How to Wear a Necklace with a Collared Shirt

A collared shirt is already a little obvious. So, isn’t wearing a necklace with a collared shirt a little “hat on a hat”? Well, there are ways to pull it off; you’ve just got to be a bit creative about it.

Necklaces that drape down the front should be avoided if you plan on wearing a collared shirt. One option is to play up the collar by wearing a necklace that is long enough to be seen from the front, with or without your head in between.

Since long necklaces may get in the way when you’re putting on a collared shirt, it is recommended that you wear shorter necklaces with these types of shirts. A choker can help keep your necklace out of the way when putting on a shirt and bring focus to your neck.

If you’re going for a casual look but want to keep from wearing just a t-shirt, pairing a plain button-down with a choker can go a long way. A bib necklace is best worn like this because it will hang below the shirt, adding to the casual look.

A simple pendant necklace can be worn to bring focus upwards toward your face… but your collared shirt may need to remain unbuttoned.

Wearing a Long, Draped Necklace With a Collared Shirt

With a collared shirt, you want long, draped necklaces such as statement necklaces. Often, large and chunky necklaces will do better. Something that’s delicate will get lost in the pattern or color of the shirt. And, of course, you want there to be a contrast.

Apart from this, note that you don’t want something like a lariat necklace. A lariat necklace will be positioned oddly on your neck because it will sit directly over the buttons.

Wearing a Choker Necklace With a Collared Shirt

A choker necklace can simply supersede a collared shirt because it’s in an entirely different location. The collared shirt will be at the base of your neck whereas the choker necklace will be at the middle section of your neck. A choker necklace, however, needs to be designed correctly or it can come off as more risqué or informal than perhaps you intend.

The Downsides of Wearing a Necklace With a Shirt

When you wear a necklace with a collared shirt, you’ll often find yourself adjusting it. To properly wear a long or mid-length necklace, it should be placed under the collar of the shirt so it’s only revealed through the shirt itself. But that also means that it’s going to distract from the lines of the shirt.

Historically, a button-down or collared shirt was considered to be more masculine in nature, which is why we aren’t used to seeing necklaces with them. A button-down can be dressed up with a lengthy or clunky necklace, but consider a polo shirt. Nearly any type of necklace is going to look strange with a polo shirt.

Despite this, many people successfully adorn t-shirts with multi-length necklaces. It depends on your personal style and what you feel confident about pulling off.

When You Should Wear a Necklace With a Collared Shirt

Frequently, a necklace is used to adorn or formalize a collared shirt. If you have a button-down but you want it to look more feminine or more formal, you can add necklaces of varying lengths to make it “rise” to the occasion. This is especially true if you’re trying to go for something like a business formal look.

But what you do need to think about is how the necklace matches the shirt. For instance, do the colors of the necklace and the shirt’s buttons clash? On a practical level, will the necklace snag and move your collar around? Try out a few looks before you finish getting dressed so you know how each element will work together.

In some scenarios, a piece of jewelry will really fulfill a similar metric as a tie. But consider how bold a tie is compared to the average necklace; this is the type of balance that you need to strive for.

Other Jewelry With a Collared Shirt

It’s true that a collared shirt can make all jewelry difficult. Most bracelets and wristwatches are going to disappear under the cuffs of a collared shirt, although you can consider investing in some cuff lengths. There’s a reason why collared shirts were made to go with cuff links and ties; these are pretty much the elements of clothing that tend to work.

Consider rings if you want to feminize your appearance in a collared shirt, as rings are going to be visible. Look for bracelets that are tight or snug around your wrist, or adjustable, as a bangle will just get lost down your sleeve. Try to look for other accessories that you can pair with your shirts such as a great belt, a ratbag, or a great scarf.

Jewelry is something that’s intensely personal. If there’s a locket that you always want to wear, then feel free to wear it. Just be aware that jewelry that is delicate or likely to be “drowned out” by the appearance of a collared shirt should probably be worn within the shirt, under the buttons, and non-visible, rather than being seen. Otherwise, they may look like a distracting mistake in an otherwise very well-put-together appearance.

If you’re pairing a necklace with a collared shirt, you really need the right type of necklace. You need something that can out-compete your shirt for visibility while still being elegant and formal. Check out the jewelry at Occasions Fine Jewelry to find out more.