How to layer necklaces without the tangle

Layered necklaces look effortless, and they take about thirty seconds of planning. Here's the whole method.

Start with three lengths

Give every chain its own lane. Each one needs at least 5 cm (2 in) of drop from the one above it, or they'll sit on top of each other and twist.

Layer	Length	Sits at
Top	40 cm (15.7 in)	Base of the neck: a collar or short chain
Middle	45 cm (17.7 in)	On the collarbone
Bottom	50 cm (19.7 in) or longer	Below the collarbone: a pendant or heavier chain

Extenders are your friend here: a 45 cm chain with a 5 cm extender can play either the middle or the bottom.

Heavy goes low

Put the weightiest piece at the bottom. A heavy rope chain pulls straight and anchors the stack; fine chains above it stay in their lanes. If the heavy piece sits on top, the finer chains below it get dragged into it.

Mix one thing at a time

Change either the texture or the metal colour, not both at once. Three gold chains in three textures (rope, paperclip, fine) look deliberate. Gold and silver together look best when the textures match.

The clasp trick

Fasten every clasp at the back of your neck, then twist the chains a half-turn so each clasp sits slightly to a different side. Chains knot when their clasps rub together, so separating them stops most tangles.

Store them flat

Lay each chain flat in its own pouch, or hang it. A drawer full of loose chains will be a knot by Friday.

Try it with ours

Our necklaces end in a pendant, so they make a good bottom layer. Wear one on its own, then add a fine chain above it if you want more. For a festival or a wedding, a necklace set usually looks best worn alone.