While the women’s jewelry scene is always evolving (one of our favorite things about it), there is one trend that always seems to be in style. Can you guess what it is? If the blog title didn’t give it away - it’s layering! As with all trends, as soon as layering entered the chat everyone wanted to know how to master the art and layer along with the best of them. If you’ve found yourself asking the question ‘how should I layer?,’ this one's for you!
Before we get into our “do’s and don’ts,” we have a spoiler alert to share. When it comes to stacking jewelry the truth is, there is only one rule: wear what makes you happy! That’s right, we’ve consulted with the experts, browsed endless Pinterest boards, phoned our friends, and we can confirm, the best layered looks are the ones that make you feel the best while wearing them - no rule following required. But, it’s not like us to leave you out on your own when it comes to landing a great look, so we’re here with some friendly “do’s and don’ts” to get your layering wheels turning. (Just remember while reading that these are simply guidelines. The cardinal rule of layering will always be: if it makes you feel good, then it’s got our sign of approval.) With that said, let's get into it!
DON’T be afraid to just go for it!
To kick off our list, we’re showing more love for our cardinal rule of layering: wear what makes you happy! If you’ve been too intimidated to dabble in the layered look, we’re here to break the preconception that you need to be a jewelry expert to nail the “perfect” look. If you stop worrying about “perfect” and just focus on “perfect for you,” you’ll be shocked at how easy the process becomes. Now that you know you can’t fail, what’s stopping you from trying?
DO be ready to go with the flow.
Trust us on this one, no matter how much time you spend eyeing the distance between each layer, one hug, jump or spin, and your perfectly balanced pieces are all out of whack. When going with a layered look, just stack them in whatever order feels best to you and head out the door. One fact about layers is (unless you plan on impersonating a statue), they will shift throughout the day. So don’t bother striving for the perfectly balanced placement, just go with the flow and know you can always rearrange along the way.
DON’T get tangled up in layers, literally.
Another one we can speak to from experience - when layers are involved, the risk of tangling is real! Here’s a few helpful tips that have helped us stay out of a bind: (1) clip your hair up before you attach your layers: our hair strands have lost way too many battles with a necklace knot or latch, (2) get dressed before layering up: pulling anything over your head with your layers on is a one-way ticket to tangletown, so keep things easy and hold on layering until you’re in your final outfit, (3) never store your layered look in a single jewelry pouch: it may seem convenient at the time, but you will absolutely pay the price the next time you reach for your favorite look and instead get one giant knot.
DO consider the opportunity to layer in meaning
We love the idea of layering in pieces that feel special to you. Whether it’s a horseshoe for luck or a star to remind you to dream big - any symbol that holds value to you is the perfect addition to your layered look.
DON’T fall for the single-metal myth.
We’re not sure if there is an official rule book of jewelry out there - but here at Billie & Bird we think the “you can’t go wrong” approach absolutely applies to mixing and matching your metals. The days of being “just a gold girlie” are over. If you’re feeling courageous and want to mix up silver, gold and rose gold, have at it! The world is your oyster and a layered look is your blank canvas to mix things up.
DON’T be scared of new styles.
Here’s another tip to pull you out of your comfort zone - don’t avoid styles just because you’ve never owned anything like it before. If a piece catches your eye but doesn’t feel like something that “fits” your style, follow your curiosity and take a leap! Even if it doesn't make its way to your “everyday” look, it’s fun to have something to spice up your collection, and your layers.
DO toss in some vintage looks.
On the flipside of “don’t be scared of new styles” is our tip to welcome in the old as well. In case you haven’t picked up the vibe, we’re all about mixing it up in our layered looks. Ever heard the phrase opposites attract? We think that applies in layers too. So go ahead and pair that awesome new piece with one of your favorite heirlooms. The contrast adds a fun and dynamic style, plus it will bring extra meaning to your look.
DO consider an extender.
While we’ve already covered that achieving the “perfect placement” is a fool's errand, there may come a time when you wish a necklace was just a bit longer so that it could play nicely in a layered look. Enter the necklace extender. A simple strand of additional chain, an extender can make any piece work in any situation. When it comes to layering possibilities, this tiny addition brings a ton of optionality and versatility to your collection. Pro-tip: you can pick up a 2’’ extender on the Billie&Bird website, or get one for free with the purchase of any of our layered sets.
DO check out our layered sets.
We are BIG layer lovers here at Billie&Bird so you know we had to dedicate an entire collection to the approach. Browse our full line-up of layered looks on billieandbird.com/collections/layers where we’ve made achieving a fun layered look as simple as “add to cart.” Plus, enjoy a 10% savings and a free 2’’ extender with any layered set purchase.
DON’T stop at just necklaces
While the bulk of our guidelines has focused on necklace stacking, why stop the fun there? We fully support stacking bracelets, ear cuffs, rings, and more! If you’re looking for even more ways to take your stacking style to the next level, check out Goop’s article on How to Style a Jewelry Stack.
We’re going to close out our list with a recommendation that is so important we need to deliver it in two parts. Part one of our final guideline is DON’T get discouraged. We can’t even count the amount of times we assembled a layered look only to look in the mirror and wonder to ourselves “what in the world was I thinking?!”. Learning what doesn’t work is just as important as learning what does. Which leads us to part two of our closing guideline: DO throw perfection out the window and have some fun with it! This is us giving you permission to throw caution to the wind while finding your ideal layers. We can’t wait to see what you come up with! Be sure to tag us on social media @billieandbird when rocking your favorite looks!
