A princess necklace is one of the most popular necklace lengths, measuring between 16-18 inches in length. This style falls just below the collarbone and is versatile enough to be worn with a variety of necklines and outfits.
- MATINEE
A matinee necklace measures between 20-24 inches in length and falls just above the bust. This style is great for adding a touch of elegance to an outfit, and can be worn with both casual and formal attire.
- OPERA
An opera necklace measures between 28-36 inches in length and falls below the bust. This style is perfect for adding drama to an outfit, and can be worn as a single strand or doubled up for a layered look.
- LARIAT OR ROPE
A rope necklace measures 36 inches or longer and can be worn as a single strand or doubled up for a layered look. This style is great for adding a touch of sophistication to an outfit, and can be worn with both casual and formal attire.
It’s important to consider your body type when choosing a necklace length. For example, a shorter necklace like a choker or princess length is great for those with a shorter neck or petite frame, while a longer necklace like an opera or rope length can elongate the neck and flatter a taller frame.
In conclusion, choosing the right necklace length can make all the difference in your outfit. By understanding the different options available and considering your body type and style, you can choose the perfect necklace length to complement your look and make a statement.
MEN’S NECKLACE LENGTHS
When it comes to men, the necklace chain lengths are a bit more limited than women’s. Men’s necklaces can range from 45cm to 76cm pieces, while the most common sizing range from an 45cm to a 60cm. What’s important to consider here is personal style, preferences, and what you want to achieve with a statement piece such as a necklace.Most men’s necklaces emphasize the materials they’re made from and are designed in such a way to look older, like family heirlooms, more rugged and generally more robust. Unlike women’s jewelry, men’s jewelry is most commonly made for everyday use – meaning, never to be taken off, even when in the shower or swimming in the ocean.
DIFFERENT STYLES OF NECKLACE LENGTHS
First, you need to understand the exact look you are going for with your necklace using the chart of standard necklace lengths.
There are roughly 6 standard looks are that are based on variants of necklace lengths, the most common are choker and princess lengths. The other types are less common, but are good to know when considering necklace lengths.
The different women’s necklace looks are explained in this standard necklace lengths chart for an average woman:
| LENGTH (CM) | STYLE | POSITION ON BODY | WORKS BEST WITH |
| 33-38 | Collar | Tightly around the neck | Any clothes with open neck such as V-neck, scoop or boat necks and off-the-shoulder. |
| 38-43 | Choker | Sits at the base of the neck | Almost Everything |
| 43-48 | Princess | On the collarbone (the most common necklace length for the average women) | Almost Everything |
| 50-60 | Matinee | Between the collarbone and the bust | Great for both business and casual wear |
| 70-90 | Opera | From top of the bust to a couple of cm’s below | High necklines and evening wear |
| 90-150 | Rope | From the center of the bust to the stomach | Elegant business and evening wear |
WOMEN’S NECKLACE LENGTHS
Women’s necklaces offer greater variety when it comes to lengths – they even have their own names! They range from a 10 inch choker all the way to 40 inch plus statement pieces. As with any piece of jewelry, you should first follow your gut and personal style, and then turn to the mechanics of how the piece accentuates your features.
Believe it or not, the perfect length of your necklace will depend on your height and face shape. Here, we’ll be focusing on those criteria. But if you want more info on which necklace goes with which neckline, you can follow the guide below.
For women, chokers will look best on women with long and slim necks. Perfect for those with square, oblong and oval face-shapes, these types of necklaces can be worn in both a casual or a more formal style. If you’re around 5’ 4’’ or under, necklaces on the shorter side of the spectrum will work much better – they won’t dominate your entire frame.
A 16 inch collar will sit much more loosely, around the base your neck, and is perfect for any ‘long’ face shape (oval, heart, and diamond) – in fact, round face-shapes are the best match for chokers
The standard lengths among women’s necklaces, the Princess sits right around the collarbone. Flattering on any woman, you can dress this necklace up or down, depending on your outfits and moods! Since this length is flattering on any face and body type, it’s the perfect length to choose if you want to surprise a woman in your life with a piece of jewelry.
Starting at 50cm, these types of necklaces are bolder accents to your style. Sitting just below your collarbone and reaching the center of the bust, the matinee necklaces are perfect for showing off a pendant, whether it’s a locket, a precious jewel, or anything else. Suited for both petite and fuller body types, the matinee is a perfect piece to add some flair to your style.
Hanging just below the bust, opera length necklaces will serve taller women best. Anyone shorter than around about 1,7m might find that necklaces longer than about 50cm overwhelm the frame. When it comes, to face-shapes, the heart-shaped may find that this length hardens the face.
The main difference between a lariat and a rope is the clasp – rope typically doesn’t have one. These types of necklaces usually feature a knot and are typically beads or pearls. Hanging far below the bust, lariats and ropes are best suited to oval-shaped faces and taller frames. But don’t let that stop you! Necklaces of these lengths are perfect for layering, so you can mix and match until you reach the perfect balance between the statement you want to make and the way the jewelry accentuates your features!
Among the many lengths of necklaces, choose what works best for you – even if it breaks some of the common “rules.” The most important thing is that you love your jewelry and feel amazing when wearing it. We can offer you a rich assortment of necklaces – from discrete to bold – and a vast array of pendants.
Consider your facial shape and body build when using our Necklace Length Guide
You should select necklace length that compliments your facial shape (see table below). Generally, rounder face should choose a necklace length that elongates, while longer face will want to balance out their shape with a shorter necklace. When in doubt, just remember that you can almost never go wrong with the classic princess length.
| FACIAL SHAPE | WORKS WITH | AVOID |
| Round | Princess, Matinee, Opera, Rope | Collars, Choker |
| Long | Collar, Choker, Princess | Matinee, Opera, Rope |
| Heart | Collar, Choker, Princess | Matinee, Opera, Rope |
| Oval | Almost All | Almost None |
Necklace Length Guide For The Petite
Those who are more petite might want to avoid longer-style necklaces as they might swallow a small frame.