How to Choose the Right Necklace Length

One of the best parts about buying a handmade, custom piece of jewelry is that you get to choose the length of a necklace according to how you want it to fall, your face shape or your outfit neckline. The right necklace length will make a major difference in how it complements your outfit and your wearing confidence.

If you want to choose the length of your necklace, I recommend shopping brands that include length options and necklace extenders in their add-ons like we do at Sela Designs.

If you’ve never thought about choosing the right necklace length before or had the option, you may wonder how to choose the right necklace length, but I’m here to make the process easy and help you choose the length that falls perfectly for your style and body type.

Let’s start with this basic chart:

Short Necklaces

First, it’s important to remember that every body is different. It’s not just about weight and height, proportions are different. I am 5’7″ with a long torso and small chest. My Mom is 5’7″ with an average torso and large chest. Necklaces look totally different on us.

Second, know that industry-standard length on a short necklace is 18″. Note where that sits on the graphic above. If you are a petite woman, you may have noticed that necklaces typically seem longer on you than other people, so you’ll want to choose a shorter length.

In this photo, I’m wearing the first necklace 16″ long and the second 20″. If I wanted to add a choker length necklace I would choose 14″.

I’m wearing this tagua nut statement necklace 18″ long, plus the bib part. Bonus: this necklace comes with a 2″ extender and you can clasp on the chain for maximum length flexibility (another mega bonus of handmade jewelry).

Mid Length Necklaces

We’ve been seeing layering necklaces all over the place and for good reason. That brings in additional length options for necklaces and knowing how to select the best length will serve you well.

Here’s the best tip I can give you for layering: if you like a little space between each necklace, make sure they are at least 4″ apart.

For example: in the photo below I’m wearing a 14″ choker and a 20″ necklace with a pendant. This creates space. I could easily add another 16″ necklace because the choker is so simple, but I wouldn’t want anything at 18″.

Here’s what a 24″ necklace looks like on my frame. I would consider this a middle length as well.

Long Necklaces

The standard length for a long necklace is 30″. If you are a petite woman, choose 28″. If you are tall, full-figured, have a large chest or just like extra length, choose 32-34″.

The Dylan Necklace pictured above is 30″ long with the shorter Known Necklace 16″. Again, I’m 5’7″, size small on top and 6 on bottom. I have a long torso.

Here’s a 30″ necklace on a completely different body type. This model is 5’5″ and wears a size large on top. If she wanted her necklace to hit below her chest I’d recommend 34″.

Additional tips:

1. Think about the type of shirt you typically wear or want to wear with your necklace. Sweaters add extra bulk (that’s when extenders come in handy). A v-neck vs. a crew neck will change the way your necklace looks.
2. Where do you want to draw the eye? If you don’t like bringing any attention to your bust, choose a shorter length vs. long.
3. Long necklaces can help elongate the body, but can draw attention to a large chest.
4. Wear what you love! Don’t overthink it.

I hope this helps you choose a perfect necklace length. If you have any questions don’t hesitate to ask. You can leave a comment here, send a DM on Instagram, submit a question through the contact page or directly on seladesigns.com.