Choosing The Right Necklace Length – Charts For Men And Women

Whether you like bold or discreet, a long metal chain or a rugged leather one, choosing a necklace is no easy task. 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.

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.

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 18inch to 30ich pieces, while the most common sizing range from an 18 inch to a 24 inch. 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.

Start with your height and face shape

Surprisingly, height can play a role in what necklace suits you best. If you are around 5’ 4’’, you should focus on shorter necklaces (such as the 18 inch). This ensures you don’t look weighed down by your necklace. However, if your body type is more bulky and developed, you might want to opt for a necklace that’ll sit a bit more loosely around your neck.

Since necklaces naturally draw the attention to the face, your necklace can influence the way your face appears, If you have an oval-shaped face, you don’t have to worry – everything will look good on you! Rectangular-shaped faces work best with a 10-14 inch necklace, while a round shape is most suited to a 26 to 36 inch chain. In case you have a heart-shaped face, you fall right in the middle – a 10 to 16 inch necklace will work best.

18 inches

This type of necklace sits high at the neck, usually just below Adam’s apple or at the base of the neck. It’s best suited for crew neck shirts, where the necklace can clearly accent your style.

These choker-style necklaces can be worn with anything, excepting a suit and tie. Wearing a necklace this short works best when it peeks above a low collar. 

20 inches

Among all necklace lengths, the 20 inch is by far the most ubiquitous when it comes to men’s jewelry. This typically falls near the collarbone and can be worn both inside or outside the shirt. In case you want a pendant on your chain, this length may not be the best choice. The mid-size chain can look awkward with any sort of pendant – the precious piece will always end up half or completely covered by your clothes

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.

10-16 inches: Chokers and Collars

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

18-20 inches: Princess

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.

20-24 inches: Matinee

Starting at 20 inches, 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.

30-34 inches: Opera

Hanging just below the bust, opera length necklaces will serve taller women best. Anyone shorter than around about 5’ 7’’ might find that necklaces longer than about 20 inches overwhelm the frame. When it comes, to face-shapes, the heart-shaped may find that this length hardens the face.

45 inches: Lariat or Rope

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. Drop by one of our Miami jewelry stores – that perfect piece of jewelry is waiting for you!