Long Necklace Styles We Love (And You Will, Too!)
While there will always be a time and place for a choker or a short, dainty necklace, long necklaces are a must-have for any jewelry lover. Find your next staple piece and fall in love with the endless styles and designs long necklace styles have to offer. Show off your individual style and personality while upgrading your jewelry box.
Learn the ins and outs about what qualifies as a "long" necklace, understand the popular styles (and see our fabulous examples!), and find classic styling tips for showing off your glamourous everyday necklaces. Then, follow along and deep dive into the beautiful designs of our favorite long necklaces.
What Qualifies As a Long Necklace?
In our expert opinion, long necklaces are any chains 22 inches or longer ending below the sternum. Exact measurements are debatable because everyone's body is different (and valid!), but that's a general rule of thumb in the world of jewelry. Some of our favorite long everyday necklaces are even up to 30 inches long!
Long necklaces include many different styles and types. They don't have to be a single, long chain: each one can have different pops of color, gemstones, pendants, layers, and more. Whether you love lariat necklaces or dainty necklaces, there's a perfect long necklace style for anyone—you just have to learn what you like!
Endless designs and terms describe a longer necklace in the jewelry business. For example, necklaces 20-24 inches long are called matinee necklaces, 30-inch necklaces are opera, and longer lengths are often called rope or lariat necklaces. So, as you narrow your search for your dream long necklace style, keep these terms in mind!
Long Necklaces Make Perfect Everyday Necklaces
Adding an everyday necklace to your look instantly elevates your vibe and outfit. Some people wear the same rings daily or a dainty necklace, but why not go bold with a long necklace style? If you fall in love with one of the many styles (like we have!), why not wear it as often as possible? Find an everyday necklace among our selection of long necklaces, and let your jewelry represent you and your one-of-a-kind style!
A staple look with a long everyday necklace is an easy way to help you style yourself without a second thought. If you know you have an everyday necklace that goes with the majority of your wardrobe, you can accessorize whenever you please! A long necklace like a lariat necklace may give your outfit elegance and class daily.
How to Add a New Everyday Necklace to Your Jewelry Collection
If you're anything like us, we love to add new and exciting everyday necklaces to our jewelry collection—but how should you choose a new long necklace? Take a look at all of your statement and dainty necklaces together, and take note of the metals, styles, and designs of each piece of jewelry. You want your new lariat necklace to be able to be mixed and matched with your existing collection to get the most wear out of it.
Do you prefer silver or gold? Or are you a fan of mixing metals? Can this new lariat necklace be easily paired with the dainty necklaces you own for a fresh layered look? Would you rather have a statement long necklace for a showstopper item? When you try to find your perfect everyday necklace, consider all these questions.
5 Popular Long Necklace Styles
Don't worry; there's a long necklace style for everyone! We've gathered some of our favorites for you to browse to find your perfect everyday necklace:
- Lariat necklace
- Pendant necklace
- Statement necklace
- Multilayered necklace
- Beaded necklace
1. Lariat Necklaces
Lariat necklaces are some of the most stylish, cute, and oh-so-elegant long necklace designs out there. The lariat necklace is perfect if you've ever wanted a long necklace but didn't love a basic chain. Sometimes called the Y necklace due to their shape, lariat necklaces are made of one chain around your neck that joins together mid-way down your sternum to form a long tail. Typically, you'll find a metal bar or a pendant at the bottom for extra detail. The best part? Lariat necklaces are edgy yet elegant and work for almost any occasion.
Our Stem Lariat Necklace is beautifully handcrafted and perfect for wearing alone or layering with other, shorter necklaces. Whether you're gearing up for a night on the town or running errands, this versatile 24-inch lariat necklace is a perfect accessory. Adjust the metal circle to play around with different lengths for versatile looks! After you decide on gold or silver chain, this lariat necklace can complete your jewelry collection.
2. Long Pendant Necklaces
Pendant necklaces, or sautoir as the French call them, are one of our favorite styles for long, everyday necklaces. These have one single, thin chain and a charm featured at the end. So many people think of short, dainty necklaces with small pendants, but why not mix it up with a long necklace featuring favorite gemstones, fringe, and other exciting baubles? Pendant styles are perfect for an everyday necklace—just pick a charm you resonate with, and you'll be excited to rock it daily!
If you're into minimalist jewelry, this long, dainty necklace is for you. The Gable Necklace is edgy, featuring a 25-inch chain with a geometric pendant at the end. The hexagonal and chevron-inspired pendant is hand-formed for a beautiful long necklace style that will impress. Wear this dainty necklace when you want to elevate your everyday outfit in a fresh and exciting way!
3. Statement Necklaces
Statement necklaces are the best way to show off your big and beautiful personality! Though we adore a chunky, short everyday necklace, adding a long statement necklace to your collection is a perfect way to represent your style. Try finding one with color and texture like our Wood and Glass Necklace or sparkling gemstones to catch the eye. Wear this long necklace style on its own for a show-stopping piece, and prepare to be the center of attention!
Discover our Fringed Necklace for a statement within a dainty necklace for loads of personality! This dainty necklace is 32 inches long (a statement in itself) with a choice of different tiny, powerful gemstones at the end. Dazzle a room with the brass fringe and wear this dainty necklace on its own or as the longest chain in a layered necklace look.
4. Multilayer Necklaces
Some long necklace styles do all the accessorizing for you—that's where the multilayered necklaces come into play. Instead of having one strand, these necklaces have a few layers to give the illusion that you're wearing multiple necklaces when there's really only one clasp. Necklace layering is a very in look, so why not find one long piece so you can tackle this trend with ease?
Find multilayered necklaces in gold, silver, or brass: whatever your preferred metal is, and you will instantly elevate your outfit with a single accessory. We love finding the ones that feature extra-long chains for a full and complete layered look! Throw your long multilayered necklace on with any outfit you can imagine, and you'll feel put together with minimal effort and ultimate glam.
5. Beaded Necklaces
If you're looking for a simple long necklace style, go the classic route and try to find a beaded necklace. Indie artists like ours focus on creating a wide selection of different bead and color combinations, so there may be a beaded dainty necklace perfect for your style. Beaded jewelry is an easy way to add a little spice to your wardrobe without going overboard.
For a beaded dainty necklace for everyday wear, look no further than the Bennett Necklace. Gold, black, and Thai brass beads make up this perfect down-to-earth necklace. Wear this 30-inch strand of beads anywhere, from brunch to a day at the office.
How to Determine the Best Necklace Length for You
If you're trying to find your new everyday necklace, it's crucial to learn the tips and tricks for determining the best necklace length for you. There are countless beliefs about which necklace length flatters which face shapes, and how to measure where a long necklace style should land on your body, but what's most important is that you love the piece you're wearing.
Take a good look in the mirror: If you have a round or square face, longer necklace styles will help elongate your facial features and neck. Because you want your everyday necklace to sit around or near the bust, it's important to consider how long your torso is. If you have a long torso, you can rock the 30-inch and above long necklace styles. If you have a shorter torso, stick to the 22-inch ones. Make your necklace length work for you, and experiment with different designs and long necklace styles!
5 Best Necklines for Long Necklaces
Don't let your bold long necklace styles be swallowed by the fabric of your shirt! Style your pieces with specific necklines to help them pop.
Wear your lariat necklaces and long, dainty necklaces over any of these necklines to show them off:
- V-neck
- High neck
- Deep scoop
- Boat neck
- Mock turtleneck
3 Ways to Style Long Necklaces
There are endless ways to rock your long necklace styles, and whether you're hitting up the grocery store or having a date night, you can wear your lariat necklace with pride:
- Casual
- Work attire
- Night out
1. Elevate A Casual Look with a Long Necklace
When we say that long necklace styles work perfectly as everyday necklaces, we mean they pair with whatever you love to wear daily. If you can put together your favorite jeans and a plain white T-shirt, you're halfway there. Place your lariat necklace or pendant piece over the shirt, and you instantly have a put-together look with minimal effort. Let your long, dainty necklaces be your new staple accessory, and rock them with the casual looks in your wardrobe.
2. Wear Your Long Necklace Styles at Work
The versatility of long necklace styles is their best feature—not only can you wear them on the weekends, but you can pop into the office looking stylish any day. Wear a beautiful lariat necklace with your button-down, or rock a long, dainty necklace over your sweater. No matter what style you choose, a long necklace is the best way to add a little style to your office attire!
3. Style a Long Necklace for a Night Out
Long necklace styles are perfect for the transition from an everyday necklace to an evening look. If you've got an LBD lying around or a new top you've been dying to style, adding a long necklace will make all the difference. Go with a simple lariat necklace for an attention-grabbing focal point, and pair your dainty necklace with matching earrings for a cohesive look for your night out.
How to Take Care of Long Necklaces
Learn to take care of your new long necklaces, and they will last you for years to come. Find a jewelry organization method that works for you and your space, and learn to take proper care of your long necklaces.
Don't discard your beautiful everyday necklaces in a drawer or a jewelry box. Keep long necklaces untangled for easy accessorizing in the morning by placing them on a jewelry stand. Jewelry stands work best for vanities and countertops and are specially designed so that your long, dainty necklaces can be hung without tangling or knotting. Another popular option is keeping your long necklace styles on a wall, whether you're buying a jewelry holder with hooks to hang necklaces on or looking at DIY jewelry holder projects.
If all else fails, and you've ended up with a knot from layering your favorite lariat necklace with a dainty necklace, there are a couple of easy remedies. First, take a straight pin and pierce the center of a knot, wiggle to loosen it up, and carefully pull apart the knot. If the knot is especially stubborn, use a sprinkle of baby powder, which will help it release!
We've fallen in love with longer necklaces—how could you not? From the classic stem lariat necklaces to lovely dainty necklaces, the stylish designs never end. Dress these beautiful necklaces up for a special occasion or down for an everyday look; the possibilities are endless. Find your go-to longer necklace style and add it to your jewelry box for a versatile staple piece you’ll love to wear every day!
