How to wear a necklace set with a western dress

A necklace set looks made for a sari, and it is. It's also one of the quickest ways to finish a plain western dress for a wedding reception, a festive dinner or a party where you want to nod to the occasion without wearing a lehenga.

Match the necklace to the neckline

The necklace and the neckline should agree on shape.

• Strapless or sweetheart: the easiest. A collar or a full necklace sits on bare skin and frames the shoulders.
• V-neck: choose a necklace that ends in a point or a drop, so it follows the line of the V.
• Square or boat neck: a collar that sits close to the base of the neck works best. Avoid long pieces that fall onto the fabric.
• High neck or a busy print: skip the necklace and wear only the earrings from the set.

Pick up one colour

Let one colour in the set echo the outfit. A clear-stone set with a black, navy or emerald dress reads as classic. Pearl-look beads soften pastels. If the stones are green or red, wear them with a neutral dress and let them be the colour.

Keep everything else quiet

A set is already two statements, so leave out bracelets that compete. Hair up or tucked behind the ears lets the earrings show. A clutch in gold-tone or a neutral finishes it.

When to break the set

Wearing all of it can feel formal for a smaller party. Wear the earrings alone with a simple dress, then add the necklace when you change for the evening. You get two looks from one piece.

Looking for a set? Browse the wedding guest edit or all necklace sets.