Statement Jewelry AW22

Statement jewelry is meant to add interest to an outfit, plus frame and complement the face. When not done right it can overpower or, even worse, look ridiculous. Like with most things, the devil is in the details when it comes to statement jewelry so consider these 5 guidelines before stepping out for the night:

1. Harmonize metal with skin and hair
   Harmonizing with natural assets is the first step in optimizing appearance. If your skin or hair has blue, cool undertones stick with silver, rhinestones, diamonds and bright gemstones like emeralds, sapphires and amethyst. If you’re warm with yellow undertones, wear gold, rose gold, yellow diamonds and deeper, warmer gemstones like topaz, garnet and citrine.

2. Matte vs. shiny
   Anything shiny and sparkly draws attention to skin imperfections like fine lines, wrinkles, veins and scars. That’s fine when we’re young, but for a softer look after 60 consider switching to matte, unpolished metals or jewels with less luster like pearls, coral, turquoise, lapis and jade.

3. Go with natural lines
   Wearing jewelry that flows with natural body lines is a must. If your features are round, wear circles, hoops, dials and shallow necklaces. If you’re more angular, go for square, rectangle and diamond shapes and pendant necklaces. Consider your neck, too. If it’s long, drop earrings still work great. If not, stick to studs or pillow clips to de-emphasize neck and draw the eye up and to the face.

4. Reduce scale
   Big, bold fashion statements are easy to carry off when we’re young but, as we age, less so. In youth, go for it. However with age, create a more attractive overall appearance by shrinking jewelry scale so it doesn’t overpower bone structure, face shape, height and overall head-to-toe scale. Always remember you wear the jewelry, not the other way around.

5. Try clustering
   Make a statement without breaking scale rules by clustering multiples. Try stacking rings or bracelets, clustering brooches or bundling necklaces together to amp up drama without overpowering. Have fun with it by mixing and matching unexpected combinations or clustering your faves together all at once. This is a smashing look at any age!